Hi everyone! I'm not much with words, but here goes.
My friend actually inspired me to wanna start writing . I love reading a lot, and more than that I love character development. Seeing others put in effort in their writing makes me happy and want to do the same
My issue is this; I lose inspiration quickly. I suddenly lose all interest in doing anything creative. This happens time and time again, and it really bothers me. I know I have the potential, I just lose all courage.
I was in the penpal discussion , was having fun. Some things came up and it killed all my inspiration. Same with a lot of other threads.
So I'm asking for advice on this: how do I maintain an interest long and strong enough ,for something as committing as writing a story?
That is an excellent and very real question! I like what @chalicen had to say, and I will say something similar.
I used to have this problem, and I still do to a certain extent. I am very proud to say that I have finished a legacy! It took me 17 months (and 5 days ). What made me the proudest was that I actually stuck with it because, like you, I tend to quit things when I lose interest.
I find that I lose interest when either a story is going in the wrong direction (whether I know it or not) and/or I don't know the characters well. Nothing will tank my creativity more than a dull character I don't know. Some of my stories went on many hiatuses because of this. So, my first piece of advice would be this. Write a story that is entertaining to you. If you're not having fun with it, the readers won't enjoy it. If it doesn't make you laugh, the readers won't laugh. True, you always want to keep the readers in mind, obviously, because you want people to read your stuff, but I don't recommend catering/tailoring your story to fit whatever you think will make it popular or whatever. A good way to do this is to imagine that your readers are just like you, so you use your own preferences to write something awesome. Eventually, you'll attract people with similar tastes.
Another piece of advice would be the character development you mentioned. You should know your characters very well. You may not know everything about them because they tend to reveal more about themselves as you write, but you should have a good sense of who they are so when surprising things come up when you write, you don't get stuck. I tend to think of my characters like friends, and writing feels like hanging out with them, and usually we like to maintain our friendships. That's another way to maintain interest. That and writing storylines that excite you.
But, at the same time, you can't force something that isn't there. So, sometimes taking a step back is a good thing if you're resting your brain or trying to work throw some problem in the story. And, real life happens! We should make time to write if we want to write, but sometimes we're simply not able to do it because more important things come up. Take care of those things, and then get back into step. You may have to make yourself do it, but make sure you do it.
I got interrupted while writing this and completely lost my train of thought. Not sure if I said what I wanted, but hopefully it makes sense lol.
So what's your favorite way to describe your character?
I don't think I have one way that I describe all my characters. All my characters are different and have various attributes about them that stand out. Some characters have striking eyes that I constantly point out. Others have little quirks they are known for. One of my male characters wears a certain scent that his girlfriend describes. So, I suppose I like describing things that you can't really see that make them real?
I just wanted to pop in with a quick thought/observation about the lounge these days!
I think it's great that the lounge is getting so popular again! But I've noticed that for the past few weeks, it feels like about 80-90% of the discussion around here is between 2-3 users. And a lot of the time, these seem to be discussions about one specific story, which would probably be better suited to the thread associated with whatever story is being discussed? Or even discussed via Private Messages.
It's been difficult to post around here because sometimes it feels like you're intruding on someone's private conversation and it makes things awkward/difficult.
I feel like what I'm saying may come across the wrong way. Obviously you should be able to have a little back-and-forth with your friends! But when there's 3-4 pages of the same two people having a back and forth discussion that feels very much like a discussion others can't participate in, I feel that it kind of defeats the actual purpose of the writers lounge.
I may be 100% off base here. I'm not sure how others might feel. I could be alone in this thinking. But it's just something I've been noticing and I wanted to throw my thoughts out there and see if anyone else agreed. And if they do, maybe we could think of maybe some ground rules @CathyTea could add to the front page of the thread?
