Outlining your story for first time.

We have various ways to outline our stories. Many of the writers focus on characters where as writers like me love to focus on the plot and play with it. For me the story idea comes as a form of scene or situation for some they might first think of a character and then weave a story around them. Outlining is essential when it comes to build a strong plot.

So, whatever the format might be we all need to at least prepare a five page outline of the same. Without the outline we would be trapped in an endless loop of conflict and relief kinda thing. So here is what I do when I outline. These steps may or may not be similar to you, but these steps might help you to build your story.

1. Writing down your plot ideas on a paper: I think of the scene that had just flashed a couple of minutes ago before I started to write this article. The scene was about fire and love, something correlated – how ? I don’t know. The second step comes to weave something around the same topic fire and love. What can the possibilities be? Maybe whenever they touch there will be fire around them ? Maybe both are the fire gods’ descendants. It can be pretty much anything. So jot down the ideas. PS. Please don’t use this idea, I’m trusting you guys. Any how this is a published, copyrighted story on wattpad.

2. Putting the ideas in chronological order. This is very important while outlining. The scenes or even rough ideas of what will happen after what.

3. Think of the character now. Who he/she is? Is she tall or short with straight black hair or curled up blonde hair. Think of her eyes, are innocent, almond shaped or wild, catlike, if they are wild, catlike, is she really wild in her nature or she pretends to be wild- I guess this trope is overused, so let’s put a innocent, short, girl with large almond shaped eyes, straight nose with piercing and black curls with highlight. And now try to put her into plot. Think of what all difficulties she will have to face while leaving in a strict house where piercing are considered are doing of wayward kids. Make a basic character chart of their external appearance, and their traits. BASIC.

In short, play with your characters and plot until you move towards next topic.

3. The supportives and love interest. I guess you all have thought of supportive characters when you were plotting out scenes. The supportive consists of the friends, family and love interest (only if you want to keep one) Is your main character’s family with her traditions or against her. Are her friends supportive about most of her decisions or critical. Or they just don’t care? Does she have any love interest ? Or will she meet in the story further.

4. Now tap into her back story, under what conditions she was born in. How did she meet her friends? If she had an ex, how did they date and what was the reason for their break up. Maybe you can use it to create more conflict.

5. Once you have all these things think about the setting. Is it an ancient or modern story? Is it taking place in small town, countryside or huge city? Is your main character studying, working or too old for both the things, then describe the character’s school, office or home, respectively.

6. Now you might have enough knowledge of how your character looks and what her nature basically is like, so start interviewing them. An questions about every small and big thing you want to know from them. Their reactions on certain things etc.

That’s all you need before you start writing your story, once you’ve finished these steps you can start writing. So everybody enjoy your writing hours and I’ll enjoy mine. See you all later!

Until then,

Happy writing!

Adiós!

Some five prompts which might help you write something. These were used on our Instagram page for a writing challenge. There are word prompts, picture prompts, dialogue prompts and situation prompts. Write on whichever you want.

I would love to read the stories you’ve wrote. Feel free to send me a link via tumblr or Instagram. Maybe we can have a writerly chat. And if you think you know a friend who has a writer’s block or is trying to start a new story, help her out by sharing this article. Enjoy!

If you love reading poetries and short stories make sure you check out Weavingdreams0 our Instagram page and also don’t hesitate to say hello on Twitter(poojawriites) if you need writing prompts check out our pinterest Weavingdreams0. See ya.

Leave me. A story

Tanya, 18 just out of high school, walked home from a local diner on the chilly December morning. She stomped her feet as she walked on the pavement, tears ran down her cheeks and she constantly tried to rub them off her face, but she failed to do so. A thousand things cluttered her head.

One. She had lost her job. Two. She had just broken all her strings, with her boyfriend kyle, who also turned out to be the son of the diner owner who fired her from the diner and from his son’s life. The owner thought, the girl full of piercing and vibrant hair color was the reason why his son’s grade’s were getting low. But both Tanya and kyle knew, it was Kyle’s disinterest in the subjects. And three. She had a huge amount of rent pending.

