She said it best when she said "Push forward." That's exactly what I did, and my story has a crew of regular commenters that make my day every time they stop by.
I wish you nothing but the best, and if you ever need help I'm more then willing.
I agree with you there... My commenters are the greatest motivation ever.
I would also like to add that I am always willing to read most anything, aside from writing, Reading is my second favorite hobby.
Ok, I struggle with writing conversations. It's not real to me, I guess, if it isn't happening in front of me. How do you all go about making a conversation up? Do you have a website you go to for ideas or advice? Just curious.
Ok, I struggle with writing conversations. It's not real to me, I guess, if it isn't happening in front of me. How do you all go about making a conversation up? Do you have a website you go to for ideas or advice? Just curious.
Writing conversations is actually my strong point in writing, but i totally get what you mean about it "not being real" - it can be difficult to imagine is especially when you haven't really established personalities yet.
It's kinds of hard to explain what I do to be honest, it's just something that comes kind of naturally, but i guess there are things you can do to help. I always imagine that my character has their own voice, like, you need to be able to almost hear in it your own mind, and give them a specific accent. I find that helps a lot, or even imagine the way that you speak, or somebody that you know speaks. Think about the way that people pause every now and again or emphasize certain words. Maybe even give the character a phrase that they keep saying?
I'm not sure if this is helping you - I'll attach a conversation from one of my stories and maybe it will help you out?
“Let’s drink” Nash suggested as soon as he shut the front door behind Jolene “You like Manhattans, right?”
Jolene stuck a finger down her throat and made a retching noise. “Never again!” Nash laughed and pulled open the fridge “I was kidding. Plus, I’m not like Caroline; unfortunately I have no idea how to make cocktails. Call myself a Vegas guy, right?”
“You’re from Michigan” Jolene reminded him, reaching out her hand to catch the bottle of beer that he flung towards her.
“Right. And in Michigan we just drink beer. None of that fancy 🐸🐸🐸🐸” he plopped down onto the floor in front of the couch and beckoned for Jolene to join him. She sunk to the floor and fiddled with the cap of her bottle.
“It’s not a twist off, sunshine” Nash told her “Open it like this, look” he prized the cap off his own bottle with a tool attached to a key ring and it flew across the living room where it spun for a few moments and then settled. He passed the keys to Jolene. “It really amazes me” he said “that you don’t know so many things”
Or
“I just came over to check that you’re okay” she said truthfully “How have you been since you got axed from the show?”
“Huh?” he said dimly, and attempted to fix her with a stare, but his gaze fell to the space about six inches to the left of her head. She sighed deeply and flopped down next to him on the sofa. “Oh Tristan, you’re not stoned are you? What have you had?”
“Um” he said intelligently “Not much. Amyl Nitrate, some Valium, a snort or two. Or three” He plucked a half smoked joint from a b*tt-congested pizza box and with a trembling hand, relit it and took a long puff.
“Tristan… I know it’s been a hard couple of months for you but this isn’t going to make it any better! Have you considered one of those detox programme things?” He didn’t reply, but bared his teeth and inserted a finger into his mouth “Hey, are my gums bleeding?”
“No” Clara said, her irritation rising like a thermometer. Why couldn’t he just like, turn around and talk to her? “Speaking of, how’s your nose been? Burned out the membranes yet?” He shrugged and pointed to a small pile of wadded up tissue paper that was speckled with blood and shoved inside a soda cup.
“Tristan this is getting serious, I think you’re addicted…”
“I’m not. I can quit anytime I want” he assured her.
Hi guys,
I'm really new to the whole legacy thing, and would like some tips and feedback. I've written stories before, but they haven't gotten anywhere, and they were a while ago.
Any help would be greatly appreciated, I'm kinda desperate right now. I don't want to ruin it, or something.
Hi guys,
I'm really new to the whole legacy thing, and would like some tips and feedback. I've written stories before, but they haven't gotten anywhere, and they were a while ago.
Any help would be greatly appreciated, I'm kinda desperate right now. I don't want to ruin it, or something.
@Lovestorms: Yum! I'm so hungry but sooooo lazy right now. I want some cake!
@CraigyBoy: Hey there! I stopped over to read your story! Your off to a great start! Enjoying it so far. Hannah gave you some great tips, honestly I couldn't add a thing too it to help you She's awesome.
@Serindeppity: Man, 4 stories. I can hardly keep one updated on a weekly basis with work and everything else in my life. Haha. Im such a huge fan of your stories though. I've been a reader for awhile now.
