How do you outline? Any tips for writing things longer than short stories?

[dratsab]

I always outline my stories, but the problem is that if I do this, it feels like I've limited myself to a short story. I get about 10,000 - 13,000 words, but that's all. If I want to write a lengthy story that's more like 60,000 words, what should I do? Should I just free-ball it? Maybe come up with some characters and then just say where it takes me? If I do that, I'm afraid that the story will lose it's power and have nothing interesting to offer, though.

[YesNo]

I have a hard time writing things longer than a few hundred words, so my advice is of no value, but I did enjoy your article on the multiverse. I am a bit puzzled why you have the list of links on deviantArt, but the actual texts on Scribd.

[Lokasenna]

I have the opposite problem - progress on my novel shuts down because, inevitably, I end up spending far too much time producing reams and reams of notes. Then work will call me away for a few intensive weeks, and by the time I get back I'll have forgotten what half of what I put down means and I have to start over.

My general feeling, though, is that the best fiction is character-driven rather than plot-driven - so sometimes it can just be a good thing to invent so interesting characters and see where the story takes them.

[dratsab]

I have a hard time writing things longer than a few hundred words, so my advice is of no value, but I did enjoy your article on the multiverse. I am a bit puzzled why you have the list of links on deviantArt, but the actual texts on Scribd.

First off, I'd like to apologize for taking so long to respond. I've been moving (from Texas to Colorado). But I'm happy someone actually read something of mine, and told me about it, without me having to beg for an audience, haha. So, that's awesome, I appreciate it. Anyway, to answer your question, I originally put all of my works on deviantart, but editing on that site is an ENORMOUS hassle. On Scribd you can just directly upload your new file, and it replaces the other one. But maybe I should just use Scribd to also include my work listing, heh. One day, perhaps.


I have the opposite problem - progress on my novel shuts down because, inevitably, I end up spending far too much time producing reams and reams of notes. Then work will call me away for a few intensive weeks, and by the time I get back I'll have forgotten what half of what I put down means and I have to start over.

My general feeling, though, is that the best fiction is character-driven rather than plot-driven - so sometimes it can just be a good thing to invent so interesting characters and see where the story takes them.

Hmm, my problem is that, aside from maybe one story of mine, I'm not the best character writer. I'm pretty much inspired to use themes to tell my story, rather than an intrinsically interesting plot or characters. I mostly write philosophy, and that's my main interest, so I'm new to fiction... using fiction to examine introspective concepts and philosophy, and such, so for me to just come up with characters and then let it flow is going to be difficult for me, but it might be a necessary step I'll have to take. Thanks for the help.

[YesNo]

First off, I'd like to apologize for taking so long to respond. I've been moving (from Texas to Colorado). But I'm happy someone actually read something of mine, and told me about it, without me having to beg for an audience, haha. So, that's awesome, I appreciate it. Anyway, to answer your question, I originally put all of my works on deviantart, but editing on that site is an ENORMOUS hassle. On Scribd you can just directly upload your new file, and it replaces the other one. But maybe I should just use Scribd to also include my work listing, heh. One day, perhaps.



You might try a WordPress or Blogger blog. Both of them should allow you to edit your work and encourage feedback. Not being able to edit on DeviantArt is a good reason to post elsewhere. I thought that site was mainly for art rather than literature anyway.

I am setting up something in WordPress now, but it is still private since I am not sure what I'm doing.

[dratsab]

You might try a WordPress or Blogger blog. Both of them should allow you to edit your work and encourage feedback. Not being able to edit on DeviantArt is a good reason to post elsewhere. I thought that site was mainly for art rather than literature anyway.

I am setting up something in WordPress now, but it is still private since I am not sure what I'm doing.

Maybe you could feature writers from the forums. You could host some of my writings on there, heh.

[YesNo]

That's an idea. I hope to have it ready to make public some time this summer.

[Doctreez]

Hello there guys,

Hey, great idea! hope you still have some space on this project :)
I don't consider myself a true writer just yet, but maybe I could share with you what have been helping me so far - I hope it can be somewhat useful for you, although it's not really any magical trick or anything.

But first, and this is very general, I found out that ideas come to me always in the most inconvenient moments, what made me create documents on Google Docs, which can be accessed anywhere with wifi or 4g. Once I sit down on my computer to actually write, I'll always find them there. Do you have anything like this?


I always outline my stories, but the problem is that if I do this, it feels like I've limited myself to a short story. I get about 10,000 - 13,000 words, but that's all. If I want to write a lengthy story that's more like 60,000 words, what should I do? Should I just free-ball it? Maybe come up with some characters and then just say where it takes me? If I do that, I'm afraid that the story will lose it's power and have nothing interesting to offer, though.

dratsab I sometimes find myself on the same situation. What REALLY helps me is to imagine how I can develop more and more the ideas and feelings I want my readers to have. I write fiction, so I'm always trying to come up with situations or even little details that would make the plot OR/AND the characters develop - and I'm sure this is key for any literary genre, yeah? I mean, this may sound too obvious, but sometimes we don't realize that "people who live outside our heads" don't have a clue on what's happening inside of it. When some of my friends ask me to analyze their texts, I sometimes find myself on the difficult situation of saying "Sorry mate, but I didn't understand what these Gargulator Cops are" (or something). If, with your 10k-13k words, you already reached the point you wanted in your story, try to re-read it or to hand it to someone you REALLY trust, so they can point what could be improved, better explained, etc. It's always easier to increment something you can already see - that's how it works with drawing as well.

BTW, You mentioned that you're "pretty much inspired to use themes to tell my story, rather than an intrinsically interesting plot or characters. I mostly write philosophy, and that's my main interest,", right? Well, I believe this is perfect then.

As a final note, for Lokasenna - man, I spent roughly 5 years preparing my first book. Then I spent ~8 months writing the first 3 chapters... and then I wrote 10 chapters in around 1,5 months (when I finally realized what I must do). My suggestion would be "don't stop"! Use your writing software in your favour... If you KNOW that you make notes a lot, create a document for the book itself, start writing it and make your notes inside this document - as a "comment", for instance, if you're using Word. You may also print what you already have, write on the paper itself and keep it! Upon opening the document you'll visualize your novel and have quick access to your notes, what may speed up the process. Of course work pressure and tiredness surely affect creativity and - let's be honest -, our will to write. But then again, it affects mostly everything yeah? Be strong! :P