Question for fiction writers.

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Permalink Reply by A. B. England on February 9, 2009 at 12:19pm

I was actually puzzling over this several months ago myself. I blogged about it and got some good discussion with other writers regarding the various methods for both writing and revising.

You'd likely find the three posts/discussions on the bottom of the page the most helpful since they deal entirely with different ways to get started and keep going once you put pen to paper.

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Permalink Reply by Laura Kim Ashdown on February 13, 2009 at 4:33pm

A few hours in a reputable fiction course would be helpful. I learned so much about conventions--things editors expect you to know.

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Permalink Reply by Lea Schizas on February 14, 2009 at 6:53am

Robin, I would simply write the story while it's fresh in your head and worry about editing, fleshing, creating a more three-dimensional world once THE END is placed. While writing, read books, read how-to writing books. I find them to be inspirational and motivating while I'm writing.

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Permalink Reply by Lori Devoti on March 3, 2009 at 6:26am

Jump in. You can always revise, and as Pauline says your brain probably knows more about good story structure than you think.
Then, after you've written for a bit, start reading writing books and join a good writer group. Really, no matter what you write there is no better group than RWA (romance writers of america) for learning the business and craft. SinC (sisters in crime) also used to have a group called guppies that offered some really good information.
Lori
http://www.loridevoti.com

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Permalink Reply by San Diego Momma on March 3, 2009 at 9:15am

I'm another "jump in and write" girl...provided you do know the bare bones of the story you are trying to tell and have "sketched" the main characters.

I've paralyzed myself with writer's conferences (which are great, by the way...but led to my overthinking my story) and books on writing and the like. I'm an overanalyzer by nature, and it works to an extent -- because I've thought through my plot, etc...but it's also freaked me out so my inner editor takes over before I can even let my id out.

So it sounds like you've got the skeleton of your story and know where you're going. At this point, begin to write and the mechanics can come with revisions.

(Not saying anything new here, am I?)

Good luck!

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Permalink Reply by Callie Domingues on March 6, 2009 at 1:30pm

I agree with most posts....just sit and get your story out before you over think it too much. If you feel confidant enough to even say you "have" a story, you better get writing! Don't let the story slip away before you have it out on paper.

Good Luck!

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