First Things First...

[kiix]

Greetings

Wow, reading everyone's method/process is amazing. It seems corny, but the saying "different stroke for different folks" is true.

I started on AFF attempting to do a fanfiction of Ai No Kusabi. I've written original fiction before, usually with a pencil and a notebook, so this was my first attempt at computer composing. That is when I discovered I don't do good fanfiction. Mainly because the characters are not mine to toy with. So enough about that.

I see my story in my head like a mini movie. I have the opening shot, the climatic scene and the ending. How I connect the dots is up to the characters of the story. I do not plot things out. I do not make character studies or profiles. Since I am comfortable writing first per narrative I treat the character as if I am meeting them for the first time. When you meet someone you don't know their entire history and the longer you interact with someone, the more you know -- or wish you didn't know.

So, it is as much a mystery to myself as it is my readers what is going to happen next. Of course if you characters carry on for more than one book, and their history changes as you learn about them, this leads to major editing problems of the first book. But, it seems to work for me.

Thanks for letting me share

Kiix

[Leonhart29]

Ideas just come to me most of the time. I'll be sitting at my desk either at work or at home and BAM! I get hit between the eyes with something. Eight times out of ten it's pure unadulterated shit and not worth my time, but the other two times - well let's just say I can bang out one hell of a story.

In all seriousness though - I get my ideas from day to day crap. I once wrote a story about what a leaf thinks as it's sailing down to the ground after falling off of the tree. Granted I was in fifth grade at the time... I wonder if I still have it somewhere?

Songs, documentaries, TV shows, books, my kids, my family, my friends... they all give me something. I was sitting around with a bunch of friends at work one day and we started talking about what scares us most. I brought up the fact that clowns can make me shake in my boots - BINGO! Instant fanfic!

[fawnheart]

I'm lazy, I write fanfic so that I can slot the smut around a world that's already created.

I use my own original characters and I if I have to use a character that isn't mine, I "fawnheart" it, apparently, but even then it's only to support what my guys are doing.

But, the lore, the world, the races, the abilities and everything are already there, and you just wowwiki things if you don't know.

I find my stories find their way out of my head alot easier when all the background is already done but like I have already admitted, I'm lazy as!

If there is an easy way to do something, believe me, I'll find it

[Psybee]

My stories come to me when I sleep.

No wonder I never get any sleep and I have rings around my eyes

[fawnheart]

um...listen to music while yousleep?

[paputsza]

... that's a good question. I'd say wikipedia. just try that. anything that catches your interest. gyspies, mafia, anarchists especially.

[hisbabybird]

The ideas come in a variety of ways, from a line in a song or a conversation with friends to a single screencap from a movie or television show. Of course, there are days when the characters in my head start to speak insistently and refuse to leave me alone till I've scribbled down a scene. The idea for my current story, "The Princess and the Slave," came from a couple of shots in the 'Sweeney Todd' trailer -- Judge Turpin looking old and leering in his cravat and period coat, and his pretty 16 year old ward leaning out the window of the room where she's being held. Add in a minor-subplot, a D/s relationship, a bit of political intrigue, and lots of smut, and you've got a rather twisted (but hot) story. Funny how the smallest things can spawn an entire universe.

[Ryder]

I start with characters. I figure out what sort of person is he,

how old is he?

what does he do?

what does he wear?

what model Harley does he ride?

Is he in a relationship?

If so, is he in a relationship with a male or female? (theres the next character in which I would do the same whole research type thing to develop the character)

I also draw or modify pictures so I know what he looks like and stuff.

Then build the story around him.

-OR-

I just base stories on stuff I like. Like, at the moment I have about six story WiPs, all only about a chapter done each. Two are Fallout 3 stories, another is like an adventure/relic hunting type story - because one of my favorite books is 'Seven Ancient Wonders', another is about a couple of guys on the run after robbing a big-time criminal - which I had a dream about that then wrote it, another is about a couple of mercs in Africa - because I love the setting of 'Far Cry 2'.

I just do stories about general stuff that I like, and would like to control to make a story out of it.

Edited January 6, 2010 by ausyandy

[marley_station]

EDIT: Whoops, a bit old this thread.

Dude, they don't expire. Go for broke.

[Guest jj19]

Though it is often frowned upon to revive old threads.

If I am in a creative mood, I type as fast as I can and write like the devil. Of course this is filled with mistakes and needs work before it becomes a rough version.

Or

I sit down, write an outline for the story, then use it if I am low on creativity or throw it out the window when I am being creative

[marley_station]

My ideas are based heavily on my interpretation of the characters I want to write about. I think of the things I like most about, say, Shikamaru, or Neji, or Kiba, or Kabuto, or Tenten, and I search my brain for a premise that would facilitate writing something that emphasizes those things.

Take Gaara, who is one of my all-time favorite characters, for example. I love his appearance--he's a mega-contrast of red hair, green eyes, dark liner, and pale skin. He's a work of art, literally! I enjoy describing him, so I have written him into a fic where someone's, in this particular case, Naruto's, first sight of him steals his breath away. The premise had to be one that accommodated Gaara as an object of lust and reverence affection.

I try to write stories that I want to read. Consequently, I make more of an effort to come up with a good premise and a well-rounded story overall. The results are usually good enough for me to want to share them with others.

[SunaoTsuji]

Hello! Sorry I'm new to the forum. Ahem!

Anyways, my stories start off from dreams that I have. And for some unknown reason (maybe my desire to continue the dream ) I continue where the dream got left off. I've got plenty of stories that I've been working on for the last 11 years.

I still got them all and they're all incomplete due to the fact that I while fleshing out one story idea, another pops up from the original. The best way to lose your track of mind is to spend too much time fleshing out the second story that you forget you had the first one at the bottom of your disarrayed room.

Which reminds me of a story I had outlined 6 years back with characters and plots waiting to be fleshed out. -shrugs- And that reminds me of a story that needs to be put on paper or something so I don't lose it in a few. Ah~ the joy of writing.