Thanks for writing this, @CitizenErased14. Lately I've been avoiding the Lounge as everything moves so quickly and then it's discouraging to try and catch up. I haven't felt like I can contribute much because I can't always relate to what's said since it's person specific. I think there were guidelines at one point but the Lounge has drifted away from that. And I've felt a bit ignored as of late when I post here. You're not alone in feeling this way. I wasn't sure how to speak up or if I even should. I appreciate when people ask questions (or I have questions) so I feel like I have something of value to add. I'm not sure I do otherwise.
Thank you to everyone who took the time to respond, I appreciate a lot more than you can imagine!
@simscognito Thank you! She will be the main character in the series, just not purple haired lol
A lot of the things you've described, I've seen other writers or just creators do a lot. Like going on haitus. Sharing my story with friends is actually something I haven't done yet, despite having an outline. I'll also be taking note of how simlit works, because this community sounds amazing. Thank you!
Hi everyone! I'm not much with words, but here goes.
My friend actually inspired me to wanna start writing . I love reading a lot, and more than that I love character development. Seeing others put in effort in their writing makes me happy and want to do the same
My issue is this; I lose inspiration quickly. I suddenly lose all interest in doing anything creative. This happens time and time again, and it really bothers me. I know I have the potential, I just lose all courage.
I was in the penpal discussion , was having fun. Some things came up and it killed all my inspiration. Same with a lot of other threads.
So I'm asking for advice on this: how do I maintain an interest long and strong enough ,for something as committing as writing a story?
Also, as I write, I become attached to certain aspects of the character or the story that I just don't wanna stop writing about it. If you find what draws you to your story, it could be the thing that makes you stick with it
That is super helpful ! I love creating characters, so maybe this will help me keep my story going. You are super helpful
@AkramA Thank you! I'll remember this to make sure my story is never to drawn out. It makes me happy to see that you also try to find inspiration in others as well.
@Jes2g Congratulations ! 17 months is a long time, but it makes me wonder if times flies by and you never noticed it. I like this bit you said right here
Hi everyone! I'm not much with words, but here goes.
My friend actually inspired me to wanna start writing . I love reading a lot, and more than that I love character development. Seeing others put in effort in their writing makes me happy and want to do the same
My issue is this; I lose inspiration quickly. I suddenly lose all interest in doing anything creative. This happens time and time again, and it really bothers me. I know I have the potential, I just lose all courage.
I was in the penpal discussion , was having fun. Some things came up and it killed all my inspiration. Same with a lot of other threads.
So I'm asking for advice on this: how do I maintain an interest long and strong enough ,for something as committing as writing a story?
But, at the same time, you can't force something that isn't there. So, sometimes taking a step back is a good thing if you're resting your brain or trying to work throw some problem in the story. And, real life happens! We should make time to write if we want to write, but sometimes we're simply not able to do it because more important things come up. Take care of those things, and then get back into step. You may have to make yourself do it, but make sure you do it.
(I'm writing all of these things in a word document so I do not forget to implement them). I will always remember this bit though, it's actually really good. I tend to shift all my focus into one thing, which never ends up good. Finding a balance between writing and real life, I will try my best to do this. Thank you
Hi everyone! I'm not much with words, but here goes.
My friend actually inspired me to wanna start writing . I love reading a lot, and more than that I love character development. Seeing others put in effort in their writing makes me happy and want to do the same
My issue is this; I lose inspiration quickly. I suddenly lose all interest in doing anything creative. This happens time and time again, and it really bothers me. I know I have the potential, I just lose all courage.
I was in the penpal discussion , was having fun. Some things came up and it killed all my inspiration. Same with a lot of other threads.
So I'm asking for advice on this: how do I maintain an interest long and strong enough ,for something as committing as writing a story?
