/lit/ - Literature

[Anonymous No.10977387]

>mfw every plot I think of is actually shit when I try put it on paper

Maybe I'm just not cut out to be a writer

[Anonymous No.10977389]

Yes, maybe you aren't

[Anonymous No.10977408]

If you think plot is what makes a novel then no you probably aren't.

[Anonymous No.10977411]

>>10977387
Start from the climax.

[Anonymous No.10977425]

Probably not. As you already know, every great writer was good since they first picked up their pen. If you aren't writing philosophical treatise before you hit double digits then sorry to break it to you but you will never be a writer.

As you know, every time one of those great writers has an idea it's immediately the most perfect and best version of the idea they can have. Most writers never edit their work they are that infallible. They rarely have to fix plot holes or read their books over and over just to fix them to the point of readability.

As you know, if you aren't immediately good at something then you should give it up as quickly as you picked it up. Definitely don't put time and effort in to writing every single day, because that way you may actually become the writer you want to be.

[Anonymous No.10977432]

maybe. that's alright. you can always find something else

[Anonymous No.10977435]

>>10977425
This is absolutely true and applies to every artistic medium. Mariah Carey could sing at a masterclass level by age 14.

[Anonymous No.10977440]

>>10977435
>mariah carey
wtf where did that come from

[Anonymous No.10977450]

>>10977440
The chick has a 5 octave vocal range. People are born into power.

[Anonymous No.10977452]

>>10977387
>Plot
>Outlining
>Index Cards

[Anonymous No.10977459]

>>10977435
mariah carey is a talented singer but she still only get her break by sucking on the dilznick of some bigwig record exec that she met waiting on tables in some overpriced restaurant in nyc, so i would say if u want to make it in culture production be it writing, film, music, whatever, find the nearest jewish media exec and let him rape you

[Anonymous No.10977460]

My problem is that I think of a semi-decent idea but I have no clue how to develop it into an actual story.

For example, the notes for one of my ideas: a man wakes up naked on a beach with no memory of who he is. He kills a girl who sees him because he is in a confused state of mind and thus can't go to the police lest he be arrested. He wants to find out who he is and what happened. He starts living a more nihilistic and wild lifestyle, free from the shackles of mediocre society. When he finally finds out his identity and what happened to him, he decides to stay living as he is because his pre-incident self was just your run-of-the-mill average joe with a decent wage and family, and he hates that because he doesn't want to be mediocre.

This is alright but I have no idea how to beef it up so it's actually a story

[Anonymous No.10977474]

>>10977460
Watch Swiss Army Man. It's if your idea were much much better.

[Anonymous No.10977475]

>>10977425
you´re talking about geniuses. Most people aren´t on that level and have to sweat and work. The difference between success and faliure alot of the time is how much passion you have for the work you´re doing, you put in the hours every day not just because you want to be good but because you also enjoy it even if the results are shit.

[Anonymous No.10977477]

>>10977460
Conflict, conflict, what's the most interesting/weird way for things to turn, stack on problems, never give your characters a fair shake!

[Anonymous No.10977478]

>>10977460
I think the best way to figure out how to beef it up is to just start writing it. You'll think of ways to fill in the gaps as you go.

Just start man. You're just afraid it won't be good. Only way to find out for sure is to start.

[Anonymous No.10977493]

>>10977460
Sounds like you have a story already. Just give him something he needs badly, and then give him an obstacles.

The first thing he does is kills the girl, so the first part is him waking up and killing her. He now needs to hide the body and cover his tracks. Bam, there's a chapter.

But he's naked, so he needs clothes. He doesn't remember shit and now he has to find clothes. Maybe he doesn't have money, so he has to find a way to get clothes for free. It could be violent, or he could pose as a homeless man etc...

When I have an idea I am really stuck on I grab my notebook and write down the scenes/parts that I DO know for sure in chronological order, then find the biggest gaps and try to fill them in.

>>10977475
I was being sarcastic to make the point that if OP every wants to be a writer, he needs to get used to the fact that 90% of what he writes will be shit at first, and it's only by working on it that he can make it better. No writer was immediately good.

[Anonymous No.10977494]

>>10977475
If you aren't reading that he is being sarcastic, you are stupid.

