Advice on story writing?

Question

I am 10 years old and a fast learner. I would love to write a great story and be one of the country's youngest authors that's had a story published. I am always having ideas but I hardly ever manage to finish my stories as I get new ideas halfway through, and start another story instead where the same happens. I do this on my laptop so it's wasting space as well - any advice on how to write a good story and how to stick to it?

Answer 1

Try first to make a story shorter and refuse any distraction by any new idea... surely you have the ability to do that since you are the fast learner I believe you to be. Then finish it, and make it good by doing a rewrite or two. You'll be quite proud and happy once that's done.

After that perhaps you will have hit your stride in what it takes to be "one of the country's youngest" published authors. It takes concentration, dedication and some work.
You'll just have to learn to focus, focus, focus. Don't you want to know how these stories end yourself? Sure you do! Write on... I did at your age, won a prize, and eventually made a living at it for some time. I still write... working on a biography at present.
So be disciplined and go for it! Luck!

Answer 2

I would suggest you keep a writer's notebook. If you're working on a story and get ideas for other stories, write them down in the notebook. That way you can finish the story you're working on without losing any good ideas. I carry a small one with me everywhere I go and it's invaluable.

As for finishing a story, it helps if you are able to devote the same block of time to writing everyday. Writing becomes automatic then and much easier to do. If your schedule is such that you can't write everyday, set a few smaller goals to reach your main goal of finishing a story. Maybe you want to do a paragraph a day or a page every other day, something like that.

The only way to write a good story is to write a lot of bad ones first. Writing well takes practice. You're not wasting space on your computer. You're practicing.

Hope this helps. Best of luck to you!

Answer 3

I did the same thing when I was your age.... but what if..... what if.... you have like 3 chapters on one story then move to another story, all in the same book... but at the end of the book somehow you tie it all together and bring all the characters together?

Edit: Oh and about finishing stories.... I've probably had about 40 major book ideas. My first book I wrote 16 pages on then ended it.... Another I wrote 4 great pages on then gave up. Another I wrote 160 pages but got bored..... but on my last book I worked on it for a month and when I nearly got bored with it I thought, "But if I quit now that entire month was wasted" so I worked another month. Then I found the book was coming together so I worked 8 more months. By then I had 200 pages. So I thought, "Okay I will keep going to at least 300 pages" and I ended up getting there. I worked on it every couple of days and soon I was up to 400 pages. And whenever I thought of giving up I just remembered, "If I give up all this work will be a waste, and no one will ever read what I wrote" so I kept writing and writing till I had 609 handwritten pages.

Perseverance. You just have to stick with it. I have not earned one penny for writing all those pages, but I know that someday many people will read the book and it will all be worth it. They will see what I have done someday when I am ready to publish it. Until then: I edit.

Answer 4

Your stories NEVER waste space. When I get too many ideas for too many novels I just write them down and then go through them and sort them into piles like a certain pile will be for a certain idea and the others will be for different books. What you have to do is pick one book that you feel has the right vibe to it, one that you can continue writing for hours to come. Sometimes I combine stories or combine ideas. For example you could have one story set in New York City and have another in the same place, but totally different books. If that doesn't work then just give it some time. Sooner or later it will come to you as what you should do.
Good luck!

Answer 5

Either pick up a copy or subscribe to Writer's Digest magazine. In my opinion there is no better publication anywhere that can help you with your writing. The articles inside are written by publishers and authors of many well-known or even unknown books, but well established people in writing circles have been touting this magazine as one of the fundamental tools to writing better. I hope to read some of your work some day soon. Enjoy!

Answer 6

write a plot summary from beginning to end.
add all the important stuff that you want in the story in the plot summary ( a good way to set it out is in chapters).

make sure you space out interesting events through out the summary so the story builds up and flows well.
then add in extra details that need to be included i.e. subplots, character relationships and changes as well as settings, themes ect.

make sure you have a well written summary of the above and also ensure that it is interesting to you.
once your plot summary is planned, and you are happy with what you have decided to write about, start writing your story.

hopefully it will be an exciting challenge to get all the ideas you have summarised into a story and you wont loose interest half way through!!

all the best :)

Answer 7

1) List some things, concepts, causes you are passionate about (love or hate). 2) Create a likable character. 3) Give them an overall story goal relating to something you are passionate about. 4) List at least a dozen obstacles to that goal but in particular give them a weakness that inhibits them from obtaining the goal and an antagonistic force that wants the same goal and attacks that weakness. Don't pull any punches, make some dire. 5) You should have some ideas for scenes as your main character overcomes the chosen obstacles on their way to the climax where they overcome their weakness and achieve (or don't in the case of a tragedy) the story goal.

Answer 8

have the outline in your head before you start-keep it as simple as possible. that way you won't veer off to a new story when the ideas run slow. and the best advice of course would be: write, write, write! you're starting young which is great, and practice can only make you better :)

Answer 9

Yes. Finish one!