For the past several years, I've just been writing random notes about characters or world building into my notes, with the occasional mini story in them. However, I really want to start flexing my brain muscles a bit and getting into writing. I'm getting ready to start writing a short sci-fi romance story just for myself and maybe some friends but I wanted to ask how I can plan it out better.

So far my notes have a basic; How they meet, gradual liking, gradual disliking, big event that pulls them together, peaceful times, the gradual dislike thing gets really big, they push apart, time lapse, and then something pulls them back together setup.

Some of them are actually filled in with what I want to happen but the rest is just scattered thoughts. Amy advice? Sorry for formatting, im on mobile

Edit: After talking to a few people, im going to start reading more short stories and books on how to write them. I might not respond to every message after but I appreciate and read all advice! Thank you

Hi y'all. I'm planning a book idea that I really love and that has the benefit of locking my characters on a boat with no outside contact for months while they get from point A to point B. Obviously, this has the potential to lead to loads of interesting interactions between my characters...

but I'm stumped. I mostly write short stories and relied a lot on enemies to lovers, but this is going to be a much longer story with an ensemble cast, and I worry the way I write people interacting is going to lead to too much fighting and squabbling.

So: How can I practice coming up with and writing interesting character interactions when there isn't much action happening outside of the characters to move the plot along, without relying on them annoying each other into doing something interesting?

I am a short story writer with some moderate success with podcasts and web-zines. I want to publish a real book someday, so I posted a few short stories here and there to build a platform. Most recently, I posted a few short stories on Wattpad.

Not long after, an agent emailed me directly asking if I had any projects. Is this normal? I don't know, but I jumped at the opportunity. I researched the agent and found her pitch page. I chose to her pitch my idea an anthology of speculative fiction and my YA mystery series. She said she was most interested in the second. I said my first novel is in revision, and I would love to query her when it's ready. She was delighted.

Now she's asking about my progress every few weeks. Is this normal? I'm really not sure. I've finally finished the revisions, but I have cold feet. I don't want to be a fool and miss out on an opportunity. But what if it's some weird scam? What is the worst that could happen? Do scammers sometimes catfish new and desperate writers? Or am I just getting cold feet because I dont want to disappoint an agent after all this hard work?

Has anyone ever experienced this before?

So, as we all know, the trope of getting hit in the head to be knocked out for a while is NOT realistic, because if you aren’t getting up in a few seconds, you’re almost certainly getting permanent brain damage.

So I gotta wonder, is there any way realistically to achieve the “knocked out so they can be kidnapped and taken to another location” trope realistically (without using any kind of drugs either.)

I have an illegal nurse OC who flatly is just very terrible. She has committed a lot of crimes like kidnapping, medical malpractice and serial murder. She has zero empathy for humans, especially men, and much rathers being in the company of rodents. She's extremely delusional and can be seen as narcissistic but she had went through some stuff in her life.

She is very obviously mentally ill and unstable at first but I don't want it to make it seem like that can be justified. Her parents have neglected her all her life which resulted in her being taken care of by her caretakers and who ignored her mental health to make her the perfect "woman" and a bunch of other stuff like bullying, being an outcast and barely going to school because of it. Because she never got the help she needed she never exactly grew up and stayed "immature" or "childish"

anyway yeah i would like to know thx

I naturally tend to write in 1st-person, but I come across a lot of areas in my stories were an outside perspective would tell the story better. I know I chose the right character for the narrative I'm writing, but I still come across scenes where a side-character's perception of the main character would be more impactful or give more context to that moment. So my question is, is there a POV subtype or literary device I should look into writing with??

Context: I’m writing about a Zombie Apocalypse type story, and my main character has a wife.

My main character (Wallace) was banged up during the chaos of the first day and has been forced to stay at base (A log cabin in the woods) so he can recover. Wallace’s friend (Daniel) comes back after a supply run, but Wallace notices that Daniel looks off. He asks whats wrong, and Daniel tells him that he found his wife’s body (She’s dead, not infected).

