Hello, recently I've motivated myself to write a novel. However, even in the first chapter i can't seem to write anything cohesive, it always feels kind of strange. And im not even that far into it, just few hundred words into it. What im trying to accomplish in the first chapter is give reader some kind of backstory about the world and relationships of the first few characters and trying to establish a base to work upon later in the story. English is not my first language but even so im trying hard to accomplish this goal of mine. Please help me!
I'm not a writer but I'll give this a shot. The best things a beginner writer can do is to find writing pieces that he or she thinks is effective at and to copy it, or at least the style that's being used. The idea here is to try to build a foundation for what good writing is supposed to look like and to discover why certain pieces are effective and why other kinds of writing don't work. Sure, you'll hear that copying is the worst thing a writer can do but people who say that are wrong. Plagiarism is awful, but copying, especially in small bits is different and it's something all good writers do. After that, practice, practice, practice. Nobody is good at writing right from the start so it takes a lot of effort to develop good prose and good technique. There are better ways to learn, but most of these require things like taking classes or finding someone willing to edit your work and to develop your English skills. It's probably not too bad an idea to check out sites and videos on writing. Searching for 'descriptive writing' might be a good starting off point.
Is this the first time you've attempted to write anything? I just need to ask this because I think if it is, then you've got a long way to go. Writing is an art in itself and if you're determined to be a 'good writer', knowing your writing habits is a must! There are lots and lots I can say (even tho I'm just amateur myself, but I've written things almost half of my life so I can say I've learned thru my own trials and errors) but I'll just summarize into points 1. Dedicate (__) hrs a day and make it a habit to start at the same time every day -this will help you get into the 'zone' easily in the long run 2. Read articles on writing or enroll in a writing class (if you're the study type of person) or read lots and lots of books of the same genre you want (if you're more of the learning thru action type) 3. Determine what makes you comfortable - are you good at making detailed outlines and executing them? or do you prefer rough guideline with plenty of freestyles on the way? There will be many tutorials telling you that having an outline is a must but I think for some ppl, outlines are too restrictive 4. Make sure to remember your grammar, spelling, and other technical stuff - ppl in the web novel community are usually forgiving but when the errors are so blatant, anyone will lose patience. There are plenty of youtube videos on the English language, you can also download free audiobooks so you can listen to them even while doing other mundane things. Now, for the specifics... The easiest start is with a general pov and describe the place first You'll see this example in fairy tales' "Once upon a time..." But it's also commonly used by modern writers when they start with describing the country/continent. But this comes with a downside of looking 'too normal' Another effective start is writing a specific scene related to the conflict (ex. The King of the Battlefield's Prologue) A lot of authors do this too but because each scene will vary according to the story, it doesn't look too stereotypical. The key is to never info-dump. Limit the jargon you explain every chapter. It makes me cry when a story has a good premise but the amount of information in a single chapter is dizzying Disclaimer: these are just suggestions, feel free to follow them or not
Thanks a lot guys! I've read tons of books but always from the point of the reader, not from the point of the writer. Seems like I should analyze other novels a bit, make my research, then decide how should I go about it. Seems like a rookie mistake. Well, everyone is learning. Thank you guys for your amazing suggestions, I'll definitely make most of them!
The trick I know is to copy phrases/ description from other novels into a word doc to keep as reference. I also tend to google a lot of those emoji emotion to help with expression. For place, I look up pictures of the place/items I'm attempting to write and try to picture in my mind what it looks like in pov of my character. Also it helps a lot, if you have some sort of sypnosis/direction for your story line. Most people who committed to writing usually have an outline of plots either in short form/pictures to help guide their way. Also don't focus so much on grammer/spellings while writing because it really kills off your creative juice. Instead, get an outsider to read your work and helps you edit as you write. If you don't have anyone, you can edit yourself but be sure to take a break after editing. Don't continue to write yet. This is so your flow is back when you begin writing after the break.