How is everyone doing? I've been working on the finale chapter for my legacy, and it's shaping up right now to be quite lengthy and might actually take me a couple weeks to actually complete it so I'm actually satisfied with it. I hope everyone's stories are going well!
@Amandralynn
Thanks, everyone's tips have helped a lot. Happy to know I actually have people reading. Usually when I write a story I get like one or two odd comments, no followers and just no response. Without feedback I don't know how to improve! Glad I'm finally getting noticed, and getting helpful tips from everyone.
Has anyone got Roaring Heights? If that's what it's called.. The store town that has the roller coasters and stuff. I just bought the boardwalk (which comes with roller coasters and stuff) because I just love making roller coasters (I think my obsession came from Roller coaster Tycoon, heh).
Has anyone used it? I know it's old, but I'm kinda behind on everything. I never even knew I had simpoints left over until tonight. I'm thinking of sending Tessa there on a date later on in her generation, with a special somebody
I love dialogue. I can't write action to save my life (probably because I'm a lazy...ANYWHO)
are we sharing dialogue? Let's see if I can get some different ones:
As she got closer to the garden, she heard someone – presumably the gardener – mumbling. As she rounded the stone arch entrance to the orchard where she last saw the man, she asked, “Are you talking to my tree?”
The man looked up at her and smiled, “Yeah, trees are living things, and all things like to be acknowledged every once and a while, right?”
The man held out his hand, “Good morning, I’m Antonio. You called for a gardener yesterday and so, here I am. You are Ms. Shelby, right?”
Aaliyah just smiled and stared. Wow. This man was, hmmm. Wow. Now, she was not the type to swoon and she definitely believed in, I AM WOMAN. HEAR ME ROAR. But this man was beautiful.
“Umm, hello, are you okay?” Antonio waved his hand in front of her face.
“What? Oh, yeah. I’m okay. The, uh, sun was in my, uh, eye and I, er-,” Aaliyah had no idea what she was saying.
Antonio laughed, “It’s alright. Happens to me all the time.”
Aaliyah blushed furiously and muttered something that sounded like “cops” and “useless dog” and went back into the house.
And
By this time, Andrei had changed back to his human form as well. Technically he shouldn’t have even changed without her permission, but he had a feeling she would want answers. “Ariany—”
“Don’t!” She turned to face him, furious. “How dare you come into my territory without warning or my express permission!”
Ariany marched up to him, forcing him to look directly at her. Perhaps it was because he’d grown up with humans, but he was so tired of the posturing of werewolves. He didn’t care what the rules were. “I want Cinder,” he said simply.
She stared at him in amazement. After a moment she backed away and laughed, “And I’m just supposed to hand her over, is that it?”
“She is mine! She doesn’t belong here –”
“She belongs here more than she ever will with you. What is she to do when the Change occurs? Hide in the woods until the moon sets – like you do?”
He glanced at her sharply and rose to his full height. He was done with the niceties. “Will you give her to me freely or will I have to take her?”
She turned away from him, walking a few paces before she said, “You know I cannot force someone out of the pack against their will unless it is to exile them. Is that what you want for her? Never allowed among her people again, living a lie just so she can die as a human? Never to mate, never to bear children, never to have her own pack? How well did that work out for your family?” She taunted him, knowing that he hated hearing about his family’s past.
And not to sound like a creepy/loner/fiction writer but I literally hear them speaking in my head. Like, I will be on the train, listening to Florence + the Machine and my characters will just start speaking to each other. And I freak out, yelling for them to just pause for a second so I can get my phone out and document what they are saying. (I could probably get committed with that statement...but whatevs!)
And not to sound like a creepy/loner/fiction writer but I literally hear them speaking in my head. Like, I will be on the train, listening to Florence + the Machine and my characters will just start speaking to each other. And I freak out, yelling for them to just pause for a second so I can get my phone out and document what they are saying. (I could probably get committed with that statement...but whatevs!)
Oh my god, this is exactly what happens to me! I get this really strange sense of comfort or something from coming up with dialogue, like i'm just sailing along the street on my bike or something and i'm just thinking about what the characters might say to each other in a giver situation. So good to know this is actually a thing that other writers do too.. i don't feel like such a weirdo now!
And not to sound like a creepy/loner/fiction writer but I literally hear them speaking in my head. Like, I will be on the train, listening to Florence + the Machine and my characters will just start speaking to each other. And I freak out, yelling for them to just pause for a second so I can get my phone out and document what they are saying. (I could probably get committed with that statement...but whatevs!)
