I've recently read some interesting things about how people come up with story ideas. The two main groups seem to be people that come up with plots first and people who come up with characters first. This got me wondering about the different ways that people come up with stories. Specifically.
I mean, I don't really fall into either category. I like to take general ideas and then expand the characters and plot on those ideas. For example, for this year's NaNo I've been thinking about writing an Asian-style fantasy because most of my stories are very western. This is unfortunate because, if you know anything about me, I'm not-so-secretly in love with Asia and minored in Japanese.
Now, when I say Asian-style fantasy, this invokes a lot of different things. I like to take a broad topic like this and focus specifically on the things that I really want to show up in the story. Often these things are clichés, which can always be expanded on. With this story I want people wearing modest robes all of the time--but when everyone dresses up in elaborate modest robes, they're still considered beautiful and dressed up. Asian-style dragons are totally a must and I've decided the females should be blue and the males red (for specific reasons I assure you). I like doing things with magic, so that'll have to play a part. It'd be cool if that magic revolved around kanji somehow--specifically with the mixed meanings in Japanese kanji. Or maybe writing in general. Japanese has three different alphabets (each with their own uses), so that could be fun somehow.
All of these are fairly basic things, but I know I want them in the story and I'm going to build my plot and my characters around that. Nearly all of my stories are built around these kinds of ideas. How do all of you come up with story ideas? Is it plot? Character? Or something else?
Showing posts with label plot. Show all posts
Showing posts with label plot. Show all posts
Friday, August 6, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Writers and Stories
I think the best part of being a writer is being interested in stories.
Stories are everywhere. Not only are they embedded deep into the books we read, but they are also in the shows we watch, the movies we see, the games we play, the news we peruse and the conversations we have. They are all different, all created in different ways - some fiction, some real - but they are all stories nonetheless.
I think a lot of people forget that when they sit down to write. The goal is to share a story, to make it entertaining to the reader. Successful writers, in my mind, keep that always at the front. Sure, there are a lot of things that are important to writing - point of view, characters, grammar and construction, detail - but even grammar (and I almost shudder to say this) takes a backseat to the story. If it doesn't have a story driving readers onward, why are they going to care?
Sarah and I took a class last semester that was all based on plot. The driving force of a story is plot, our professor told us, and I really took that to heart. Think about it: How many things have you read that you weren't really that impressed with the writing, or the characters or something, but you kept reading anyway because you wanted to know what would happen next? I've hated the writing of some people, complained about it incessantly, but kept reading because I still wanted to know how it was all going to end.
Take a look at stories around you - in any form - and think about why someone was compelled to tell it. Then, take that inspiration and use it for your own endeavors. I constantly am inspired by good stories - whether from watching them on the big screen or reading them in the newspaper. Then, I take that inspiration and use it when I sit down in front of my computer and become a storyteller.
Happy writing,
Brenna
Stories are everywhere. Not only are they embedded deep into the books we read, but they are also in the shows we watch, the movies we see, the games we play, the news we peruse and the conversations we have. They are all different, all created in different ways - some fiction, some real - but they are all stories nonetheless.
I think a lot of people forget that when they sit down to write. The goal is to share a story, to make it entertaining to the reader. Successful writers, in my mind, keep that always at the front. Sure, there are a lot of things that are important to writing - point of view, characters, grammar and construction, detail - but even grammar (and I almost shudder to say this) takes a backseat to the story. If it doesn't have a story driving readers onward, why are they going to care?
Sarah and I took a class last semester that was all based on plot. The driving force of a story is plot, our professor told us, and I really took that to heart. Think about it: How many things have you read that you weren't really that impressed with the writing, or the characters or something, but you kept reading anyway because you wanted to know what would happen next? I've hated the writing of some people, complained about it incessantly, but kept reading because I still wanted to know how it was all going to end.
Take a look at stories around you - in any form - and think about why someone was compelled to tell it. Then, take that inspiration and use it for your own endeavors. I constantly am inspired by good stories - whether from watching them on the big screen or reading them in the newspaper. Then, I take that inspiration and use it when I sit down in front of my computer and become a storyteller.
Happy writing,
Brenna
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