@Kelebek Sometimes I hit writer's block and lose inspiration. I think it's totally ok to take some time off to get your head in the right space. I typically rotate through stories when I lose interest in one, but that's because I have too many stories. Haha. Sometimes it helps to outline or return to an outline. I ask myself what's not working and why? I use post it notes to create rabbit trails of thoughts (anything and everything) on the wall in my office. I keep a notebook on me in case I come across a quote, situation, scenario, individual, movie, book, image, etc that inspires me. I flip through it occasionally when I feel stuck. I have Pintetest boards for that too, including one with writing prompts. Also it helps me to set goals... write X amount Tuesday, post X times per week or every other week, etc. I also find playing the Sims for fun can take the pressure off and inspire me. I find my Sims do amazing things and remind me why I write. I hope this helps. Blessings with your writing.
No prob, @Kelebek! Glad my fragmented thoughts made sense lol. I'm like you in the way that I put all my focus into one thing. I'm very task-oriented, so yeah...balance is hard for me too. Honestly, I should probably spend less time writing, buuuuut I don't see myself doing anything about it anytime soon LOL. I'm also kind of stubborn!
No problem @Kelebek I'm glad I could help. @Jes2G yes, I totally get that. I don't mind you writing a lot. It means an extra dose of Jes2G's awesome writing! I'm serious, your writing's so entertaining and it's easy to read.
So what's your favorite way to describe your character?
@AkramA I'm going on the assumption you mean as in how we would describe who the character is (if I'm wrong feel free to correct me).
Most of my characters have very straightforward descriptions that their personality starts off from. It's usually from this that I build the character from and expand around.
Rylie's (Family Black) description was that she is a "headstrong fool". She's the kind of character that will go headfirst after what she wants but puts very little caution or planning into it preferring to figure it out as she goes.
Rosea (Family Black) I would describe as "lost between vampire and human" She's a vampire stuck between the conflict of what she is and what she wants, not quite sure of how to balance the two.
Kaiphus (Family Black) I would describe as "light-hearted darkness" He's generally upbeat and comedic but at the same time has a serious side and a dark past underneath. There's a bit more too him but I can't really explain it without going into spoilers.
Over with my other story (No Shame):
Marissa is "the wild girl who has settled down" She's the overly flirty type of character who has said I love you a few too many times and been in an obscene number of relationships but now has turned around and started a family.
Laila is a "shy rebel" She isn't the best at social situations and tends towards some social anxiety when with those she isn't familiar with but at the same time is trying to be a DJ putting herself out there in front of the crowd when all her instincts tell her to run.
Nixon is the "lovable dork" He's upbeat, cheerful, and full of terrible jokes. He's also willing to make a fool of himself and doesn't really worry about how people may react. Basically he just does his thing and has fun with it as ridiculous as it might make him look.
Last of all Sandy is the "background character" ( a play on the phrase background character and the phrase "what a character" referring to someone with a lot of personality) she has a somewhat bold personality and fashion sense but tends to prefer to stay behind the scenes and keep to herself. Not that the story is letting her. She's not really shy so much as she just prefers not to be in the spotlight.
No problem @Kelebek I'm glad I could help. @Jes2G yes, I totally get that. I don't mind you writing a lot. It means an extra dose of Jes2G's awesome writing! I'm serious, your writing's so entertaining and it's easy to read.
Ha ha! I figured you guys wouldn't mind my writing frenzies LOL. I appreciate it though. Glad you're entertained! I've got more Joneses and Pruetts scheduled for the next two weeks!
Hi everyone! I'm not much with words, but here goes.
My friend actually inspired me to wanna start writing . I love reading a lot, and more than that I love character development. Seeing others put in effort in their writing makes me happy and want to do the same
My issue is this; I lose inspiration quickly. I suddenly lose all interest in doing anything creative. This happens time and time again, and it really bothers me. I know I have the potential, I just lose all courage.
I was in the penpal discussion , was having fun. Some things came up and it killed all my inspiration. Same with a lot of other threads.
So I'm asking for advice on this: how do I maintain an interest long and strong enough ,for something as committing as writing a story?