Oh my god, this is exactly what happens to me! I get this really strange sense of comfort or something from coming up with dialogue, like i'm just sailing along the street on my bike or something and i'm just thinking about what the characters might say to each other in a giver situation. So good to know this is actually a thing that other writers do too.. i don't feel like such a weirdo now!
hahaha I'm glad I could help.
I've decided that that's just the way I am...oh wells!
And not to sound like a creepy/loner/fiction writer but I literally hear them speaking in my head. Like, I will be on the train, listening to Florence + the Machine and my characters will just start speaking to each other. And I freak out, yelling for them to just pause for a second so I can get my phone out and document what they are saying. (I could probably get committed with that statement...but whatevs!)
Oh my god, this is exactly what happens to me! I get this really strange sense of comfort or something from coming up with dialogue, like i'm just sailing along the street on my bike or something and i'm just thinking about what the characters might say to each other in a giver situation. So good to know this is actually a thing that other writers do too.. i don't feel like such a weirdo now!
hahaha I'm glad I could help.
I've decided that that's just the way I am...oh wells!
My characters talk in my head ALL the time, they are constantly telling me things and directions to go. Like the other day Zaid told me "by the way I want to do martial arts" clear as day.
My stories are more shaped and changed from my characters than they are from me.
Actually, that helps me a lot, kind of. I mean, I haven't been committed yet since I don't have voices in my head. Hehe!
However, as I'm going through my pictures and getting ready to write my chapters, I'll try to remember to keep them in my head throughout the day or while I'm writing. It's tough because I don't write the story, they do, kind of. I know, maybe I should be committed. Thanks so much, everyone!!
@ CraigBoy2 - Oooh, love me some Roller Coaster Tycoon!! I still play it sometimes! Currently, my wishacy is based in Roaring Heights. You will see tons of pictures of that beautiful city in my chapters on my blog. The people can be quite the characters and I may have added a few of my own plus touched up a few of the weird looking ones. I think the hardest part of the city is everyone wears the outfits that came with the city. So, it looks awesome if you like the 20's/30's clothes, but I'm also trying to base my couple in real time, too. So, I have changed some of the outfits. Some I've kept, though.
@lovesstorms
Roller Coaster Tycoon was the best! Yeah, I still play it too, when I get bored. It's actually such an amazing game :-)
I forgot that your wishacy was in Roaring Heights, it looks so nice. I wanted to get the city too, but it's way too expensive for me at the moment (I'm proper skint )
Plus, I don't think I'd be able to cope with all the old style clothes when I'm trying to make it modern.
@Blythe and Hannah: I thought I was the only crazy one out there who hears her characters voices in her head. Phew, I feel a TON better now.
@Lovestorms and Craigyboy: Ahhh Roller Coaster Tycoon. I used to love that game. There are so many of those "Tycoon games." I think I played all of them, until the sims came along...The sims 3 now pretty much sucks up most of my time.
@Amandralynn
Haha I played a lot of them too, they were awesome. Me and my friend Helena just became addicted to sims and left them behind. Now that we're older, we don't tell anyone we play it. Helena's showed someone her simblr and they literally laughed at her and called her lame
@Blythe and Hannah: I thought I was the only crazy one out there who hears her characters voices in her head. Phew, I feel a TON better now.
I'm like that with my other legacy, but I feel more at ease writing that out in journals then posting... It might be because I have not found that STRONG connection to my Ravenwoods yet, but it's getting there. I know I have a connection to one of April's children right now, so either they need to win the heir vote or I need to try and connect to the other children.
I'm like that with my other legacy, but I feel more at ease writing that out in journals then posting... It might be because I have not found that STRONG connection to my Ravenwoods yet, but it's getting there. I know I have a connection to one of April's children right now, so either they need to win the heir vote or I need to try and connect to the other children.
Yeah there are some who don't speak to me as clearly as others. It took me a little while to 'hear' Luna, she never really spoke to me a whole lot in my head. Rosie Wing never spoke to me at all x_x I think that's one reason the Wing legacy failed me so completely. ._.
Glad it's getting there for you I've always found it so nice when characters can guide me. Though it can be annoying when you have plots planned and they just tear those up and go in different directions!
Hiii I seriously love this thread. I've been sort of quietly following this thread (sorry that sounds kinda stalkerish) and people's stories for a while now in the hopes of starting my own (which I'm actually working on and want to get uploaded really soon). This thread has actually helped me so much and if I never found it I don't think I would have ever started writing.
Anyway, I do have a question for you all - how on earth do you write romance? Like seriously, I've been writing a few chapters and I'm up to the point in my story that some romance is coming in and I just feel so uncertain about what to do. I get worried that what I'm writing is too cheesy or too unrealistic but at the same time I want to get emotion in there and I'm struggling with finding that perfect balance. How do you guys do it?!
