How to write a story.

Hi, 

This is something I've been thinking about starting for a little while now, I've been reading and writing on the interweb for around 6 years and I've gained a little knowledge in that time. I've been writing reviews for those that have asked and I've always tried to give my honest opinion to the people who's work I've read, since I think it's always nice to hear what a stranger likes about your work, and while it's not always as nice to hear, it's good to be told where and how you can improve. 

In this book I want to address some of the common or reacquiring issues I've noticed when reading newer author's works but I'd also like to give advice to people thinking about starting to write.

If you have any questions I'd be delighted to answer in the comments below and if you'd like your work read and reviewed please drop me a message with a link. 

Chapter one, the start line.

Contrary to popular belief it's not always best to start your story at the beginning. Though I know it's very exciting to discover fan fiction and all the romances and OCs across the net, and though I know it's hard not to just slip yourself into a relationship with a member of your favourite band and call it a novella, please restrain yourself for a moment of calm thinking time. 

It's all very well to have decided that you would like your character to fall in love with Harry Styles or Charlieissocool like or that dangerous vampire boy that lives in your imagination, or yes, Pete Wentz, but that isn't a story. You need a plot line and you need to think about it before publishing chapters, and it needs to be something that will interest the audiences you're trying to reach out to. 

There are a number of ways to start planning a story in your mind.

Develop a character with certain traits or floors. E.g a middle aged woman who suffers from insomnia and who hates her neighbours. What kind of plot line would work with a character like that? 

You could try thinking about an end point, for example at the end of my latest work I want Gerard Way and Frank Iero to die in a hail of bullets . But how the hell do I get there? 

Think of a situation that you think would make for a great story. A man pulls out a gun in the middle of a busy bank. What happens next?

There are more ways to start.

I know now that you'll be feeling all riled up to go but don't try and write down the greatest short story yet with just that idea.

I create a mind map or a list of all my ideas. Both are great, trust me! Start with the idea you already have in your head then work out from there, keep going until you have the skeleton of a story.

Next I like to order everything that's going to happen, of course stories change and come alive as you write them, but if you don't know what's happening, how is the reader supposed to? Separate events into chapters, and decide where you want to reveal certain pieces of information.

Then you're pretty much  ready to go. Write a loose version of your story and then pad it out, give it flesh and a soul! 

May I also suggest that you don't post the first chapter until you've written around three. That way you know if you can keep it up. There's nothing worse, as a reader, than being left hanging for months while you wait for an update. 

Remember all these are guidelines, everyone works differently so this might not work for you but it might help some people.

Next chapter I want to talk about developing characters and relationships within your work. Any questions? Let me know.