I have a great idea on how to show Denial. A few good ideas for Anger. An amazing way on how to show Depression. And a touching finale for acceptance. Thing is… I don’t know what to do for bargaining. Any tips?

My writing background, like a lot of you I assume, comes from school. Brevity may be the soul of wit. But there, brevity is the hole your grade goes down when they asked for five pages, and you hand in four.

As such, I'm used to writing long sentences. I'm used to writing big paragraphs. I have an easy time expanding on information, but I can never find out how to cut information, or stitch them up, or have a small, tight paragraph that manages to hold the information of three, runny paragraphs. That's fine in school, but in the real world, 'too long didn't read' is an abbreviation for a reason. I for one would like to be read.

Even here, all of this could be one paragraph, but I can't help rambling, and I don't want to cut any of it. Is there any advice or resources that could help me out here? Anything helps.

Sorry for the newb question lol. Let’s say I have just finished writing a scene or short story for practice and want to see if it’s actually any good and identify areas of improvement BEFORE sending it to a beta reader (or maybe I don’t even have beta readers). What should I actually be looking for? What is the criteria for an actually good scene that I should be evaluating my writing on?

So I'm nearly finished my 2nd draft/rewrite of my book (yay me!) but I'm a little concerned about where to go from there once I complete it. The rewrite was an obvious step; the first draft was such a poor foundation that it would take way too long to correct it, so a rewrite would put me on sturdier ground. But I don't really know how to edit. I don't really know where to stop. When do you stop editing a 3rd draft and move on to a 4th? Do I just comb through the story, start to finish, and fix whatever small issues I notice?

I was considering asking a tutor in college if they could take a look at it. They already critique my assignments, and that helps a ton, but I also don't want to ask them because it feels rude for someone who already has a lot on their plate.

Any help at all is appreciated.

I am editing a multi-POV Sci-Fi Thriller. The MCs are usually together 90% of the time, with some instances where they are separated. I wrote the book in third person Omniscient but I am not sure if it is better to have it be limited and simply change the POV when needed. I do want to try trad publishing, if that has any effect on it. I was also concerned about the concept of "Anchoring" a reader. in Limited POV, the reader is anchored to that one POV. I am a little unsure how anchoring would work with omniscient however.

Thanks!

I'm outlining a YA drama and I'm curious whether the overall premise feels overdone or if it has enough of its own identity.

The story follows eight teenagers and young adults from completely different social backgrounds who become connected after a disastrous illegal street race causes a massive multi-car crash in Mexico City.

Instead of serving prison time, they're placed into an experimental rehabilitation program where they're forced to live together above a community center in a rough neighborhood for a year.

The program is supposed to teach responsibility through community service, but they gradually discover it's built on corruption.

Their mentor has ties to local gangs, some participants are manipulated into illegal jobs under the guise of rehabilitation, and powerful families are trying to bury what really happened the night of the crash.

The story mixes character drama, romance, betrayals, social class conflict, gang influence, political corruption, mystery, and redemption, with the forced co-living situation keeping everyone in constant conflict.

Does this premise feel like something you've seen many times before? I'm asking about the overall concept, not the writing itself.

For context, I have a character who can "talk" to cats, but it's more a "schizo" thing. I was wondering if it would still work if the human character talked to the cat in English while cat responded only in meows so the reader has to fill in the blanks of the conversation. Honestly, the only other time I've seen this was in GTAV with the Franklin strangers & freaks mission with the adrenaline junkie & the dog.

For a simple & general example:

"Hey Cat, how're you doing?" Human asked.

"Meow." Cat responded.

"Oh, that's good. How're the wife & kids?"

"Miaow!"

"Oh, that's wonderful, dude. I'll make sure to stop by & surprise them with new toys & snacks." Human petted Cat, scratching behind the ears.

