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Kiwi14
Level 60
Candy Dispenser
Joined: 1/21/2019
Threads: 55
Posts: 11,931
Posted: 7/27/2019 at 3:09 PM
Post #1
I am trying to learn how to learn how to learn how to write and was wondering if there was any tips people could give me. I have an example of my writing down below. All I ask is that on my example please don't say staight out how bad it is... please tell me why it is bad and what I can do to change it. Please Ping me because if you don't I will likely not see it... sorry.
Example
Chapter 1 Captured
Faith looked out from under a tree. It was raining out so she had hid under a tree to get out of the rain. Faith was a lone wolf who had no pack. She had white fur and green eyes. She had tried to join some but they were all evil and mean. She was hiding near the city to hide from all the packs. When is the rain going to stop Faith thought before drifting to sleep.
Waking up she realized she heard footsteps. She knew she had to get out of here before the catches came. She darted out from under the tree, it wasn't raining anymore. As she ran she heard shouts from humans behind her. She was about to outrun them when she slipped on the soggy grass. Yelping in surprise she fell on her snout. She got up before realizing she was surrounded by humans with yellow pelts. She growled and then one of them shouted something. They pulled out a weird stick, she lounged at the one with the stick when she heard a bang. She stumbled on her paws and fell. She closed her eyes and all went black.
Chapter 2 The Escape
Waking up she realized she was in a silver cage barely anoth room for her to move.
"Let me out," she barked with rage before slamming here paws against the cage.
The cage shook a bit but held. She tried slamming her paws on it again and again until she heard a voice.
"Its not going to work so stop trying," a voice came beside her.
Yelping in surprise she hit her head on the roof of the cage. Looking beside her and realized there were wolfs all around her. She looked at the one that barked to her, he had gray fur with black streaks and orange eyes.
Faith looked at the wolf and barked "Who are you?"
"Oh I'm Gecko, who are you," he barked.
"I'm faith, do you know how to get out of here," she barked.
Gecko sadly shook his head in a no. Then she heard a door click open and a human with a yellow pelt walked in. The human walked up to her and she growled at it. It flinched a bit and left, faith sighed. The human walked back with more three more humans and started lifting her cage. She helped in surprise and she fell forward. The humans dropped the cage as it slipped from there grip.
The cage hit the floor and faith laid there dazed until she heard a barking from Gecko "Get out of here faith!"
Standing up she realized the humans were gone and there door they came in was open. Wobbling over to Gecko's cage she looked up into Gecko's eyes.
"I'm not leaving without you," faith barked before biting the lock of the cage.
She put her paw on the lock and digged her paw in there was a clicking sound and the cage door opened.
"Help me too," she heard anoth wolfs voice.
Looking over she saw a brown wolf with white paws and belly and blue eyes.
"Ok Gecko try to find an exit while I help this wolf," faith barked.
Gecko nodded his head before going out the now open door and walked out. Faith turned to the wolf in the cage. She put her paw on the lock and digged her paw in and it clicked open.
"Can you please help my friend too," the wolf barked gesturing to a cage next to her. There was a white/gray wolf with blue eyes.
Faith nodded before opening that cage too.
"Oh thank you," the white wolf said before licking faith's nose.
Other wolfs started barking for faith to open there cage and faith opened four more cages until Gecko ran in.
"I found an exit but we need to leave now," Gecko barked.
Faith looked sadly at the other wolfs but knew she couldn't save them all. Nodding her head they went to leave.
Edited By Kiwi14 on 7/27/2019 at 3:16 PM.
Sakina
Level 75
Queen's Grace
Joined: 12/17/2012
Threads: 54
Posts: 2,481
Posted: 7/27/2019 at 5:37 PM
Post #2
Im not going to dwell on the grammar or syntax because that mainly comes from time, practice, and a lot of exposure. Story itself is more abstract and harder to pin down. Personally, I start with the characters and their goals and motivations. If you dont know what your characters want it will definitely show and your characters may read as flat.
As far as your story.... because its so short (3 paragraphs does not a chapter make) and fast-paced, you dont get any sort of information on any of the characters before youre introduced to the next. You could replace each character with a lamp and get the same story. Gecko has no attachment to Faith and no reason to trust her. Yet after a single line of dialogue, after shes probably still woozy and confused from being unconscious, is ready to risk her life to make sure Faith comes with her.
