forum What's worrying you about your stories right now?

Started October 06, 2020 by @ElderGodSeeba petsbing bing 🐸

tune

I am looking for validation that other people struggle too. Also, I just wanna lend a hand ╮(╯▽╰)╭

God, it's mostly the fact that I've never really produced a podcast before and I'm not great with keeping a solid plot. Plus, sound effects will be a chore unless I can get someone with editor experiance.

Tbh, getting it to be actually more than a concept, and if it does become more than a concept, getting myself to write it for more than a page before my brain burns out and I give up forever. Then I try to do it again, and it just plays itself over again like a broken record. So ye, preventing that is my greatest worry. ( •̀ᴗ•́ )

Right now, the most successful story I have is just one giant cliche, and that's hurting my self-confidence a bit. By successful, I mean I've almost completed it (that's my fifth completed story out of twenty-something), and also I've been posting it online and people like it, which motivated me to actually commit to finishing it. Trouble is, the premise is shallow and overdone, and I'm embarrassed to show it to anybody who's read my other stuff because it's so much worse. Anyway, hopefully I can be done with it soon and my readers won't ask for a sequel (even though I've started planning one out in my head already TvT).

Its probally to realistic.

• I've been writing my WIP for 2 years and I'm not even in the half of my story
• It see it as my debut and I'm worried that the book itself will be too long and it will discourage others to read it
• Half of the story I've written is garbage
• I'm worried that I have too many characters but I don't want to get rid of any of them
• Speaking of characters, I feel like they are introduced too quickly and the readers won't follow the pace of my writing
• The story is kinda cliche
• I have no idea how to show my character's personalities in the book
• I have no time to write and I don't do it regularly
• I'm used to handwriting and I don't know how I will switch to writing on a computer
• I probably am setting the bar too high

But, well, this is only my fist draft, so I'll just have to write everything down, even if it doesn't make any sense.

I worry that I'll never get it out into the world because I'm bad at staying motivated and actually releasing projects.

God, it's mostly the fact that I've never really produced a podcast before and I'm not great with keeping a solid plot. Plus, sound effects will be a chore unless I can get someone with editor experiance.

Really the only way to perfect something is to keep doing it. Ive done plenty of thing that make me extremely nervous, but once I actually do it, I feel fine. I think you should just go straight into the odcast remembering that its YOUR podcast, and that there isn't a set stand that ou have to reach.

Keeping a solid plot is difficult, honestly all I can think of you to do is to postpone and plans to release until youre completely set with your ideas. Or, you could just work things into the story as you go, but that may be more difficult to keep up with and sort out.

Creating things will always be a chore, even baring a child is making something that is a chore. But, in the end, you'll love what you made, because you made it, and its yours. You can build editing experience on your own, follow tutorials and spend hours making sure its perfect. Never rush things like this, take your time and do what feels completely natural too you.

Tbh, getting it to be actually more than a concept, and if it does become more than a concept, getting myself to write it for more than a page before my brain burns out and I give up forever. Then I try to do it again, and it just plays itself over again like a broken record. So ye, preventing that is my greatest worry. ( •̀ᴗ•́ )

I usually write a really short and stupid outline of my story/scene ((I.E. ""Leopold has a strong belief that every time a person dies, they become a star. At the very end, Jude looks at the night sky and asks what star they think Leo is. Brook points one out, and when asked why, he says "because its brighter than all the others.". Herbert makes a comment on how it looks like he's saying he's proud of them, and they all cry, fade to black"")) then I build on them from there. Another good tactic is to write the dialogue first, then put the describing sentences in between (however, I have noticed that I don't tent to write as much description using that tactic, but that might just be me.). Don't force yourself to write, that makes the experience unenjoyable and like a task, do it when you feel like writing, or when you have an idea. Don't feel bad if you burn yourself out, that's completely normal! Make sure to take breaks and not to rush into anything xx.

Right now, the most successful story I have is just one giant cliche, and that's hurting my self-confidence a bit. By successful, I mean I've almost completed it (that's my fifth completed story out of twenty-something), and also I've been posting it online and people like it, which motivated me to actually commit to finishing it. Trouble is, the premise is shallow and overdone, and I'm embarrassed to show it to anybody who's read my other stuff because it's so much worse. Anyway, hopefully I can be done with it soon and my readers won't ask for a sequel (even though I've started planning one out in my head already TvT).

If you don't like the book or its plot, then don't feel as though you have to write it. Were talking about online here, and online writers and reader THRIVE off cliche, and while that certainlynot a bad thing, it can become tiresome and over done. If you what to salvage the story, I suggest rethinking the plot and playing with it till youre happy. Dont worry about what other people think, your writing needs to appeal to you before it appeals to anyone else. If you just wanna scrap the story and be done with it, I suggest just finishing it then moving on. You could try to pawn it of to another writer, maybe one of your readers, if you want the sequel to go ahead, but that may just cause more anxiety. Think over what you want from this story, then proceed from there.

