Writing your own novel?

[Gsea]

Writing is my passion, my favorite thing to do, so I am always writing on my free time. I have so many unfinished stories, and I always get the most amazing ideas for a story but I never finish them :/ Sometimes it's hard for me to write the "filling" parts- meaning, I get the overall plot in my head, write it down, get the first few chapters down and then...nothing. I have no ideas for what to do to fill in the gaps as I get through the plot. So I've resorted to writing short stories; I can write a beginning, get to the climax, and then end with the resolution in about five pages Writing anything over ten pages would kill me.

Edited October 9, 2011 by glamoursea2

[Waddlespink9]

I've written two stories long enough to be novels, but they both sucked, and they were both fanfics.

 

I've been writing for four years now.

 

Currently I am technically writing an actual story that CAN theoretically be published, but, alas, I am a major procrastinator. I have about ten pages, and I haven't written anything except a paragraph in a month.

[HawktalonOfRiverClan]

I've started a Warriors fan-fic, but never finished it. I'm currently writing a story that I want to get published... when I finish it. Between school and screwing around, I haven't worked on it since.. *forever*. And it's currently 4k words... I have no idea when I'm gonna get around to it.

Edited October 13, 2011 by HawktalonOfRiverClan

[CCPhoenix]

I've been writing a novel for about a year and a half. The idea behind it was a cumulative effort on my and my workmate's behalf and it's pretty far in. The trouble is, I have a tendency to get sidetracked by writing fanfic

 

and Dragon Cave. I just wish I could find the time between work and Uni to actually write something.

[DarkEternity]

I've written an 18000 word fanfic. That is all. It's pretty difficult (plus I lack experience. RL experience)

[lachrymation]

Writing books is fun! But I don't have a lot of time to write, and I never know how to start a book. I always have the middle and stuff planned, and then I'm like: D: Wht do I do? for the beginning. OTL

[SolarCat]

Writing books is fun! But I don't have a lot of time to write, and I never know how to start a book. I always have the middle and stuff planned, and then I'm like: D: Wht do I do? for the beginning. OTL

You could always start in the middle, if that's easier, and bring in the relevant information that happened earlier in the form of flashbacks, conversations, and/or dreams. If done carefully this has two advantages - it keeps the reader anticipating what happened earlier in addition to what happens next, and it gets people engaged in the fate of the characters and their adventure starting on the very first page without having to do all the character development first and risk losing the impatient reader by setting a slower pace.

They're left wondering who these people are, as well, and picking up pieces and hints and clues as they read the book.

 

It has to be done right to work properly, but in your case it sounds like you might find it easier.

 

 

 

In my case, I love to write, and have a few "novels" in the works.

The problem is that I'm really good at starting them, and middles are fun, too... I just can't actually end anything...

Edited October 20, 2011 by SolarCat

[lachrymation]

In my case, I love to write, and have a few "novels" in the works.

The problem is that I'm really good at starting them, and middles are fun, too... I just can't actually end anything...

That sounds like a good idea!

 

Also, for your case, it's very good to have the ending planned before you actually write it. That way you can incorporate some really fun things that are intergrated within each other, and leaving the reader going: OH! OH my that's the best thing ever! Get what I mean? ^^;

 

What genre's the most fun for you to write?

[HawktalonOfRiverClan]

I always start in the middle, write a scene and then fill in around it.

[StormWizard212]

I've been seriously considering doing NaNo this year. I would have liked to do it in the past, but unfortunately November has always been the month where I've had exams, so it's not quite that simple.

 

This year though, my assignments are all due by the 7th and I'm hoping to get most of them done over this weekend, if I can drag myself away from the caves, so I'm hoping to free up some time for November.

 

Though I've been trying to come up with something to write about for a few weeks now, and nothing has come to me. I've had a few small ideas, but nothing that's really inspired me to leap for the keyboard and turn it into a novel.

 

Here's to hoping for a sudden burst of inspiration over the next few days. But massive kudos to anyone who has attempted/succeeded in writing a novel.

[crazyLUNAgirl]

I did Nanowrimo last year, but 50000 words barely covered it so I have a half finished novel lying around my computer, gathering virtual dust

 

I might finish it sometime

 

 

...probably

 

 

 

...maybe with plenty of coffee...