The story also doesnt make a whole lot of logical sense. Why are these humans capturing wilves yet not keeping them under sedation? Or separated from each other. Your story implies that their organized and professional so they probably know that the wolves in this world are rather intelligent. Especially since theyve clearly done this before. So why would they have locks that wolves can unlock? Why would 3 humans try to lift a cage with an awake and wiggling wolf in it? Why would the cage door open after only being dropped a few feet at most? Thats a poorly designed cage. All it does is make the humans seem dumb and incompetent. If theyre going to be your antagonists there will be no sense of tension because your protagonists can beat them by sneezing in their general direction.
Kiwi14
Level 60
Candy Dispenser
Joined: 1/21/2019
Threads: 55
Posts: 11,931
Posted: 7/27/2019 at 5:46 PM
Post #3
Thank you for your tips! I am working on character development and antagonists... please note though that first this story is pretty old (not saying that it's an excuse) and I was not the best at writing but I will make the story better (or try to). Thank you again for your tips!!!
Orcastration
Level 74
Fishy
Joined: 11/1/2018
Threads: 319
Posts: 33,457
Posted: 7/27/2019 at 5:46 PM
Post #4
1. Don't use "barked" on everything. It makes it tdrab. Try toher wrods, growled, howled, etc.
2. Agree with the above
3. Italics and qoataion marks are your friend
And yeah ik i'm not typing well right now just in a rush
Edited By Orcastration on 7/27/2019 at 5:56 PM.
Kiwi14
Level 60
Candy Dispenser
Joined: 1/21/2019
Threads: 55
Posts: 11,931
Posted: 7/27/2019 at 6:01 PM
Post #5
Thank you for your tips Orca! I was writing a fan fiction with a very complicated plot... yes I am getting better then that old writing idea lol... I can put it up but it might be a little to confusing to understand.
Orcastration
Level 74
Fishy
Joined: 11/1/2018
Threads: 319
Posts: 33,457
Posted: 7/27/2019 at 6:14 PM
Post #6
I usually figure out where i want the story to go and hw it should end, character details, etc. before i even write anything.
But NP :) it just takes smome practice and work.
Larkian
Level 75
The Tactician
Joined: 5/15/2018
Threads: 105
Posts: 17,021
Posted: 7/27/2019 at 6:46 PM
Post #7
First of all, I'd say to stretch the story a little bit, I think the whole thing is a bit rushed and too straightforward. Take the first paragraph, for example, I usually do not introduce the main character and their backstory all at once at the beginning, I usually sprinkle details throughout the book so that the readers feel like they're getting to know the character better. If you really want to tell the whole backstory at once, do it later in the book, perhaps if the character has a flashback or another character asks them about their history.
In additon, the first paragraph could use more description, so readers can actually imagine the scene before moving on. You could describe the rain in greater detail, describe how Faith feels, even describe the tree if it fits! This applies for most scenes that don't involve dialogue or action.
And some things don't make sense, I don't understand how a wolf could pick a lock with their paws, and how did Faith's cage get open in the first place? And why did the humans leave when they dropped her cage? Why did they even drop her cage? Everything is too perfectly coincidential.
And I believe someone already mentioned it, but you should use more variety than just barking.
Those were the main things that stuck out to me, and otherwise, it's pretty good!
Let me know if you need any more tips/help.
(By the way, do you read the Sylestia Times?)
Kiwi14
Level 60
Candy Dispenser
Joined: 1/21/2019
Threads: 55
Posts: 11,931
Posted: 7/27/2019 at 6:57 PM
Post #8
Thank you for the tips... I am practicing being more descriptive (sometimes a little to much), like I said before this writing is pretty old and I am practicing not being bad at writing XD
(No I do not... I don't even know what it is lol)
Larkian
Level 75
The Tactician
Joined: 5/15/2018
Threads: 105
Posts: 17,021
Posted: 7/27/2019 at 7:00 PM
Post #9
Practicing not being bad is always something peiple should do xD
It's a monthly newspaper for Sylestia, I'm pretty sure everyone gets pinged when an issue comes out, hmmm
The reason I asked was because someone else and I are starting a Writing Tips section.
Kiwi14
Level 60
Candy Dispenser
Joined: 1/21/2019
Threads: 55
Posts: 11,931
Posted: 7/27/2019 at 7:10 PM
Post #10
Really? Well I am getting better (working on a lot of things xD )
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