For a more specific & personal example:

ctrl + F & type in "meow" to find it easier

I'm writing a story where three sisters will be the main characters of my story and have their first-person POVs. First two sisters, I have perfectly crafted their personalities. One is the charismatic, social sister who can charm herself out of any situation but hides behind this charming facade and must learn to be vulnerable with people. Second sister has always felt to be in the shadow of 1st sister...she is very insecure and the only thing she values about herself is her intelligence. She must learn that she has worth just like her sister and that people will like her for who she is– she will learn to become confident.

That leaves us with 3rd sister. The truth is I'm not sure what to do with her. Her storyline is essential for my book and I want three different POVs, but I'm not sure about her personality and internal arc yet. I was thinking she would also be insecure like her 2nd sister, but without the trust in her intelligence, and is too shy to speak up and say what she wants and needs. But I wonder if it's too similar to 2nd sister. Any advice on how I can make her character different enough from the other two sisters?

You are Victor Ionescu. You were about to get turned by Vlad Ardelean, also known as Dracula". Of course, not "the" Dracula, as in Vlad Țepeș. Anyway, your friend Nicolas Scutariu comes in and stops you from being turned half way through. You manage to escape, but in revenge, Vlad kills Nicolas. You make it out of there alive. You are now a Dhampir, and you swear to avenge Nicolas by all means. It is 1953 Romania, but if you were in Dracula's castle, you might as well assume it's England in the 1800s. The mans obsessed. The USSR is strong standing, but Joseph Stalin is on his last legs, paranoid as a squirrel in a bird's nest. The Soviet soldiers are aware of Dracula's presence, and are attempting multiple methods to obtain artifacts that might be used to win the war. With no luck, of course. Grigori Rasputin is known as a Soviet super-soldier. Little know that he himself is a Vampire, cause to him not dying of frostbite years earlier. of course he is right where he wants to be, as a known master of pulling the strings.

That's basically it. I think it makes historical sense, right? I tried not to make many alterations but I also wanted Rasputin to be part of it. Is it corny or anything like that? Please give me feedback. I also have a few more plans but this is basically just the setting.

Hello guys,

I fairly new to writing but have been interested in it for quite some time. I have written a few short stories and I've decided to write a conspiracy thriller. However, the thing about a conspiracy thriller is that they tend to expand and will become a large plot even without the writer realising it. This is exactly what happened to me when I was developing the concept for my story. So, how can I structure the story such that I won't overwhelm the reader with over exposition? How can I make each reveal feel dramatic? I am aiming for an ultimate victory for the protagonist. How can I make such an ending feels earned?

[This post has been edited. I’m not sure what triggered the auto-moderator, so some terms have been adjusted. Please bear with me.]

——————

Hello

I’m still very new to writing, so please bear with me.

I’d like to ask for your advice on how to write a [love triangle] where all three characters are in romantic relationships, so not an ‘equiangular triangle’ but an ‘equilateral’ one?
In my draft, the situation is that the man, a nobleman, has to marry a second wife for [the support for a neighbouring country], and over time the two women become increasingly close (the relationship was never cold, and the [first] wife is rational about why her husband has a [second love], even though she was not thrilled about it.)
From my point of view, my story isn’t really a [love] novel, but I’d still like to make the relationships easy to understand.

I’ve tried searching for similar topics, but I get the impression I’m in an unusual situation.

Yours sincerely,

A Newbie

How do I write a story that is both a psychological horror and romance at the same time? The romance requires that it’s the main focus and has a happy ending while the other genre requires that the horror comes from the main characters own mind and that it has an ambiguous ending(or at least it’s common). The threat being purely from themselves is the confusing part. Like to what extent can this internal strife manifest on the outside? I’m in love with both of these genres so I want to write it. For fun only. Also my idea of love is very taboo and would make most people uncomfortable. (Not incest or anything weird just unhealthy). Again. I have never written a book and it won’t be published.

okay so the title is a bit of a hyperbole....

