squirrelflight1010 wrote:

Yess this exists!
I've written many stories over the past few years and have abandoned most of them, but I have this new idea that I think I'm sticking with. Has anyone got any tips for making characters that will make the reader think a certain way? For instance, I want to make two characters- no one can tell if they are good or evil, but one is good, one is evil. I am also wondering how to make a neutral character who is a friend of the protagonist stay neutral?

Oh-Botheration wrote:

Anyone else get super de-motivated, say oh I’m going to write a short story to take a break then never get back to your book?

PrincessFlowerTV wrote:

Oh-Botheration wrote:

Anyone else get super de-motivated, say oh I’m going to write a short story to take a break then never get back to your book?

Oh, don't even get me started. I have so many abandoned stories, it's painful to think about them.

If you are looking for ways to stick with it, write it down and try to figure out the plot. Sometimes, you can get hung up on one aspect of the story and forget, for example, to add a problem. It takes determination, but it's worth it when you have a story arch.

WackyGirl1234 wrote:

I started writing a novel abt a president who couldn't give up his position even after he lost so he became a dictator.
It was orig based a little on current events, but as the events are progressing, I'm hesitant to continue the novel becuase it's a little too close to home. what do you think? should i continue or leave it until current events (hopefully) settle down?

PrincessFlowerTV wrote:

WackyGirl1234 wrote:

I started writing a novel abt a president who couldn't give up his position even after he lost so he became a dictator.
It was orig based a little on current events, but as the events are progressing, I'm hesitant to continue the novel becuase it's a little too close to home. what do you think? should i continue or leave it until current events (hopefully) settle down?

That's up to you, but here is a thought.

Perhaps if you altered the course of the events to be less “like real life”, you can make it your own novel, rather then a “historic fiction”. For example, maybe the president didn't get elected in the first place, but fought his way to the top anyway.

Did you start to write this book for the purposes of stating your opinion on current political events, or did you intend for it to be your own novel? If the first, it would probably be a bit harder, considering the momentum of everything happening. If the latter, then go ahead and change as much as you want. It's your novel!

Oh-Botheration wrote:

Hey, I struggle writing humor, and I'm afraid my book will be boring or too dark without a funny character, but I have such a hard time with it. Can someone help me?

modedii wrote:

I have plenty of ideas for my story, but I'm afraid that my story itself is too divergent from canon (it's a fanfic) in theming somehow. Like, it's too cynical and walking the fine line between angsty and straight up edgy – very incongruent with the source material that's all “love each other!! yeah!”

Not to mention, I have trouble deciding which ideas to actually use.

Does anyone have advice for these things?

Oh-Botheration wrote:

Anyone else get super de-motivated, say oh I’m going to write a short story to take a break then never get back to your book?

WackyGirl1234 wrote:

Hey everyone,
So I wrote the following story for a local library contest. The theme is “Wild Ideas” and the prompt is “The wilderness called to me. It still does.”
If you have any general feedback, and if the story fits the prompt.
Thanks!!

https://jeffcolibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/46/2021/05/07396_SC21_Writing-Contest-Rules-and-Rubric_FINAL.pdf

(Many paragraphs of writing)

MapleTails wrote:

I've started writing a book (hope that I can actually finish it) called Test 666 (Scifi/Horror/Thriller) and would like some pointers on the first chapter. I'm not a big 1st point of view writer, in fact I try to avoid it, and this is my first time with a male protagonist

Any advice you can give me on this is greatly apreciated! (I want to publish this one day)

If I could’ve done anything differently, it would be giving that man a bagel. Strange opening line right? Most people would’ve said, “If I would've done anything differently, it’d be studying for that test” or “confessing to that girl” But my downfall was a sesame bagel in New York. Let me explain.

Beep. Beep. Beep. My eyes opened to my alarm going off, my head surrounded by textbooks and papers, a cold cup of coffee near by hand. Basically a mess. I let out a sigh and stood up, feeling exhausted. Another attempted all-nighter for college, I really should take better care of myself.

