Writing advice

I'm writing this thread because I'm stuck at the beginning of a short story.

I would like to know if the writers on this forum have the same problem. It seems to me that the most difficult part of writing a story is the beginning and ending of the story. Does everyone suffer from this problem?

I've begun to think that a story has a "mind" or a "life"of its own, in the sense that if the story doesn't start off properly then it refuses to evolve or come to life. I feel it is frustrating (especially when I find the story plot interesting) but I have noticed that in the two previous stories I wrote I had a similar problem. Does everyone feel this way?

Sorry about my ranting but I need to know if I am the only one in this situation or if it is a common phenomena.
 
There are writers that prefer not to write the beginning or the end until the middle is completed.

while writing the middle take notes for what is good for the beginning and what needs to appear in the end.
 
I'm writing this thread because I'm stuck at the beginning of a short story.

I would like to know if the writers on this forum have the same problem. It seems to me that the most difficult part of writing a story is the beginning and ending of the story. Does everyone suffer from this problem?

I've begun to think that a story has a "mind" or a "life"of its own, in the sense that if the story doesn't start off properly then it refuses to evolve or come to life. I feel it is frustrating (especially when I find the story plot interesting) but I have noticed that in the two previous stories I wrote I had a similar problem. Does everyone feel this way?

Sorry about my ranting but I need to know if I am the only one in this situation or if it is a common phenomena.

You're not the only one; I've had times where I'll start writing a story only to scrap it and start anew each time until I feel the story's going in the right direction. It helps if your story's part of a series; it gives you a frame to work with when you're writing. It also helps to do lots of background before writing so that, as you're going along, you'll be able to anticipate a character's actions/thoughts as your writing.

There are writers that prefer not to write the beginning or the end until the middle is completed.

while writing the middle take notes for what is good for the beginning and what needs to appear in the end.

Skwirl's right; it just depends on the writer. I remember when I wrote my first short-story("Staring Down The Whisper", a Nitrous Racing*-inspired fan-fic story) I took a page from the movie The Usual Suspects and started the story from towards the end rather than the beginning.
*--the Nitrous Racing reference is to a Facebook application
 
Thanks for the advice, I feel better knowing I'm not the only one in this situation.

Oddly enough the story is the third story in a series I'm writing, if anyone wants to check out the first story you are welcome to have a look at Ulex Major.

I've been researching writer's block on the net and I think that the probable reason why I haven't been able to get past the third paragraph is probably because I'm a little stressed at work at the moment and from what I understand that can lead to a writer's block. However there is light at the end of the tunnel and hopefully get past it soon enough.

Once again thanks for the advice.

Wolfrunner
 
Dude,

I've just completed a short novel about 200 pages long. :D

Still have yet to find an agent to represent it. :mad:

It seems as though the fiction market is pretty tight.

However, what I can suggest to you is tell you what works for me, even though it might not work for you, maybe it'll give you some new ideas...

What I do is write whatever it is that makes me get off my lazy ass and start pounding the keyboard like a madman hell bent on getting out whatever it is that needs to get out.

I don't create because I want to...

I create because I have to...

Hope this helps :smiley:

L8r
 
I found Nanowrimo to be very helpful. (National Novel Writing Moth). They have a website and everything (http://www.nanowrimo.org/). I know you're working on a short story, but I used it to write a few short stories and get ahead on my novel. I found that the pressure of having to write 1500 words every day, regardless of what those words were, helped me to move forward, even when I was stuck. I also found that sometimes skipping the parts that I couldn't quite get right helped a lot.
 
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