Question: I'm writing a book!.!?
It is very easy for me to be descriptive but I have a very hard time thinking of plotlines!. Right now I have a main character who is engaged!. Her family is well off, his is not!. They have been trying to have a baby but are having trouble doing so!. They are thinking of adopting!. In high school her uncle was the principle!. After getting into some trouble she gets no punishment due to her familys community status!. Her uncle however tries to take advantage of her during this time in her life and later on she finds it difficult to trust men!.
I can't think of any major trials, or any major story lines!. Can i get some help from you guys!.
Please respond only if you actually have a storyline! Don't tell me to think harder or to get out and experience life!. I have!. Sometimes ideas are just hard to come up with!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Obviously the plots depend on what genre and age level you are writing for:
* Could she have her uncle's baby, thus "solving" (not at all solving) the baby problem!?
* Does her fiance's wrong-side-of-the-tracks family know about her uncle's abuse!?
* Does that same family know about her past troubles that she didn't get punished for (and her uncle's cover-up of her actions)!?
Just a few very, very obvious plot lines you could go with!. You actually _have_ them in your description; they're not something I created or came up with originally!. You just need to learn to find them!Www@QuestionHome@Com
You say you are writing a book!. It looks to me as if you are trying to form a plot at this time!. Why not sit down and get on writing!. From a small opening, you will be surprised how your story will develop and how you can be drawn into situations and ideas that you just did not see when you started!.
Good LuckWww@QuestionHome@Com
I know you said not to respond like this, but writing a book means nothing if it's not your own plot!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Well, if you're writing a book, giving you a direct plotline (especially if you have any hopes of publishing this book) is a big no no!. This could face lawsuits regarding copywrites!.
However, a good idea is to start with a question!. If she's thinking of adopting, what kind of research is she going to do!? From that question, another one can be drawn and another and so forth!. For example, What kind of problems is she going to face with the adoption!? Will they be legal problems or moral problems!? Will her family agree with her decision or disagree!? Why or why not!? Will her friends agree or disagree, why or why not!? Will her family or friends stick by her if they disagree!? Will they give alternate solutions!? Will she adopt a child from her home country or another country!? How old will the child be!? What kind of home life does the child have previously!? Is this going to become a new happy family or will there be problems!? What kind of problems will there be!? If the child is young (three or younger perhaps) will your character tell the child he or she is adopted!? When!? How!?
Just start answering these questions and a plot line will make itself known!. You dont have to think harder, you just have to imagine multiple different possibilities!. Eventually you'll find one you like and keep going from there!.
also, to help fight writers block, dont write until you run out of ideas!. Always leave a few more to sleep on and hope they multiply in your dreams!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
The thing I find--as a veteran of this sort of paradox--is that I don't *worry* about all the major points or plot elements!.
I just write what is immediately a *part* of the most understood aspect of the story and let the rest fall into place--as time goes on!.
Something is bound to pop up--which will most undoubtedly take you by complete surprise!.
It always has with me!. As a result!? My storyline takes on a whole new dimension and I'm sitting there hashing out new subplots and scenes--giving the book and even *deeper* resonance!.
It's never been easy, but I learn to stick with it the best I can!. ^_^Www@QuestionHome@Com
I am a writer too and I am trying to write a short story at the moment!. I've read a little book called On Writing written by Stephen King, and one thing I have learned from that book is, do not use plot lines!. A story shouldn't be plan!. Don't plot out what the end is going to be, what trials should happen!. Allow the character to think for itself, just write!. Let the character evolve, let them roam!. And what ever happens, happens!. Real life situations aren't planned!. It is more realistic, to let story evolve as you write!. I find it easier to not plot out things, I personally don't like plotting out things!. I just let things go, wherever the character takes me!. Sorry I may not a storyline, but why not try what i said!. Let the character lead you through the story, and it may come out better than you thought!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Writing a book isn't the same as solving a math problem, and that's what you're trying to do right now!. You don't "solve" a book!. Characters + plot = book!. It's done! No! It doesn't work that way! At least not right away! It shouldn't be somebody else's job to write the book for you--without payment!
Give it time!. Stop straining your mind so much; sometimes the ideas come when you're not expecting it!. Some people are fortunate of being able to put together an entire book and publish it within 3 months, but that doesn't mean you have to as well!. The process of forming a story generally takes a long time!.
But since you're desperate: If you want the story to focus on the woman's desire to have a child, have her take care of a child illegally!. Persiphone is right about engaged couples and adoption--but who said the kid has to come from an agency!?Www@QuestionHome@Com
Ferrett has the right answer!. Right now, you are using description as a crutch to hide the fact that you don't have a strong story line!. That is the most common mistake writers make and it shows a writer to be extremely amateur!. If and when you do manage to sell this work, all those adjectives and adverbs are going to end up red penned by an editor!. But what I cannot understand is this attitude among amateur writers here that other people should provide them with the free stories that they hope to use to write a book and sell it!. One day you will learn that life doesn't work that way!. Nothing is free!. People deserve to be compensated for their ideas or "intellectual property"!. Without a significant idea, essentially you have no book!.
I defer to the words of Stephen King in his masterwork On Writing!.
"Let's get one thing clear right now, shall we!? There is no Idea Dump, no Story Central, no Island of the Buried Bestsellers; good story ideas seem to come quite literally from nowhere, sailing at you right out of the empty sky: two previously unrelated items come together and make something new under the sun!. YOUR job isn't to find these ideas, but to recognize them when they show up!."
See!? YOUR job!. Not mine or anybody else's!. You say "don't tell me to think harder or to get out and experience life!. I have!." B/S!! There is always more life to experience!. To begin with, you should experience researching adoption because very few if any agencies would let an engaged couple adopt a child!. Generally you have to be married and the agency comes and checks you and your home out before they just hand you a baby!.
You are very defensive and don't seem to really want help, you just want the answers handed to you!. And nobody is going to do that!. And if they do, they will not be your ideas!. I realize that people like you don't have any problem living with things like that because they don't understand ethics anyway, but I certainly would be embarrassed to put my name on something that wasn't mine!. Pax-CWww@QuestionHome@Com
I would suggest throwing in something completely out of this world!. (Not necessarily meaning aliens)
It sounds good, but it also sound like life!. People read books to escape life!. They want to live in a world that is more interesting than the one they live in now!. Don't "think outside the box" because there is no box!. You have no limit to what you can create!.
Maybe they live in a world where everyone is dying slowly of a killer disease!. Perhaps they're both secretly werewolves!. Or twist it so that they can only adopt a baby if they!.!.!.kidnap the president or something!.
Make it interesting and unique! Look at everything as a possible idea! Even soap operas through in the occasional witch or alien now and then!.Www@QuestionHome@Com