I got up, stretching slowly, turning around to look at the man in the mirror. His usual neat hair was all tangled together, with an earbud ensnared by hair. His white Jaguars shirt was stained with coffee and his pajama pants signaled no sort of regular study night.

I sighed, untangling the ear-bud from my hair, picking up a comb, roughly making it go through my hair. My usual, clean apartment was torn to pieces, with clothes on the ground, my bed unmade, and my desk….unmentionably a mess.

This will be fun to clean up…sometime later… I pulled off the shirt I had slept in, throwing on a wooly gray sweater and some white sweatpants. Checking my phone, it was 7:40am…class was going to start in 20 minutes roughly, and its a 15 minute walk there.

Grabbing my backpack, I quickly check to make sure I have everything. Notebook check. Phone with charger and battery, check. My homework that I somehow finished…double check. Thinks that’s everything…I thought to myself, tugging on a jacket and swinging the bag over my shoulder.

Walking out the door, I locked it behind me. It was New York…there was always someone who wanted to get into your home, whether it was for money or for food. Doesn’t hurt to double check…I jiggled the doorknob. Definitely locked.

It was still pretty early, but I was surprised not to see too many other people out. Mostly everyone here is a college student, and seeing people up early is the norm here. Quietly, I walked past each door, going down the stairs before opening the bottom door into the lobby.

Where you're from, apartments may not have lobbies like a hotel, but this one was different. It used to be a hotel after all, The Oak. Yes, that hotel that got shut down in 1998. My landlords, Robbie and Alice, bought it a couple years ago, and rebuilt it, ground up. They rent to anyone, long as your history isn’t terrible. Even broke college students.

I slipped into the lobby. It hadn’t been rebuilt yet, the old piano that used to be played for customers, sat in the corner, dust gathering. The bright red carpet that lined the floors was pale and bleached with age, and the welcome sign looked just about to fall apart.

It hasn’t changed yet, and if it does, most likely, I would’ve moved out. I slipped out the front door, still not seeing anyone yet. Weird…even my two landlords, Robbie and Alice, would’ve been working on the run down lobby or the old man who went by the name, “Ole Brenett” would be walking around, talking about how the Oak hotel used to shine and gleam.

Closing the door behind me, I started walking down the street towards Ina Blake college. Named after Ina Blake, who made some breakthrough discovery. My brain doesn’t retain science information too well, so, I leave whatever she did up to the imagination.

“Spare change or food!” A raspy voice cut through my thoughts, making my head turn. People walked by him, not noticing the man’s cry. He had a messy and matted gray hair, with rags for clothes, his dirt covered hands grasped at a poorly written cardboard sign, the words written in chicken scratch.

My heart ached for him, as I saw each person pass by, too busy to even glance over or too disgusted. He could’ve been just like any of us, just unlucky. “Watch it, kid!” Someone bumped into me, shoving me towards the building. Once again, lost in my thoughts, forgot I was in the middle of a city.

“Sorry!” I quickly apologized before getting closer to the walls, not wanting to get in anyone’s way. It was like jumping out of a current, everyone continuing to move upstream as if not one person jumped out of their ranks.

I opened my backpack, rummaging through. Didn't I grab a few bagels from the college campus yesterday? I pulled out a small box, opening it up. The bagel, a sesame bagel to be exact, was still in one piece despite being rattled around all day.

Slipping the bagel out, and putting the box back into my bag, I called out to the man, “Hey!” trying to get his attention. Jogging up to him, I handed him the bagel with a smile, “I don’t have much currently…but you can have this bagel. And if you need more food, there’s a shelter nearby-”

My words were interrupted as he stood up, giving me the strongest hug I’ve ever had. “Thank you kind sir! Thank you!” the man cried, looking at me with tears in his eyes. “I haven’t eaten in so long, thank you!” I stepped back, a little surprised.