Hi lotstar, I'm in literally the same boat! It's pretty scary starting out. I just suddenly found a story I'm excited about and it started to flow hit I'm constantly comparing myself to the other great stories I read.
It's tricky because reading other peoples is great to help improve the way you write (I suck at dialogue and I need to work on my screen grabs) but also I'm trying to keep my idea solid and not accidentally copy someone!
I look forward to reading yours.
hi to everyone else!, I'm loving your stories... Even if they do make me nervous about mine!
You'd think that working in books for a living I'd be more confident - I think it makes it worse though
Glad it's getting there for you I've always found it so nice when characters can guide me. Though it can be annoying when you have plots planned and they just tear those up and go in different directions!
^ this. OMG this!!!
happened with Rae. She just did not like her storyline (which I admit I cut short very early on). So I changed it. THEN, not only does she stop speaking to me for EVER, well a really long time, but when she came back, she just hated everything.
It took me forever to write her dang story and I was so glad when it was over!
Hi lotstar, I'm in literally the same boat! It's pretty scary starting out. I just suddenly found a story I'm excited about and it started to flow hit I'm constantly comparing myself to the other great stories I read.
Don't do this. It's toxic to your creativity. Some stories just blow mine out of the water but I remind myself that I'm writing first for ME and then for others.
@lotstar2703 I'm a romance junkie and I tend to lean towards romance in my story, it comes pretty easy to me. But there are levels. I've read stories where people go into detail and some people just tell you, x met y, they went to dinner and started to kiss. And the next morning x woke up next to y. It's all about what you feel comfortable with and what makes sense to your story. If it flows then you did it right. Don't try too hard to put romance in if you're not comfortable with it.
Also, I get my 18 yo sister and my 21 yo cousin to read my romance section. They both like different genres so it gives me a clear idea of what is too much and what sounds terrible and what should stay. Do you have someone like that?
Comments
I agree with you there... My commenters are the greatest motivation ever.
I would also like to add that I am always willing to read most anything, aside from writing, Reading is my second favorite hobby.
:::::munches on a mexican wedding cake:::::
Ok, I struggle with writing conversations. It's not real to me, I guess, if it isn't happening in front of me. How do you all go about making a conversation up? Do you have a website you go to for ideas or advice? Just curious.
Seeking a Cure for PSC
From Lifehack.org - 20 Things About Highly Creative People
Simblr
Danevbie Legacy 8.24
Writing conversations is actually my strong point in writing, but i totally get what you mean about it "not being real" - it can be difficult to imagine is especially when you haven't really established personalities yet.
It's kinds of hard to explain what I do to be honest, it's just something that comes kind of naturally, but i guess there are things you can do to help. I always imagine that my character has their own voice, like, you need to be able to almost hear in it your own mind, and give them a specific accent. I find that helps a lot, or even imagine the way that you speak, or somebody that you know speaks. Think about the way that people pause every now and again or emphasize certain words. Maybe even give the character a phrase that they keep saying?
I'm not sure if this is helping you - I'll attach a conversation from one of my stories and maybe it will help you out?
Or
Heyy! I'm great, how are you doing?
Hehe pretty good I guess, thanks
Danevbie Legacy 8.24
Oh wow I can imagine! you must be so busy - i really don't know how you do it, I can barely manage one!
I'm really new to the whole legacy thing, and would like some tips and feedback. I've written stories before, but they haven't gotten anywhere, and they were a while ago.
Any help would be greatly appreciated, I'm kinda desperate right now. I don't want to ruin it, or something.
Thanks,
The King Legacy
well...that link only leads to a picture
The proper link is - The King Legacy
@CraigyBoy: Hey there! I stopped over to read your story! Your off to a great start! Enjoying it so far. Hannah gave you some great tips, honestly I couldn't add a thing too it to help you
@Serindeppity: Man, 4 stories. I can hardly keep one updated on a weekly basis with work and everything else in my life. Haha. Im such a huge fan of your stories though. I've been a reader for awhile now.
How is everyone doing? I've been working on the finale chapter for my legacy, and it's shaping up right now to be quite lengthy and might actually take me a couple weeks to actually complete it so I'm actually satisfied with it.
Thanks, everyone's tips have helped a lot. Happy to know I actually have people reading. Usually when I write a story I get like one or two odd comments, no followers and just no response. Without feedback I don't know how to improve! Glad I'm finally getting noticed, and getting helpful tips from everyone.
