Fiction Writing and You, How to get started

Anyone can sit down at their computer or pull out a pen and start writing fiction, but not everyone can write good fiction.
Writing itself is an art form and requires dedication and time investment to become proficient at.
Whether you're trying to become the next best selling author or merely have a great idea for a piece of fan fiction here are some tips to get you started.

 Read on after the break!

Part 1. Developing Your Idea

 1. Scope

         Because fiction can be so diverse and open-ended its a good idea to set some rules before you begin. Is your story going to be long or short? Is it original or Fan-fiction? Certain lengths and topics will fit better then others. For example. in the world of fan fiction we like to split our writing into categories based on general length and theme.

• Dabbles - These are the shortest kind of writing that you can do. Simple 50 - 150 word little snippets. It can be quite difficult to fit a story in such a short space however, many writer  like to use dabbles as practice and to help break writers block. Many great works of fiction sprang up from when a writer had an idea and quickly dabbled it down.

• Fluff - Fluff pieces are simple short stories usually following some character as they deal with some ordinary mundane part of life. They are usually less then 1000 words and are normally lighthearted in spirit.

• Fiction doesn't have a predetermined length however, even some in-depth fan fiction can be hundreds of thousands of words long. Its all about the plot and whether it can justify the length. I've read some amazing fiction that was short and sweet and have dragged myself through some where the writing drags on and on without need. 

2. Characters and Plot

         So you have your general idea now its time to add a little polish. What is the general purpose of your story? Who are the characters and why should I care about them? A good story comes from characters that want something. Harry Potter wants to make friends (and eventually defeat Voldemort) while Judy Hopps  wants to be a good cop. Writing good fiction requires having compelling characters, and the best way to give characters depth is to give them strong wants and desires.  

If writing fan work its a good idea to research and study the source material as well as other fan fiction about a chosen topic. Get a good idea for how the characters behave and act (even if you're using them to create an entirely different world). It will make writing them in character easier and you won't break the rules of the universe (unless you want to i.e. Alternate Reality/Universe Fiction or AU).

3.Write from an outline

     Writing from an outline can mean all the difference in the quality of your writing. Many try to brush off an outline as too "business like", especially if you're writing fan fiction for fun. However knowing where the story is going from beginning middle and end can help prevent writers block and make for a faster writing experience. Most fiction follows the same general Arc /Act Structure or Monomyth. In general it goes something like this.

• The Beginning - Should be our introduction to the world and set up the motivation for our central characters. Backstory and character interaction can be used to help set up the plot here.

• Time and again people will tell you to start with action, this is not always right. What good is action if it isn't grounded in what's important to the story and draws you to the characters?

• Opening Conflict - This is what we call our hero's call to adventure. Something will often happen that sets our character on their quest. Whether this is the doing of the main antagonist is up to you. From this point on the story will focus on the hero's efforts to set things right. 

• The Middle - The middle section of the story is the meat of the adventure. This is the part where you can flesh out the world, strengthen character bonds and the have the stakes gradually raised.  

• This comes back to what I said earlier. Know what your characters want, what are their desires and feelings. Knowing this will help flesh out characters. Showing the reader who they are and why they do what they do will breed more investment into the story and it's characters. 

• The Low Point- There is usually a section, before the stories resolution, where  the character is at his most dire and hope seems lost. You can probably think of some movies or books where you have seen this trope used.

• There can be many ups and downs throughout the story, the path is not linear its can be a mountain or it can be a set of rolling hills. In a story I'm currently reading for instance, the main character found out her family is dead. This lead to a low point, then she found out that some of them might be alive, rise back up. Then one of her friends is killed and the plot dips back down. Even the rolling hills or sound wave story arc still has a high and a low-low point.

• The Climax - The resolution or climax moment where the protagonist triumphs (or loses if you're writing tragedy). This usually follows shortly after the characters lowest moment and carries on to the end of the story. Occasionally writers will include a denouement period that helps close up lose ends and bring a close to the story.

