the writer's room discussion

share some of your writing tips here <3

Have a thought write it down it can come in handy

I read somewhere about a "seven sentence story test" or something like that. Basically, you should try describing your story in seven sentences. This will help you flesh out the main points of the story and ensure that it actually has a flow and a plot line that makes sense.

If you're having trouble coming up with how to start your first chapter, like where it should be set at, you could look at some of your favorite books that hooked you as soon as you started it, and look at where they started it. For example, one of my favorite books started there's in a diner. So, I'm starting mine in a diner.
And, I've found that many great books have the main character meet someone who they'd never met before in the first chapter, but will be a very important character.

Tianna wrote: "I read somewhere about a "seven sentence story test" or something like that. Basically, you should try describing your story in seven sentences. This will help you flesh out the main points of the ..."

It's sometimes called "the elevator pitch", which originated with screenwriters. The basic idea is that you should be able to describe - or pitch - your story idea to a producer (or agent or editor) in the course of an elevator ride.

if I have a random thought, like literally anything, not just a specific story idea, I will write it down. That way, I can look back on it and it will be so out of context, I can get a new idea from it. I've gotten a few errant story ideas by this....

I'll write down song lyrics I hear and can find little stories in them. Sometimes you just have to force yourself to find inspo lol

It’s not really a tip but I always love it in a book when everyone can see that the two love interests like each other except them…it hits every time. One thing that is actually a tip is to maybe design your characters first. I normally do looks, habits, and personalities, then I make a playlist and just trial and error after that🤷‍♀️🤧

When trying to write a compelling Madness arc or hero to villain arc, make sure you understand the distinctions between trauma and corruption if you want their final outburst to make sense. Normal trauma is usually an event that was inflicted onto the character that they couldn’t control and was caused by someone or something else. Corruption is when a traumatic even is caused by the character themself, whether accidental or not. If your character faces trauma and has an outburst of rage, it will seem out of character and not well thought through (Ex. Dani from GOT). Although, you can blur the lines between these two distinctions by having the character blame themselves for a trauma that wasn’t self inflicted, resulting in their corruption. Sad and dark, I know, but it gets the job done.
(I got all these notes from watching a really well done video by @schnee on YouTube about Jinx from Arcane).

Another tip, a way I write my characters is I have a document full of characteristics the person could have and just sort of fill them in to the best of my abilities. Once I have a distinct face in my head, I use Pinterest to find a picture that best fits their description and work around that.

Ellie wrote: "Another tip, a way I write my characters is I have a document full of characteristics the person could have and just sort of fill them in to the best of my abilities. Once I have a distinct face in..."

That's a good idea! I kind of do the same thing with listing the characteristics and personality of my characters. I also like to list their connections and relationships with other people, along with their strengths and weaknesses.

Rambling daydreams wrote: "if you want to really understand your character, do a personality quiz in their mindset. like which MBTI are you or which superpower you would have, just as an example. if your character hates othe..."

I love that idea! I will have to try that.

Ellie wrote: "Another tip, a way I write my characters is I have a document full of characteristics the person could have and just sort of fill them in to the best of my abilities. Once I have a distinct face in..."

That’s essentially what I do. My format consists of the same categories that need to be filled with each OC I make, including Name, Gender ID, Sexuality, Age, Height, Personality, Looks, Likes, Dislikes, BFFs, Enemies, Lover (if applicable), Job (if applicable), and Other

I've just started writing in a journal every day for ten minutes before I get onto writing my project. I let a writing prompt generator online pick the prompt and use those ten minutes to write whatever comes to mind and I feel like this really helps prepare for the writing later in the day. Also getting a journal for each different project or book you're writing. So I have one for my daily prompts and one for the book I'm writing.

Omg I’m writing a book right now and I have page block so thank you this really helped me!

If you're doing worldbuilding or any kind of magic system, it can be really tempting to include everything from your planning in the story. This is understandable, since a lot of people are excited about sharing all the things they've come up with, but it's really easy to be overly eager about it and end up shoehorning stuff just for the sake of including it. Just focus on the details that are important to the story and try to work things in naturally. You can have more stuff planned, but you don't need to explain it unless it becomes relevant.

When creating characters, the basic information is obviously necessary, but I also recommend writing down just some random stuff about them. Stuff you don't even plan to mention in the story, or that would never come up, just little bits of info that give greater insight into your character.

For example, one of the characters in my previous story that I worked on hates school spirit and never wears school-branded clothing. It never comes up in the story, but it helps me to figure out the type of person he is.

For characters I like to have a document of their appearance, way they talk, habits, talents, skills, characterization, fears, and common outfits for them. ( professional, at home, on job, casual, party, formal) along with where they grew up and their family situation. Doing this helps me show character development, setting, and introduce vital people.