“I…no problem sir.” I said, still a little taken-back by the surprise hug. “But if you haven’t eaten in a while, why didn’t you go to the shelter a few blocks away?” I gestured to my left. The man looked a little confused, but said, “I do not want to leave here….there’s someone I must take care of…”

He looked up at me, “Kind sir, you have already given me so much…but could I ask you for another favor?” I barely opened my mouth to answer before he grabbed my wrist, tugging me deeper into the ally. His hands were so cold, but firm and calloused, as if hardened over many years of work.

“Uh, sure!” It’d be rude to refuse now, and the man seemed so desperate. I followed him, feeling uneasiness grow in my stomach as the surroundings got more dark, and run-down. I had never been to this area, I’d avoided it at all costs.

Buildings had wood planks poorly nailed over doors, and windows as if making sure no one could see inside. Rats and other animals scurried through dumpsters, eating at scraps of materials. People littered the street, their bodies still, the only sign of them being alive was the slow rise and fall of their chest.

The man continued to pull me along, more frantic, his grip getting stronger until he suddenly stopped. “This should be the place…” the man muttered. “Where are they?” I felt out of breath after nearly running for a rough mile, and taking my hand away from his grip, I zipped up my bag.

“Sir? Hello? Who should be here? Why did you..” Drag didn’t seem to be the right word, “Lead me out here?” The man ran his fingers through his hair and sighed, “Of course they’re late, they didn’t think I’d do it anyway….”

He walked over to a dumpster while I cautiously watched him. My usually poor instincts were telling me to run, but my logic was telling me to watch him. The man could have a gun, or could sprint after me. After all, he didn’t seem out of breath at all.

The man sighed again, taking out a syringe, “Sorry, kiddo. Thought they’d do it, and not me, but” He shrugged, “Whatcha gonna do?”. His voice was so nonchalant like we were talking about how we screwed up on a test, before walking towards me, “Don’t worry, you’ll feel a pinch, that’s all”

I scrambled back, trying to run away, but not take my eyes off him. That man who had hugged me only a little while ago, was walking towards me with almost a predatory glint in his eye. “Kid, c’mon.” He sounded a little annoyed, “I really don’t want to run after you”

“W-who are you?!” I stuttered, frantic. I continued to try and back up, but tripped, falling onto my back. The man stood over me, “No need for questions now, just stay still. Never done this before” and grabbed me by the collar, lifting me closer to the needle-point.

I struggled, kicking at him, and using the little strength I had to punch at his hands. Nothing, he almost seemed invincible, but that wince when I landed the first kick told me otherwise. “Nighty-night, I hope we’ll see each other soon. If you wake up that is.”

“What-” My voice cut out as I felt something heavy hit the back of my skull and I blacked out, only hearing an angry voice before it all went silent.

Now do you understand why I regret giving that man a bagel?

MapleTails wrote:

MapleTails wrote:

I've started writing a book (hope that I can actually finish it) called Test 666 (Scifi/Horror/Thriller) and would like some pointers on the first chapter. I'm not a big 1st point of view writer, in fact I try to avoid it, and this is my first time with a male protagonist

Any advice you can give me on this is greatly apreciated! (I want to publish this one day)

(If you wanna read it, look up)

WackyGirl1234 wrote:

Hey everyone,
So I wrote the following story for a local library contest. The theme is “Wild Ideas” and the prompt is “The wilderness called to me. It still does.”
If you have any general feedback, and if the story fits the prompt.
Thanks!!

MapleTails wrote:

MapleTails wrote:

I've started writing a book (hope that I can actually finish it) called Test 666 (Scifi/Horror/Thriller) and would like some pointers on the first chapter. I'm not a big 1st point of view writer, in fact I try to avoid it, and this is my first time with a male protagonist

Any advice you can give me on this is greatly apreciated! (I want to publish this one day)

I think you did the whole ‘show don’t tell' thing really well here, and your description was really good. Interesting plot too.