Its probally to realistic.

Elaborate??

• I've been writing my WIP for 2 years and I'm not even in the half of my story
• It see it as my debut and I'm worried that the book itself will be too long and it will discourage others to read it
• Half of the story I've written is garbage
• I'm worried that I have too many characters but I don't want to get rid of any of them
• Speaking of characters, I feel like they are introduced too quickly and the readers won't follow the pace of my writing
• The story is kinda cliche
• I have no idea how to show my character's personalities in the book
• I have no time to write and I don't do it regularly
• I'm used to handwriting and I don't know how I will switch to writing on a computer
• I probably am setting the bar too high

• Dont worry about how long it takes to write (unless youre on a deadline-). If its taking you so long to write, then you have probably put a lot of thought into this story. There is no perfect time to release or publish a book, just when you believe its finally ready.
• Length of the book very rare plays a part in a buyers decision. When I look for a book, Im mostly interested in the title, blurb and cover, the length hardly ever crosses my mind. Plus, a long book is often an indicator of a good book, with lots of though and detail involved in it.
• You think your writing is garbage because YOU wrote it. remember, as an author your constantly editing and rereading your work to points where it might not even make much sense, but a reader will most likely read over that sentence once and not clock anything wrong with it. It could also be a thing of time. I fine that I despise my writing in the time that I write it, but coming back to it a month or some later, rereading what I had forgotten, its not so bad. And that, coming back after a while away from a piece, creates the feeling of reading the piece for the first time, and you finally see what the audience sees, and that its really not as awful as you thought. So, no, your writing isn't garbage, you just get sick of reading it over and over.
• Having many characters can be confusing for the readers to keep up with, so its normally recommended to have a maximum of 20 characters, however there are so loophole to this, by making the characters destict and easy to remember, or by making sure that the forefront characters are prioritized and confirmed from the beginning. Having a character named Specks, who has freckles and moles, is easy to remember. Having a characters name that ties into their physical attributes makes them much easier to recall then a regular white teen boy named Sam. This technique is used in lots of children's books o make them easier to understand. Also, having one thing about a character be more described then the rest of his physical features ((E.I "Those soft black curls only belonged to one person"" or ""His sharp, dog like teeth gave him away immediately."")) An earlier way and more practical way for your situation is to make sure that the main characters are established and really the main focus, having the other characters not play sure a large role, therefore not having so many important characters with so many names.
• If you feel as though characters are introduced to easily, then pace them out. Once again, to feel like you have to rush any writing, play it out and introduce them in their own little ways (also i'd like to mention that an author introducing a bunch of characters all at once is really confusing and put me off, but that's probably just me) If you wanna know if can keep with the pace of your writing, give out drafts for them to read and ask how easlliy they kept up, and if tit moved to fast for them.
• The plot of your story is super important,and if you feel like its not up to standards, then rework it. Add more twists and turns, things like trusted characters betraying or the antagonist faking their death to see who is truly loyal to them. Add an extra problem of two. That goal your character has? what could stop them?
• Showing a character's personality is actually pretty easy. Its mostly portrayed by their body language and the way the speak. Whether they slur their word together or speak in clear, fluntent dialect. Having a snarky character, have his hands on his hips and his tones sharp (""Whats up buttercup?" he teased, back firmly planted against the stall walls. He made I contact with her, and flashed a foxkill grin,"Whats a little lady like you doin' in a place like this, huh?""), or having a tense character have hitched shoulders, furrowed brows and quick speech (he furrowed his brow, "I don't know, quit asking such stupid questions," he said hastily, rolling a tick from his tense shoulders.""))
• Clear some time in your day, even just 15 minutes, and sit down with your notebook and write. Write whatever you feel like writing in that time. Even if you think its awful, it doesn't matter, because your writing. Setting time aside, even once a week, can make a hugh difference, and gets you just that little but closer to your goal.
• I recommend just handwriting it, then getting some one (or yourself) to write it out digitally. Or, you could use one of those fancy scanny apps the have it translate to a text document. Text to speech is also an option, but it doesn't work as well and will need some HEAVY editing.
• I think you absolutely are setting the bar way to high for yourself here. Nothing and everything is perfect at the same time. What makes a story perfect is that its unquie. YOU wrote that story, which mean the only standards you have to meet is yours!! as you said, its your debut, so you shouldn't even have standards for yourself yet! Just write how you like and don't worry about others standards, because if the plot or characters are well structured and lovable, then people are sure to catch on <3

I worry that I'll never get it out into the world because I'm bad at staying motivated and actually releasing projects.