@Kelebek Sometimes I hit writer's block and lose inspiration. I think it's totally ok to take some time off to get your head in the right space. I typically rotate through stories when I lose interest in one, but that's because I have too many stories. Haha. Sometimes it helps to outline or return to an outline. I ask myself what's not working and why? I use post it notes to create rabbit trails of thoughts (anything and everything) on the wall in my office. I keep a notebook on me in case I come across a quote, situation, scenario, individual, movie, book, image, etc that inspires me. I flip through it occasionally when I feel stuck. I have Pintetest boards for that too, including one with writing prompts. Also it helps me to set goals... write X amount Tuesday, post X times per week or every other week, etc. I also find playing the Sims for fun can take the pressure off and inspire me. I find my Sims do amazing things and remind me why I write. I hope this helps. Blessings with your writing.
@AdamsEve1231 Oooh! I love the pinterest idea! And the keeping notebook is a smart idea, it's good to keep an idea while it's fresh! Thank you !
I want to flesh out Alice's character a little. I have the vague feeling she might be a little too crazy-bear. I want her to be a Furry and have quite an infectious personality. She's also going to have a dark past which she struggles with. Anyone got any other ideas about what thoughts/expressions or other facets she might have as a Furry? Don't wish to be stereotyping here but I'd like to aim for my characters to be believable somewhat. Thanks in advance for your assistance xD
Hey everyone, I popped in to say hello and catch up, but catching up on 200+ messages is a bit exhausting.
I don’t have much to add to the discussions regarding forum inclusiveness or how to reclaim writing inspiration. Everyone here has already expressed my feelings.
I just want to send out s welcome to the newbies who’ve joined this week, I wish you luck in your reading and writing goals! And a thank you to the kind and honest people who are brave enough to speak their mind. Hugs and love for all!
Hey everyone, popping in to say that i am almost done with my chapter! I sort of stopped writing for a week or so because I actually got a ps4 for christmas and I've been playing Life is Strange xD.
I just finished taking all the screenshots for this chapter and I'm halfway done writing it.
I am starting to feel slightly overwhelmed with this story though. To all the simlit writers out there with large casts.....how do you make sure to give every character their fair share of the story?
I have 12 characters and I sometimes feel like I am only giving big storylines to 3-4 characters. What should I do?
Hi @Karilan ! How's your week been?
Coming to join in welcoming the newbies too!
Hi @simscognito ! Nice new av!
Last week was pretty good, but I came down with the flu and a sinus infection over the weekend so I'm home sick for a few days.
My fiance is keeping me well fed and taken care of while I lounge on the couch watching netflix or binge reading simlit.
Comments
Mary invites the neighbor ladies for breakfast and afternoon fun. What will they get up to? Enjoy.
http://www.jes2gstories.com/joneses-15-5-the-ladies-of-courtyard-lane/
That is an excellent and very real question! I like what @chalicen had to say, and I will say something similar.
I used to have this problem, and I still do to a certain extent. I am very proud to say that I have finished a legacy! It took me 17 months (and 5 days
I find that I lose interest when either a story is going in the wrong direction (whether I know it or not) and/or I don't know the characters well. Nothing will tank my creativity more than a dull character I don't know. Some of my stories went on many hiatuses because of this. So, my first piece of advice would be this. Write a story that is entertaining to you. If you're not having fun with it, the readers won't enjoy it. If it doesn't make you laugh, the readers won't laugh. True, you always want to keep the readers in mind, obviously, because you want people to read your stuff, but I don't recommend catering/tailoring your story to fit whatever you think will make it popular or whatever. A good way to do this is to imagine that your readers are just like you, so you use your own preferences to write something awesome. Eventually, you'll attract people with similar tastes.
Another piece of advice would be the character development you mentioned. You should know your characters very well. You may not know everything about them because they tend to reveal more about themselves as you write, but you should have a good sense of who they are so when surprising things come up when you write, you don't get stuck. I tend to think of my characters like friends, and writing feels like hanging out with them, and usually we like to maintain our friendships. That's another way to maintain interest. That and writing storylines that excite you.