Yea, first I just had a rough outline in my mind, but it really helped to write it to and it also helped me sort some stuff that I wanted/didn't want in my novel. Now after all those suggestions, I'm not trying to mind my grammar, however what I'm conflicted about is the editor part. As I'm a student and don't have that much money, I don't think I have enough to hire someone. And I'm not that really confident in editing it myself.
The first drafts always sucks.keep on writing because you edit it later on but if you stop at that point due to fear of not being good than later you would have to start all over again so remember the first draft always sucks.
The only advice I ever really kept to heart was that the more stuff you've written, the higher the chances that one of them will hit the mark. Like how if you spray a bunch of bullets in many directions, you're more likely to hit your target than just trying to aim a single shot.
1) Practice >>>> everything else 2) Conflict drives good stories, the MC is usually living their lives until something happens that drives it off path. Meets a cute girl/boy, aliens invade, father tells the MC they are adopted, etc. The vast majorities of movies, books, and TV shows you've likely watched follow this. 3) If you don't feel up to writing a novel, try writing a bunch of scenes or short stories set in the world you had in mind 4) Most readers don't care what happened 500 years ago in your world until it becomes relevant to the story, so skip writing too much about it and put it in Appendixes or explain it when it is becoming relevant
You don't really need to hire someone professional to read and edit your writing. Just a random classmate will do. As for payment, you can offer to treat the person to a cup of coffee/ help them with stuff they're struggling with etc depending on your budget/strengths. The reason why we normally prefer an outsider to read/comment/edit your work is because they have different view point from you the author and so can help catch what's missing/misleading/good/exciting parts of your story. As for editing yourself, it really isn't that difficult. Just need plenty of breaks in between. Usually, you should write a lot of words first before your start editing as your ideas will flow more when you write a lot. For example, you focus on a goal to write at least 5k words. Don't bother about whether there is spelling/grammar/inconsistent or out of plot in that 5k words. Just keep writing until you hit the target. Then, go for a walk or something. Make sure you are away from your novel for at 30 mins to disassociate yourself from your story (so your view point can turn similar to a 3rd party). Then, once you are ready and back from your break, starts editing your work. First, edit out any misspellings/grammar you see, any that is obvious and pops up from the text. After that, check for plot flow. See if the story makes sense and is in line with your plot outline. You'll get better at this as your go. Finally, read through once more. If not good, go back and re-check for flow, follow by grammar/spellings. Try to limit this to max 2-3 times. After 3 times, take a break from editing for at least 30mins before re-edit. As mentioned, when you are done with the editing, take a break. After you've relax yourself, you can try to write again. As this is a hobby writing, there's no need to force yourself to write when nothing comes out. During those slump times, try to draw your characters/place/era on a sheet of paper, fill in finer details in your plot outline or listen to some music that suit the mood of writing. For instance, writing a sad scene while listening to sad/moody songs like Naruto theme sadness and sorrow song works great. Hopes this helps in your writing journey. Gambatte!
Yea, I've already changed the draft to something better over the course of time. Thanks! Thanks. I'm trying my best not to get discouraged and still press on with writing! Hopefully, one of them will come out nicely. Thanks! I think this is what I needed to know. Seems like the intro can be shortened to few hundred words or even less. Thanks! After a few days I still only wrote about a thousand words... Well, seems like there is a lot of work that needs to be done. Oh, and thanks for the editing tips, I'll make the best out of them!
My advice is to keep practicing and reading. By reading, you'll become influenced by the writing styles of many different authors and eventually create your own, and it also gives one a great deal of inspiration. Through practicing, you can put what you've learned from other books over, and gradually improve.
Childish? It's a good thing. You know Ai-chan's book Felicia's Second Life? Ai-chan only managed to write that book because Ai-chan had a childish mentality back when Ai-chan wrote it. Now Ai-chan can't write it anymore because Ai-chan can't act childish anymore. Write what you feel like writing. If what you write feels childish, then make a kid's book. You know, what you call an elementary fiction. Or maybe you can try writing a young readers book. There's no need to force yourself. Write what your muse gives you.