Has anyone got Roaring Heights? If that's what it's called.. The store town that has the roller coasters and stuff. I just bought the boardwalk (which comes with roller coasters and stuff) because I just love making roller coasters (I think my obsession came from Roller coaster Tycoon, heh).
Has anyone used it? I know it's old, but I'm kinda behind on everything. I never even knew I had simpoints left over until tonight. I'm thinking of sending Tessa there on a date later on in her generation, with a special somebody
are we sharing dialogue? Let's see if I can get some different ones:
And
And not to sound like a creepy/loner/fiction writer but I literally hear them speaking in my head. Like, I will be on the train, listening to Florence + the Machine and my characters will just start speaking to each other. And I freak out, yelling for them to just pause for a second so I can get my phone out and document what they are saying. (I could probably get committed with that statement...but whatevs!)
Oh my god, this is exactly what happens to me! I get this really strange sense of comfort or something from coming up with dialogue, like i'm just sailing along the street on my bike or something and i'm just thinking about what the characters might say to each other in a giver situation. So good to know this is actually a thing that other writers do too.. i don't feel like such a weirdo now!
hahaha I'm glad I could help.
I've decided that that's just the way I am...oh wells!
My stories are more shaped and changed from my characters than they are from me.
Danevbie Legacy 8.24
However, as I'm going through my pictures and getting ready to write my chapters, I'll try to remember to keep them in my head throughout the day or while I'm writing. It's tough because I don't write the story, they do, kind of. I know, maybe I should be committed. Thanks so much, everyone!!
@ CraigBoy2 - Oooh, love me some Roller Coaster Tycoon!! I still play it sometimes!
Seeking a Cure for PSC
From Lifehack.org - 20 Things About Highly Creative People
Simblr
Roller Coaster Tycoon was the best! Yeah, I still play it too, when I get bored. It's actually such an amazing game :-)
I forgot that your wishacy was in Roaring Heights, it looks so nice. I wanted to get the city too, but it's way too expensive for me at the moment (I'm proper skint
Plus, I don't think I'd be able to cope with all the old style clothes when I'm trying to make it modern.
@Lovestorms and Craigyboy: Ahhh Roller Coaster Tycoon. I used to love that game. There are so many of those "Tycoon games." I think I played all of them, until the sims came along...The sims 3 now pretty much sucks up most of my time.
Haha
I'm like that with my other legacy, but I feel more at ease writing that out in journals then posting... It might be because I have not found that STRONG connection to my Ravenwoods yet, but it's getting there. I know I have a connection to one of April's children right now, so either they need to win the heir vote or I need to try and connect to the other children.
Yeah there are some who don't speak to me as clearly as others. It took me a little while to 'hear' Luna, she never really spoke to me a whole lot in my head. Rosie Wing never spoke to me at all x_x I think that's one reason the Wing legacy failed me so completely. ._.
Glad it's getting there for you
Danevbie Legacy 8.24
Anyway, I do have a question for you all - how on earth do you write romance? Like seriously, I've been writing a few chapters and I'm up to the point in my story that some romance is coming in and I just feel so uncertain about what to do. I get worried that what I'm writing is too cheesy or too unrealistic but at the same time I want to get emotion in there and I'm struggling with finding that perfect balance. How do you guys do it?!
It's tricky because reading other peoples is great to help improve the way you write (I suck at dialogue and I need to work on my screen grabs) but also I'm trying to keep my idea solid and not accidentally copy someone!
I look forward to reading yours.
hi to everyone else!, I'm loving your stories... Even if they do make me nervous about mine!
You'd think that working in books for a living I'd be more confident - I think it makes it worse though
Rose X
^ this. OMG this!!!
happened with Rae. She just did not like her storyline (which I admit I cut short very early on). So I changed it. THEN, not only does she stop speaking to me for EVER, well a really long time, but when she came back, she just hated everything.
It took me forever to write her dang story and I was so glad when it was over!
Don't do this. It's toxic to your creativity. Some stories just blow mine out of the water but I remind myself that I'm writing first for ME and then for others.
@lotstar2703 I'm a romance junkie and I tend to lean towards romance in my story, it comes pretty easy to me. But there are levels. I've read stories where people go into detail and some people just tell you, x met y, they went to dinner and started to kiss. And the next morning x woke up next to y. It's all about what you feel comfortable with and what makes sense to your story. If it flows then you did it right. Don't try too hard to put romance in if you're not comfortable with it.
Also, I get my 18 yo sister and my 21 yo cousin to read my romance section. They both like different genres so it gives me a clear idea of what is too much and what sounds terrible and what should stay. Do you have someone like that?