But, at the same time, you can't force something that isn't there. So, sometimes taking a step back is a good thing if you're resting your brain or trying to work throw some problem in the story. And, real life happens! We should make time to write if we want to write, but sometimes we're simply not able to do it because more important things come up. Take care of those things, and then get back into step. You may have to make yourself do it, but make sure you do it.
I got interrupted while writing this and completely lost my train of thought. Not sure if I said what I wanted, but hopefully it makes sense lol.
I don't think I have one way that I describe all my characters. All my characters are different and have various attributes about them that stand out. Some characters have striking eyes that I constantly point out. Others have little quirks they are known for. One of my male characters wears a certain scent that his girlfriend describes. So, I suppose I like describing things that you can't really see that make them real?
Thanks for writing this, @CitizenErased14. Lately I've been avoiding the Lounge as everything moves so quickly and then it's discouraging to try and catch up. I haven't felt like I can contribute much because I can't always relate to what's said since it's person specific. I think there were guidelines at one point but the Lounge has drifted away from that. And I've felt a bit ignored as of late when I post here. You're not alone in feeling this way. I wasn't sure how to speak up or if I even should. I appreciate when people ask questions (or I have questions) so I feel like I have something of value to add. I'm not sure I do otherwise.
Find me elsewhere:
My EA App ID: livinasimminlife
Livin' A Simmin' Life Stories
My Worldbuilding Blog
Simblr
My Sims Pinterest
@simscognito Thank you! She will be the main character in the series, just not purple haired lol
A lot of the things you've described, I've seen other writers or just creators do a lot. Like going on haitus. Sharing my story with friends is actually something I haven't done yet, despite having an outline. I'll also be taking note of how simlit works, because this community sounds amazing. Thank you!
@chalicen
That is super helpful ! I love creating characters, so maybe this will help me keep my story going. You are super helpful
@AkramA Thank you! I'll remember this to make sure my story is never to drawn out. It makes me happy to see that you also try to find inspiration in others as well.
@Jes2g Congratulations ! 17 months is a long time, but it makes me wonder if times flies by and you never noticed it. I like this bit you said right here
(I'm writing all of these things in a word document so I do not forget to implement them). I will always remember this bit though, it's actually really good. I tend to shift all my focus into one thing, which never ends up good. Finding a balance between writing and real life, I will try my best to do this. Thank you
Once again, thank you guys!
@Kelebek Sometimes I hit writer's block and lose inspiration. I think it's totally ok to take some time off to get your head in the right space. I typically rotate through stories when I lose interest in one, but that's because I have too many stories. Haha. Sometimes it helps to outline or return to an outline. I ask myself what's not working and why? I use post it notes to create rabbit trails of thoughts (anything and everything) on the wall in my office. I keep a notebook on me in case I come across a quote, situation, scenario, individual, movie, book, image, etc that inspires me. I flip through it occasionally when I feel stuck. I have Pintetest boards for that too, including one with writing prompts. Also it helps me to set goals... write X amount Tuesday, post X times per week or every other week, etc. I also find playing the Sims for fun can take the pressure off and inspire me. I find my Sims do amazing things and remind me why I write. I hope this helps. Blessings with your writing.
Find me elsewhere:
My EA App ID: livinasimminlife
Livin' A Simmin' Life Stories
My Worldbuilding Blog
Simblr
My Sims Pinterest
@AkramA "spitball of fire" for Rachel from Colt Family Traitacy.
"Soul sister wrapped in an enigma" for Kassiopeia.
Find me elsewhere:
My EA App ID: livinasimminlife
Livin' A Simmin' Life Stories
My Worldbuilding Blog
Simblr
My Sims Pinterest
@Jes2G yes, I totally get that.