She pressed past the bodies on the pavement, it was a rush hour of 8:30. Everyone was up on to be somewhere, even those who stayed on streets appeared to be more busy than her. Crushed, broke, agitated Tanya reached near the crossing line, she didn’t notice that all the people had stood back. And that the signal lights for pedestrians were red, her head hung low as she wiped her tears. She didn’t notice that she had stepped ahead. She didn’t notice a car was speeding towards her. She didn’t notice until…

A ring went by in the diner, it was kyles phone that rang. Kyle was in the changing room, cursing himself for the break up with his first love. I must tell dad I’m not interested in becoming doctor, not anymore. He thought. He raked his hand through his hair and banged the small metal locker besides him. The phone rang again, he searched for his cell, but it wasn’t near him, someone from outside knocked the door.

“Kyle, its from hospital,” he heard his father’s c voice. He opened the door of changing room, his father’s face had changed considerably. A few minutes ago he had see his dad all jolly, just like when he had been last year when he had caught the biggest fish amongst his friends. But, now his face was pale, no emotions no nothing was written on his face. This look was quite familiar to Kyle, he knew this kind of face of his dad, meant something major thing and not a good one.

He grabbed the phone from his dad’s hand and placed against his ears, “Hello,”

“Is this kyle I’m speaking to ?”

“Yes,” he waited for the person to speak

“We found your number on the speed dial on Miss. Tanya Lambert’s phone. She was hit by a car and is admitted in hospital,” everything stopped right there. All his senses went numb, his brain couldn’t wrap all these things, he glared at his dad and dashed out of the room. He wasn’t thinking straight, all he knew at that moment was she needed him and he wanted to be with her. He had even forgotten that the doctor was speaking on the phone.

Hello are you still there ? Hello ?” the doctors voice brought him out of his thoughts.

“Yeah. Which hospital ?” he breathed out. He got his keys from the front table of he diner and strutted out to his car.

The doctor gave him the hospitals name,“She has hurt her head pretty bad and needs immediate medical attention even a surgery,” “I’ll be there in a few,” Kyle bit his tongue and hung up the phone.

Please don’t leave me, Tanya. Not now, not ever. He prayed as he sped towards the hospital.

How to get back to writing after a long time.

Writing after a break of couple of months can make you feel lazy and your procrastinator meter will be high. In a case where you have returned from a vacation or just started writing after four weeks keep in mind to not to stress yourself.

1. stressing yourself

If you can’t think of words to put the scene on paper – do not worry. Open a blank document and put down all the words you think might fit the scene. Start a new paragraph and start arranging the words in a sensible manner. After that kick off your writing for the day and busy yourself in reading.

When you’ll have your incomplete work waiting for you, you’ll be drawn to it just like the protagonist is drawn to the ghosts in house. Let the ghost of your story linger in your mind, after all you need to ignite the excitement of writing your story after a long time. After that…

2. Visit the past.

As mentioned in my previous post make sure that you go through all the character charts and their back story. This will freshen up the scenes and plots and the characters mannerism. Give yourself time to go through the back stories and make changes if you feel they are necessary.

3.the next day

The next day sit down to write the actual content from where you had left the day before. Let me tell you, even on the second day you’ll feel tired and lazy to write, but writer nevertheless. Think of your work like your crush, whom you can see only for few minutes, say 20 minutes. Set an alarm and start writing whatever that comes to your mind about the story. Recollect the time (yesterday) when you felt like writing more and then write. Once the alarm goes off stop writing.

4. Start reviewing

Once the alarm goes off start reviewing and correcting whatever you’ve written. Continue this process until you are comfortable everyday to come back the same time and write without feeling pressurised or stressed to do so. Once you’ve set your routine don’t stop to edit.

That’s all I got for you today. Any art be it writing, dancing or painting needs the burning passion. Without passion there won’t be any art.

See you my dear readers. I’ll make sure to get back to you same time on same page. Hang on for writerly feed. Comment below if you have any questions which you want to be answered in my next post. This page is all about writers and helping them. Lots of love to y’all. Until then, happy writing. Adiós.