4. Refine the plot

       With your outline in place you now have a useful visual tool to help you determine if the plot makes sense. Before you start writing go back over the outline and see if there is anything that needs changing. Something that needs to be expanded upon or trimmed down or even cut out completely if it turns out to not match the image of your story. The best moments of originally can come through the editing process, where you learn that certain things don't fit in with your vision and you make adjustments. Keep in mind the plot is the most important aspect of good fiction. Even if your writing skills aren't great, you can get a readers attention with a good story.

Part 2. Writing

You're going to need paper and pens or a trusty computer and a coffee shop.

1. The Hook

     As stated earlier many will tell you to begin the action early. Descriptions and backdrop are great but it most likely won't catch the readers attention. You have to draw the reader in somehow. In fan fiction it's assumed the reader already knows the characters so adding a lot of description is usually overkill. In original fiction however the beginning depends heavily on the audience. Are you writing a crime/mystery? Show/tell the audience what happened at the beginning and then spend the rest of the story trying to solve the crime. As I stated earlier, beginning with action is good but you can determine when that action takes place. If you want to set up a backstory first you can, depending on your writing talents you can pull in readers regardless.

• In short fiction description is useful, just be careful not to overdo it

2. Cliff Hangers

      End chapters on cliff hangers. OK, not every chapter but do try to leave readers with unanswered questions whenever possible. This doesn't mean you can't answer them later just try and create more as the story evolves. Good fiction will keeps the reader curious and have them saying "just one more page before bed".

• God knows I've spent countless nights without sleep due to a good story keeping me hanging on.

Tip: Reference your Source and Outline

      If you run into writers block and are unsure what to write next, look back to your outline. If you're writing fan fiction look at the source material again. Rereading the outline or source material and checking it with your current work frequently can help you iron out plot points and issues that develop as you write. 

3. Give your characters obstacles

     These obstacles can be as difficult as you want. Some should be more difficult then others to keep readers hooked and to make a compelling story. Whether its drug addiction, the lovers triangle or what have you, strong fiction is built upon the challenges faced and over come by the protagonist and his company. 

4. Write Everyday

      Like all art, devoting  time to a project will help keep your creative juices flowing. Writing especially since you have to be thinking about what you're writing constantly. Pick a time everyday and sit down to write and do your best to match it. Could be during lunch or after dinner. Making a habit of writing can help that story build up quickly.

• Some find listening to music helps them relax and write

• It may also be a good idea to set a word count goals to your daily writing (I'm gonna write 600 words tonight) 

• DON'T EDIT IMMEDIATELY following a writing session! Your brain needs to cool down, you know what you meant to write so if there's any grammatical or prose error you mostly likely will skip right over it without realizing. 

5. Edit your work

    

    Editing is a necessity in almost all forms of writing. If you want to be taken seriously you will have to go through the process as well. Read over what you have and see what you can do to improve it. Remove what you think is confusing or add to it if something needs clarification. 

• Showing your work to friends can be an easy way to get feedback on issues.
• Many fan fiction websites have people that like to devote their free time to helping others edit. 
• Again DO NOT EDIT  IMMEDIATELY  after a writing session, you are more likely to miss simple mistakes. (For instances the when I was typing this article I used the word Your 52 times and only noticed it when I read through it later. I have since reworked the article to flow more smoothly.)

6. Write Consistently

    As you write more and more your writing style might change as well. Issues like  prose or grammar might improve, but for each story you do make sure you keep the same style through out the entire piece. I have seen many stories where the author took a hiatus and came back weeks or months later to continue and the different writing style (even though it was generally better) was jarring and ruined the story for many. 

7. Publish your work and garner feedback

  Put your work out there! Publish it to the internet or submit it to a publisher and try to obtain feedback on how to improve as a writer. There are many avenues available to you with the ease of the internet.