There might be a simple answer to this. Can you tell me what it is?

One approach would be to outline from beginning to end before starting.

I tend to work my stories to death when I get an idea like via extensive planning. I dream about them, then that night if I have worked on it in the day. My dreams are basically just fuel for my book.

I'd suggest outlining and planning the more you write and work that brain the more ideas you will discover, also read your genre and watch movies etc. And if you end up dreaming about it you may see it in a different light.

Sometimes, though, you do just reach a point where you can't think what to do next. I've had that happen - but usually you can come back to it after some time has passed and either see what the problem was , or see that there wasn't really a problem at all... Sometimes it just takes time.

(Though when that happpens, of course, it's important not to just sit around waiting...)

I don't outline.

What I do do is sit and think, okay, so my characters just did this, with that result. What would they do now/next to get out of the predicament they are in? If I let the characters lead the way, rather than just trying to think of a next plot point, it generally all comes together.

For example:

Bad Dude has just failed to catch Good Dude. Good Dude is relieved, and makes for a safe place. Bad Dude tries to find a way to draw him out. Good dude wants to be safe, Bad Dude wants to catch him, both act accordingly.

If in doubt, examine where your characters are, and ask, 'So, what would they do now? What do all of them want (inc non POV characters) and what are they going to do to achieve it?'. You should find at least two that are at crossed purposes

Something that works for me (sometimes) is to make my mind play it through like a movie. No computer, no manuscript, more like in that half asleep, half awake state.

Also, sometimes I think a shorter length might be what it's meant to be. Maybe you are trying to force it too hard into something longer.

In other words, if the more left-brained (or whatever) outlining, plotting, planning gets you nowhere, maybe try it from the other end, see what your wild mind has dreamed up on it while you've been away from it consciously. Good luck!

Maybe your stories were just 40,000 words long. If you've got to the end after 40,000 words, then that's it, really. Not all stories are novel length.

When you say you planned to double it, did you have no ideas for what you'd double it with? Or did you end up using them in the first 40,000 words? Or maybe you just decided they weren't right?

Well, if that is not working out you might consider having at least some general plans

I don't overthink it. I just write it.

The Backward OX said:

Silly me. Why didn't I think of this? It sounds so simple.

Click to expand...

It's up to you. You can keep asking the same question in various different ways or you can sit down and write.

I usually have the end written pretty early on, so when I'm stuck it's usually in getting from the middle to the end. That's when I outline, and ask myself what the characters' main malfunctions are and what it would take to get over them. In some cases I research and put the characters into situations that advance the action, or ask someone "what would you do if you were in the character's situation?"

There is no one way to get unstuck. Keep trying different things until something works.

I tend to go along with what Fruitbat and IRU do: I don't outline, but I think of the story while I'm doing other things. I see it in my head, hear the characters, etc. When I sit at the computer I'm essentially transcribing what I've already seen/heard in my head.

Now, there comes a point where I catch up to myself. If things are going well, what happens next tends to flow pretty naturally from what just happened. Eventually, it stops, or I realize that what I've just written doesn't work. That's when it becomes hard work. The thinking and 'trascription' is the fun part, this is the hard part. I'll take the problem section out into a new document and just start working it over, rewriting this part of it, that part of it, etc. Sooner or later I hit just the right change and things get moving again.

Good luck.

I start with a character or characters and a situation (or, with short stories, an image may do as initial impetus.) I usually have ideas about the beginning and the end. At that point, I start writing an outline that usually grows into a very rough first draft, complete with scenes and dialogue. The outline for a short can be 1-10 pages. The outline for a novel can be 100-200 pages, single-spaced.

My trick is always to write these first workings-through of a story in single-spacing. Why? Because my brain knows that anything typed in double-spacing is a LEGITIMATE DRAFT or MS. Whereas anything typed in single-spacing is just messing around, no big deal, no need for the Inner Editor to tear itself away from pulling out subpar fly wings in order to pester me.

Just sit down and write. It will come to you.

My first question would be whether you had the story arc set before you started to write - the beginning, rising action, climax, and conclusion.

Second question is whether you're dealing with a straight line story involving only one protagonist and antagonist.

What I'm getting at is - are you writing the main line story and missing intricacies, side inter-ralationships, character development, settings, and the sorts of things that flesh out a story. (Another way to say this, if you day-dream a scene, is what's getting on the paper everything you see in your mental image?)

And, if you read the story, is there anything missing, anything a reader would wonder about and ask why you didn't write it.

And last question, have you posted any part of your story on SYW? If you have, can you tell me where so I can take a look at it and see if I can offer any suggestions. (Not saying I'm the ultimate authority, but I'm definitely willing to help.) Puma

Unfortunately, the "just sit down and write" thing only works with organic writers (pantsers). Plotters can do no such thing and have it work.

So, The Backward Ox, you planned to double the text. Was that because you had an instinctive sense it was too short, or it just didn't "feel" right? If neither, and you just thought "Hey, novels are longer than this" it might simply be that you're a novella writer. Which is perfectly fine. There are plenty of writers who were short writers who did fine without ever writing a novel. But if it's lacking, here's what I'd suggest:

1. A book is the crisis that interrupts the characters' lives. Starting about chapter 3, you can start inserting "revenge of the life" because when you ignore real life to handle a crisis, it bites you. Subplots can start from page 1--from a car/spaceship break-down to a lame horse (depending on your era). You can then have the crisis happen, and then the troublesome "something" leap back up to take their attention away from the crisis (which makes the crisis worse, of course.) And around again through the book.

2. You can add more of the five senses to your dialogue interactions. Most people forget this when they're starting out. But we really rely on our surroundings when we're talking to someone. From feeling the jarring sensation of seeing peaceful swans on the lake during a fight, to the scent of bread coming from a bakery while we're walking down the sidewalk---senses really add depth to the characters. I try to use at least three senses to each scene where there are two or more people.

3. Add motion to the dialogue scenes. There shouldn't ever be more than one or two occasions per interaction where there is a stand-alone dialogue line. There should always be motion/action as the person speaking thinks and moves. A twitch of the lip in disbelief. Leaning against a table, sitting down, crossing legs, twitching. It's all part of the real way that people talk.

Hope that helps!

If I recall correctly, you also wanted to know how to write a story without conflict (from this link). If your story doesn't have enough conflict, it will run out of steam.

I don't outline anything. I just write. I think about three things:

1.Character.
2.Plot.
3.Blood and drama.

I don't worry about the finer details or research. Doing so during the writing process completely stops my flow. During the revision phase is when I do all the fine tuning.

There is plenty of good advice here,though. Try some of the suggestions and you might find something that works for you.

Before discovering AW, I had no idea that writers varied so much in their technique. I'm another in the camp of having outlines be as necessary as the actual writing itself.

I've tried to write novels without outlines. I end up frustrated and confused about where the plot's going, and unhappy to the point where I can't continue writing. On the other hand, I love having a detailed outline with lots of background info to reference back to. It gives me more freedom in forming the world, and directing the story and characters.