If you love poetries make sure you check out Weavingdreams0’s Instagram account. She writes poetries on love and sorrow but is currently dabbling in other emotions. She loves abstract poems more than visual ones. You can tweet her on P_Eva05 she loves making new friends. Adiós!

How to write horror fiction

I’ve been writing horror fiction since 2014 which sums up to 5 years and during that period I’ve learnt quite a few things about that genre. As a fiction writers, we need to describe the character, but in horror and fantasy the characters and even the setting might be a bit complicated to describe with then distorted faces and bloody environment.

So today I’m gonna rant about horror fiction. Till what I have learnt is, in horror fiction you need to include all of your senses. The touch, the visuals, the smell, the sounds and the taste. Taste will add an extra spice to your story which will help you emphasize the scenario deeply. For example if you just explained a room covered with blood like this: He saw the walls of room painted with scarlet . The way the thick liquid dripped from the ceiling on the floor, confirmed it as blood. This will sound boring and straightforward,which won’t help to engage readers. You need your readers to be immersed in the book, so maybe this will look great: The air was sour. He stepped inside the room, his eyes fixed on the scarlet liquid that dripped from the ceiling on the floor. He could smell the fresh scent that water leaves behind on iron. The smell of rust and salt. At an eerie moment as this, he could feel nothing, but the dampness beneath his feet made by the sticky thick spot of the liquid which he now confirmed as blood. A loud screech bursted from the corner of the room. John jumped on his feet, as he hurdled into the handkerchief size room he banged his head against something hard, something smelly.

If you could involve all the senses it will have an amazing effect on the readers. Other few tricks which you could use are the, using shirt sentences and dialogues. Second, do not use the word ‘sudden’ third and the most important, create sympathy for your victim : main characters. Make your main characters as poor little things as possible. This will make your reader feel deeply about them.

That’s all for today. Make sure you write everyday only then you’ll be able to write amazing stories. Much love.

Happy writing!

Adiós!

Back story of the character

Your character’s essence is something your character is originally. Maybe they show they are rude, but are actually a softie when they see babies. Or they might say they are introvert, but they are the people who love wearing fancy clothes and cracking dirty jokes, again here their main essence is the way they behave in private, with people they trust. And this essence can be derived from the back story of the character. Recently, I worked on my character arcs and back stories and found out I didn’t justify their past lives, before the whole story began. So I sat down and wrote the back stories for every character in the book.

Here’s the thing. When you write a back story you need to ask few questions to yourself as in what your character was even before the story started on the paper.

My main character (mc) is 16 years old in high school, and my story begins when she starts dating. Also she has friends whom she loves. Except the casual banters at home, she seems perfect, only she knows she could be anything but that. This was the summary of the first chapter of my book, where I need to establish the character and her essence and also the other character’s presence.

So the questions I asked while creating my characters were these:

1. How did her friendship started with her friends?

2. (If she has a crush. Possible love interest) how did she formed a crush on that person ? In my story I have the mc who has a crush on a guy when she was 14.

3. Any event when your mc was a kid or teen that made him/her happy or sad that might have an effect on their present lives.

4. How is your MCs family like ?

Now let’s do a detailed analysis of your MC’s nature and emotional quotient.

1. How is your MC’s relationship with herself? Does (s)he believe in self love or hates own self.

2 How is their relationship with their friends ? Are they chatty or keep things to themselves. Do they have any favourite friend ?

3. What kind of reaction they show when a stranger greets them or asks them questions ?

4. What kind of reaction they have to cheesy movies ? This might help you to know of they are too emotional or not.

If you have any other amazing ideas feel free to add them in the comments. Let’s help each other in this #writerscommunity.

If you love reading poetries and quotes make sure you check out my Instagram page, Weavingdreams0. Send me a hi I’ll be glad to meet new writer friends. You can also tweet me on twitter P_Eva05 Look up for me on tumblr to get hold of the blogs one day before they are being posted here tumblr: Weavingdreams0

Until then,

Happy writing

Adiós