[littleangelamy22]

I'm intending to do Nano this year. I have literally 100's of ideas wriggling around in my head, it's just the process of putting them on paper in a way that flows nicely and doesn't get me bored in the process that I find challenging. I find myself accidentally inventing characters and little plot ideas all the time. My main problems are putting them on paper, and sometimes I find that my ideas are very similar to already existing stories, when I don't have that in mind or intend it at all. Then when I try and make my ideas really different again, they sort of just go wrong. :/

[Nerruse]

I actually forgot this was NaNo month heh. I don't have time to participate anyways, but doing word wars with people who are would at least help me get something done on my own project. I am working on a novel, actually have the basic story pretty much down. The problem is that between school and work and other things I just don't have much time for anything else right now.

[WhyllasTorch]

I have a problem similar to littleangelamy22's. I have very many characters, plots and settings in my head and I rebuild and edit them constantly until I'm satisfied with them and then....nothing.

When try to write them down, it goes like this: I write the first chapter, edit it furiously and then I completely derail myself with my overactive perfectionism. I try to be more flexible and more creative with my writing style but I can't. I just can't. And it makes me sad because I want to share these wonderful ideas in my head but I can't get them out.

[Rosedamai]

I have a problem similar to littleangelamy22's. I have very many characters, plots and settings in my head and I rebuild and edit them constantly until I'm satisfied with them and then....nothing.

When try to write them down, it goes like this: I write the first chapter, edit it furiously and then I completely derail myself with my overactive perfectionism. I try to be more flexible and more creative with my writing style but I can't. I just can't. And it makes me sad because I want to share these wonderful ideas in my head but I can't get them out.

OMG me too.....

I know all these lovely details and stuff, but when I write them down, they look like the scribblings of a six year old..

[StraVir]

I've been working on a book for a while now, I'm writing chapter 38. Still need to type most of it though. Been so busy lately that I haven't really had a lot of time.

[Kyorgra_Mashi]

I have three stories that I'm working on at the moment and hoping to actually get them published one day. One of them is going to be a trilogy and I'm almost done with the first book. I took a creative writing class last semester and it really helped me out.

 

I'm actually looking for someone who will be kind of like a little editor who wouldn't mind reading the things that I pull from mid air :/ Once I get my laptop for Christmas, I plan on going through the three stories and editing them greatly, but I'd like some help with it.

[xhunter]

i'm working on a few novals though i need someone to read them to see if they can point out the given ideas of both culture, situation, meaning of the the storys.

 

though i have one finished now and working on the second book though its a young adult not like the other ones that i have.

[boogiemama]

I was writing a novel on the computer i had 14 chapters done. My mother (bless her) accidentally deleted it. isn't that great!!!!!

[miladyz]

Wow, looks like I'm in the very small minority of people who haven't tried.

I'm really good at essays and critiques and stuff, but my creative writing skills are pretty much nil.

[Kiran]

I'm was working on one, and still want to finish it, but I'm really lazy. I also need to think of some way to make the first few chapters different from Harry Potter.

[Zephyrgirl]

Been trying to write a novel for hmmm...let me count. Eight years? Unfortunately perfectionism is bound and determined to see that I never get past the prologue.

[WhyllasTorch]

We should form a club called 'I want to write but I can't'.

[xhunter]

Been trying to write a novel for hmmm...let me count. Eight years? Unfortunately perfectionism is bound and determined to see that I never get past the prologue.

don't worry i have been working on a serse for five years and can't get past the second book around 70 pages in.

 

if you want to get past the Prologue write down the things you know you most defently want to have in the story and use plenty of like or as in it to. i find it easyer to get down notes about the charators behavior and likes and all like. one of my example.

 

Charictors so far..

book Chronicles of Garrett

-Garret (Close friend Nero)

-English name meaning "rule of spear"

-is survive of Regret and Survival

-conflicted by mental memory

 

Brigh (commissioner)

-Irish "power, high"

-hard, bull headed

-only cares for safty of his people

-banished Garrett because of Regret and survival

-angered because of blasfamy on old Glory

 

though this is my newest story and newest peeps.

 

need more tips everyone can help out.

 

[Cori]

book Chronicles of Garrett

-Garret (Close friend Nero)

-English name meaning "rule of spear"

-is survive of Regret and Survival

-conflicted by mental memory

You have a character named Garrett, too? That's neat. Garrett is the name of one of my major characters in the novel I've been writing with my two friends.

 

We've been writing this story together for more than six months, but it seems to be slowing down. One of my friends has started getting really lazy, and it's hard to get her to reply to something when her characters aren't in the spotlight. It's very frustrating. We've got most of the entire plot established, but now we need to flesh out the bits in between and fill in the gaps we left.