The only advice I could offer you here is to bite the bullet and just do it. Just open whatever website you're publishing to and submit. Staying motivated is almost impossible for some (including me and you xx) , but this is seems more like you aren't ready to release them yet. Look over your stories and decide whether or not you think they are ready, and once they are, uploa them and go do something else, watch a movie or go for a run, try not to think about it much xx

Thank-you Seeba for your advice, you're totally right that I should stop writing solely for others and make it my own first. Honestly, I'm so close to finishing this story that I've decided I will (if nothing else, to show myself that I can finish stuff), but after that I'm definitely going to think harder before committing to any long-term projects that I'm not 100% excited about. ^^;
Happy writing, all!

_{thanks @Seeba i needed to read that}

• First The last arc, Other that the whole time loop business, I wonder how William is supposed to kill Sophie, to stop the time loop, bc A he was in a time loop himself, B Even he knows Sopie has the amulet, why does has to kill Sophie, who is one of his own students C Wouldn't he know that a time loop was going on and how he did he know this time

• Then there's Marionette, who just appears the hell out of nowhere and come for her daughter Ava after straight up abandoning her for about 14 years because she was possessed by a bunch of ghosts and didn't hurt her and after a week everything between her and everyone is all gucci

• Speaking of Ava, I fear not much development outside of her debut arc is some, since I already have to balance Sophie, The main hero of the arc, and the side character during the chapter and she serves somewhat of a sidekick role, especially since in the last route she reunite with her mom and learns that she could of been another vessel of a ghost, and her mother unintentionally committed mass murder during a couple of timelines, and cope with the fact that she was abandoned since she was four

• Oh then there, Mason and Tyler who are two ghosts, one part of me wanted them to serve as a greek chorus, Their origin is they died in the fire, ate a couple of other souls to become back human and they're almost complete in being a human and plan to take one more soul, but for most of the story they are still pretty chill, hell they just attend school like normal students (the explanation for that is that, they're reliving their old lives)

• Then there's how did Micheal and William wish for a time loop in the first place, they did ask ghost but how can ghost turn time back

• Oh then there's the love pentagon, While it was present throughout most of the plot, since the main boy was the catalyst of the incident, I think it hit it's peak it Matthew's arc when due to paranoia from witnessing the other incidents and worrying if Sophie will get hurt and their nothing he do to help, not mention he goes full yandere on the other boys, but after the boys seem to just attend school and ponder on their crushes on Sophie, Well at least it's not screwing over the plot but still I don't how to give this a ending

How to get a plot. I have some characters and some scenes and even a world for one of my WIPs. However none of them have an overarching plot and I have no idea how to get one.

I'm worried my main character is a nothing girl Mary Sue and that her arc is just gratuitous romance and i don't know how to fix it because that's the last thing I want.

I've got some great characters that I love… but no sturdy plot. I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually it's just a bit frustrating.

I absolutely love this concept, but I can already feel myself running into the wall of "I have a great concept and a great foundation, but I have absolutely no idea where to go from here" and that's exceedingly frustrating

For me, currently I'm having a hard time coming up with an ending to my story. Right now I'm nearing the end of the second book in a trilogy and I'm trying to figure out a good place to end book 2. I think it would be easier if I knew what I wanted to happen in book 3 but right now all I have is a couple scenes.

I absolutely love this concept, but I can already feel myself running into the wall of "I have a great concept and a great foundation, but I have absolutely no idea where to go from here" and that's exceedingly frustrating

Glad I'm not the only one who feels this. I just recently came up with an idea that I think could be a really fun story to write but I'm having a hard time coming up with a plot that isn't almost identical to everything else I've ever written. I'm trying not to create characters because I don't want to get ahead of myself and end up with more characters who don't have a story.

Mostly that I have a solid concept for a story, but that it might never become more than that, since the dream is to make it a cartoon. There’s a whole lot of “what if”s there, because there’s so many things that could go wrong on the way and prevent that from ever happening.
Also that I know how the story starts and how it ends, but some of the middle is still vague. Just trying to figure out how to get from point A to point B, I guess. I’m a person who always comes up with characters and worldbuilding ideas before a solid plot, which doesn’t help with this. I am happy with the progress I’ve been making, though! For a while I didn’t have much of a story at all, just loose bits of lore that didn’t connect well. I’ve been pushing myself to write more which has been helping.

Right now, is that there's so many of them, and people know they exist, and expect more, and I struggle to produce more due to my mental state

Right now, I am simply struggling with writing something that will keep my followers invested. I feel like all of my work has become dry and boring and that my readers won't like it.