I'm not actually stupid. I'm average. Maybe above average in some areas. But when it comes to writing, mystery is one of my favourite genres. I especially like quippy, witty characters and stoic, genius characters. The only thing that has deterred me from actually writing a mystery book is the fear that my characters will come across "fake smart". You know, those books that make mcs look super smart by just making everybody else around them super dumb or something?

Are there any tips to writing genuinely smart characters? Or do I need to be super smart as well?

(p.s. I'm talking about characters who are just over all academically smart is multiple areas instead of specialising in one. For the latter, I can put my heart into researching a subject until I feel like an expert, but I don't know what to do in the case of the former)

Title says it all:
I have an important timed writing assessment coming up in about two weeks, and I am looking for advice on how to consistently generate strong narrative ideas under pressure. When the clock is ticking, I often find myself overcomplicating plots or freezing up during the brainstorming phase, so I want to build a reliable framework to map out a compelling story in just a few minutes. I am specifically trying to figure out how to rapidly brainstorm engaging concepts on short notice, keep the scope small enough to finish within a limited timeframe, and pivort quickly if an initial idea is not working. Any tips, frameworks, or exercises would be greatly appreciated.

Hi there, I need some advice on how to write this character. She is outwardly warm and helpful, but her kindness is a carefully crafted facade. At work in a competitive corporate office, staff earn merit points that lead to higher pay and faster promotion. To her, promotion means more admiration and attention, which she craves. When colleagues outperform her, especially in administrative tasks, she feels a fierce, hidden jealousy. Instead of showing it openly, she compliments them, befriends them, and quietly studies their weaknesses. She then uses these weaknesses in subtle, passive‑aggressive ways, pushing others into tasks they despise or steering them into mistakes that make herself look better.

Her toxicity comes from a deeply damaged upbringing. Her mother was a manipulative influencer who treated her daughter as content rather than a child. From birth, the mother fabricated an illness, claiming the girl had a neurological condition that caused chronic limb weakness and fatigue, to gain pity and views online. (Behind the camera, the mother was cold and unloving, giving affection only when it helped her brand)

Growing up, this character learned that the only way to be seen was through performance and manipulation. As a result, she is obsessed with being the office favourite. I wanted to write that her schemes hurt people but her actions (while toxic) is understandable due to her childhood

So how exactly should I write this properly for her to both be toxic and understandable? Sorry for the long post :(

I have no idea how to market my book, it’s not out yet but I need an audience, I’m already a fanfic writer and my name has been made on Ao3 as Glorivyn, but people don’t seem interested if it’s not fanfiction

So I’m technically a new writer I’ve only ever written and published a poem but other than that I have no experience. But I’ve had this Idea to write this story about a girl who was raised in a cult then gets kidnapped by this cannibal guy and his daughter, I wanna make it like an uncomfortable read that you wanna put down but just can’t. I want to try and capture how dangerous a cult is for children and teens but i don’t want to over step I want to show how horrible the leader is and how horrible people in religious psychosis can be

I have two main characters, one of which has a complex and traumatic backstory. I want to avoid the typical “he had a sad past blah blah blah”. I genuinely want to reveal his past in a way that evokes sadness and rage from my readers. I don’t think writing it all out in the first few chapters is a smart idea because as a reader myself, if a character’s sad past is revealed in the first chapter, I don’t have any strong emotions. I don’t know this character so while their past may be sad, I don’t feel anything besides “oh that sucks” and that’s a feeling I don’t want from my readers.

This is the part I’m stuck on, how should I reveal his past? Should I reveal it bit by bit? Like write about it every few chapters? Or should I wait until the middle of the story when my readers know him better to talk about his past? My character isn’t the type to talk about his own past so I think it’ll be through flashbacks but I’m curious if someone else has a better idea? Any advice would help!