How and where do I start to put together a story?

Question

I've got this idea for a story but it involves something like different chapters, kinda like star wars in the sense that there were different chapters with there own stories making one big continuous story or saga. I've got a lot of characters and I just don't know how to put it all together. getting started is the hardest part and that's what I need help on. I'm not sure what to work on first , the characters or the story. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Answer 1

Actually, getting started ISN'T the hardest part. It's just PART of the hardest part.

But definitely organize first. Sounds like you are going for a series, not a single book. So divide your tale into the individual stories and see where that takes you.

Once you have gotten organized, decide HOW you are going to tell the story. Is it told from the point of view of the characters? Do you have one character that is always there? George Lucas said once that the narrators of the Star Wars series were R2D2 and C3PO. They were in every story. Make that decision, and then go on with characters.

And then write. And write, and keep writing. THAT is the hardest part.

Answer 2

Okay, let me see if this is helpful at all to you. I'm getting some fast-arriving ideas for a story that I want to turn into a trilogy. This is what I've done: I've created a file where I have listed my characters and their personalities. Then, I've written down the plot ideas and how I want each story of the trilogy to flow into the next so that it all comes together in the end. It may sound annoying to you, but it's probably a good idea to create as much of this "file" as you can so that you can keep track of all your ideas before you begin your writing. When you're creating a saga style story, there's a lot that you can forget if you don't have it all recorded. Character continuity can also became a problem if you don't have your ideas written down and put away. If you notice, a lot of sagas aren't flawless. Take the Halloween movies--not everything fits together seamlessly. In fact, neither do the elements in Star Wars, even though they were great movies. I hope this helps you some.

Answer 3

Make an outline of the major or most important places in your story that you have come up with ideas for so far.

example;
A) Story opening - marcia & wexler washing clothes at the creek
1) marcia cuts her hand, wexler runs screaming.
2) monster appears
3) mother wonders where kids are
B) group of men in village square grumbling, with pitchforks and torches
1) mayor says you have to find the creature
2) loud idiot says, what if it eats us?
leave space for hunt
C) cave interior, multicolored stalactites, water dripping, cold
1) shivering kids penned up, no food
2) bones on the floor
3) wexler appears at the cave opening, Marcia shouts in delight, wexler hushes her
etc.
Get all your notes arranged according to your outline, and work on fleshing them out. Add to your outline as you think of new events that can happen, new dialogue, additional characters.
You might also build a Time-line, to keep important events in order in your mind, especially if you have an epic like star wars.

Answer 4

Put it in an outline. List each "chapter" and who is in it (and all their traits--characters MAKE a story) on separate pieces of paper... Shuffle them like a pack of cards until you get the order you like... Then start on the story (sounds like a book) and re-write and re-write till you're perfectly happy with it!

Answer 5

The story and the characters go together. Just write! As you write, you'll find yourself inside the story. If you get a chance, please visit my website at http://www.rubysbooks.i8.com. My new book, "Love's Soft Voice" started as a 3 page short story while I was in college in 1992. Now it's a published book.