A Court of Fantasy and Fiction discussion

I’m writing a story right now and I’m a little all over the place id love some advice from anyone who writes or any things in a story you personally like. It’s a WLW fantasy romance.

I am a writer and my tip is to plan everything out ! While it can be time consuming, for my stories I like to plan out roughly what will happen in each chapter . Try not to worry about word count , it’s better to have a short book with an amazing story than a longer book that is boring because you were focusing on how long it is/ how many pages it would be .I also like to write out quotes/ tropes I want to use and how I will use them . Also, I recommend not editing as you go . I find that it’s easier to do when you’re done writing the entire book, as you get to focus solely on editing , and you get to re read your story . Another tip I always keep in mind given to me by one of my author friends is show don’t tell, which just means find ways to show the audience a way a certain person, place , object etc looks . Instead of saying she has long brown hair and blue eyes , say something like as she turned her head to look at me, her long brown hair swooshed behind her ,falling in ringlets down her back , the sun reflecting the blue in her eyes , or something along those lines . This is what I as a writer struggle the most with. This is most of my tips , but if you want a few more i’d be happy to give some ! Good luck with your story :)

I'm a writer, although not of novels, and I agree with Addison's comments. This is solid advice no matter what you're writing.

Hi Mickenzie,

My strategy is counter to Ms. Addison above.

I planned nothing out. I had an idea, then sat down and started writing and let the story tell itself. The only thing I had to force was my butt in the chair and the pen in my hand; once I got going, things just unfolded logically by imagining what would happen if this were a real scenario. The words came, the actions, the reactions, the feelings - it was all right there, telling me what to write. Probably not helpful on its own, but my advice for being able to do that is immerse yourself in other stories. Pay close attention to them. Also, just go outside and watch people. That's key. People-watching is a favourite hobby of mine.

I do agree that you shouldn't edit as you go, though. I would suggest not even re-reading anything you've written until its all down in the first draft. I know I wouldn't have finished my novel if I did, for I'd look at a section and say its terrible, needing to be restarted, and I would get nowhere fast. Just go without looking back. And to fit in with my earlier advice, there's no redoes in real life, so don't redo what your characters do or say. Just let them be and move on. It can be improved on the second draft.

Look up the snowflake method!

I am also a writer and I strongly agree with Ms. Addison, but I have also written a story without any prior planning like Mr. Mathew suggested.

I have successfully finished writing books using both methods but in my case, I prefer the method of planning everything earlier on as Ms. Addison said even if you find it a bit time-consuming....once you get the story ready in your mind from start to end, then finishing it is very fast....I finished my first book from the conception of the idea to sending the manuscript to the publisher in just two and half months.

The method differs from person to person...just take a couple of days and try plotting the whole story and then expanding it.

I've am a novel writer and I do not do anywhere near the stuff that is first suggested.

I have three rules I tell to everyone.

1) Write every day
2) Finish it
3) Dont seek feedback until its finished.

I am what some might call a waypoint writer. While I do not write out an outline, or plan out each chapter, I do have the story in my head and many of its important events and scenes. So....those are kind of my waypoints, and I write towards them, till I pass them by and move for my next.

But, if you want the thing written, my advice is write it ugly and fix it after. Amazing how pretty completed works can be when compared to their roughs.