@AkramA I'm going on the assumption you mean as in how we would describe who the character is (if I'm wrong feel free to correct me).
Most of my characters have very straightforward descriptions that their personality starts off from. It's usually from this that I build the character from and expand around.
Rylie's (Family Black) description was that she is a "headstrong fool". She's the kind of character that will go headfirst after what she wants but puts very little caution or planning into it preferring to figure it out as she goes.
Rosea (Family Black) I would describe as "lost between vampire and human" She's a vampire stuck between the conflict of what she is and what she wants, not quite sure of how to balance the two.
Kaiphus (Family Black) I would describe as "light-hearted darkness" He's generally upbeat and comedic but at the same time has a serious side and a dark past underneath. There's a bit more too him but I can't really explain it without going into spoilers.
Over with my other story (No Shame):
Marissa is "the wild girl who has settled down" She's the overly flirty type of character who has said I love you a few too many times and been in an obscene number of relationships but now has turned around and started a family.
Laila is a "shy rebel" She isn't the best at social situations and tends towards some social anxiety when with those she isn't familiar with but at the same time is trying to be a DJ putting herself out there in front of the crowd when all her instincts tell her to run.
Nixon is the "lovable dork" He's upbeat, cheerful, and full of terrible jokes. He's also willing to make a fool of himself and doesn't really worry about how people may react. Basically he just does his thing and has fun with it as ridiculous as it might make him look.
Last of all Sandy is the "background character" ( a play on the phrase background character and the phrase "what a character" referring to someone with a lot of personality) she has a somewhat bold personality and fashion sense but tends to prefer to stay behind the scenes and keep to herself. Not that the story is letting her. She's not really shy so much as she just prefers not to be in the spotlight.
Ha ha! I figured you guys wouldn't mind my writing frenzies LOL. I appreciate it though. Glad you're entertained! I've got more Joneses and Pruetts scheduled for the next two weeks!
remind me later to get you to describe kass. i'm curious but i don't want to alienate everyone
I'd be happy to answer questions about Kass, @friendsfan367. I could talk about her all day. We could do it over in one of the reading circles.
Find me elsewhere:
My EA App ID: livinasimminlife
Livin' A Simmin' Life Stories
My Worldbuilding Blog
Simblr
My Sims Pinterest
@AdamsEve1231 Oooh! I love the pinterest idea! And the keeping notebook is a smart idea, it's good to keep an idea while it's fresh! Thank you !
i describe ayden the same way i describe jes. troublemaker.
before he came along i just wrote posts now they actually tell a story because he pushes no forces me in to the unknown.
I don’t have much to add to the discussions regarding forum inclusiveness or how to reclaim writing inspiration. Everyone here has already expressed my feelings.
I just want to send out s welcome to the newbies who’ve joined this week, I wish you luck in your reading and writing goals! And a thank you to the kind and honest people who are brave enough to speak their mind. Hugs and love for all!
My hubby causes chaos in How To Live With Grace - - Pine Point tells Miranda Cole's survival tale - - Criminals build legacies in Glassbolt Prison
Coming to join in welcoming the newbies too!
I just finished taking all the screenshots for this chapter and I'm halfway done writing it.
I am starting to feel slightly overwhelmed with this story though. To all the simlit writers out there with large casts.....how do you make sure to give every character their fair share of the story?
I have 12 characters and I sometimes feel like I am only giving big storylines to 3-4 characters. What should I do?
Hi @simscognito ! Nice new av!
Last week was pretty good, but I came down with the flu and a sinus infection over the weekend so I'm home sick for a few days.
My fiance is keeping me well fed and taken care of while I lounge on the couch watching netflix or binge reading simlit.
How's your week treating you so far?
My hubby causes chaos in How To Live With Grace - - Pine Point tells Miranda Cole's survival tale - - Criminals build legacies in Glassbolt Prison
Blog Post: Good News, Bad News