[Anonymous No.10977502]

>>10977411
This, write something like "Jesus died on the cross" and then figure out the rest by using index cards with short story fragments

[Anonymous No.10977506]

>>10977494
>>10977493
not the first time i´ve seen a post like that on this board that wasn´t being ironic

[Anonymous No.10977509]

>>10977493
He needs to define his themes first. What is he attempting to allegorize? Is it against modern society? What does the woman represent? All of my shit starts from the theme. Then you define your characters goal and character flaw. Then you provide a bunch of things that go wrong leading to a climax and ultimate character change.

[Anonymous No.10977528]

>>10977450
mariah carey, truly one of the greats

some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them

[Anonymous No.10977536]

>>10977509
I write in a similar way, except I choose a theme, build my characters from the theme and then grow the plot from them. Although giving this kind of creative advice is not always very good for someone who has the problem of low productivity or low self-image as writer because they can find it hard to see the big picture.

Especially beginner writers, who sometimes need practical structuring advice before they can find their voice. I would recommend to OP that he writes short stories first and works on his ability to finish projects first.

[Anonymous No.10977552]

I think there were days that I become afraid to keep on writing because the story that had been written so far is so good.

I'm afraid that I'm going to spoil the story, there are times where I contaminated the previously written prose style, by continuing the story writing in different style.

>>10977536
ty for the advice. I think I need to practice to write more cohesive piece/ practicing writing shorts so that the style didn't immediately canceling off each other.

[Anonymous No.10977563]

>>10977552
No problem. If you have any questions I am happy to help.

Also, I recommend you watch this video, especially the part of perfectionism. I think most aspiring writers suffer from a similar thing - how the idea in your head is never what is on paper. Just know that it happens to most of us, even DFW.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5R8gduPZw4

[Anonymous No.10977717]

>>10977563
do you think it's bad for me to read works that can disrupt narration or change the style of my own fiction when I back to my writing session (after read the other works)?

sometimes there were those days where I found myself reading 2 or 3 different authors, these authors's way of doing it, then will manifest itself by accident in my writing.

[Anonymous No.10977867]

>>10977717
No. As long as you can focus on a project and write on it every day then you are fine. Focus on getting the draft down, because that will set the creative 'limitations' you have that won't be able to be disrupted. I say this because I believe you should be reading as much as writing, because writing can be stressful, and there's no better way to recharge than reading.

That said, you should also focus on finishing books that intrigue you.

[Anonymous No.10977880]

>>10977717
Start with your outline, you aren't just writing from the beginning are you?

[Anonymous No.10977914]

>>10977387
Then just write a shit book. What's the problem?

[Anonymous No.10977919]

>>10977408
Elaborate. Plot is important, isn't it?

[Anonymous No.10977954]

>>10977919
Great writers can create great books out of boring plots. I mean there are a ton of great plot based books but it doesn't seem to be the only thing that carries them.

[Anonymous No.10978100]

>>10977954
So basically a good book is the sum of its parts. Plot, setting, theme, characters, etc etc, not just plot alone.
That makes sense. Thanks anon.

[Anonymous No.10978129]

>>10978100
Prose is all that matters pleb

[Anonymous No.10978139]

It's all about talent. You are born with an ability or not, you can't learn anything, everything is in your genes.

[Anonymous No.10978163]

>>10977435
>>10977425
Irrelevant to OP’s chances of making it, this isn’t always true. Van Gogh didn’t start his career as an artist until 27.

[Anonymous No.10978173]

>>10977425
lmao, all these people missing that obvious satire. of course /lit/ is lacking in literary analysis skills

[Anonymous No.10978180]

>>10978163
>muh Van Gogh

Every time. Yes there are exceptions, but the overwhelming majority of successful people in any field were well on their way to mastery before they were able to legally buy booze. You will never be able to catch up to those with natural talent.

>pic related
Work of 15 year old Picasso.

[Anonymous No.10978223]

>>10978163
van gogh drew all his life, he made this at like 13

[Anonymous No.10978227]

>>10978180
> the overwhelming majority of successful people in any field were well on their way to mastery before they were able to legally buy booze

that's untrue, they're geniuses because they're a rarity

[Anonymous No.10978267]

Hey OP, this is not a good place to receive good anwsers about that, so dont get discouraged!

[Anonymous No.10978463]

>>10978267
Fuck off you faggot, anons ITT gave OP sound advice.
Go be a meddling pussy somewhere else.

[Anonymous No.10978622]

>>10978180
>>10978223
both are shit

[Anonymous No.10978628]

>>10978180
b-but Picasso is le degenerate modern art that doesn't care about beauty