Tips for fiction writing
I've attempted to write fiction many times. It comes out really lame. There is no juice no flesh just bare bones. I feel like I don't have it in me to write fiction. My writing is only good for journaling or posting on 7cups hehe, small stuff like that.
But whenever I read fiction I start dreaming so badly that I could weave stories of that calibre .
What should I do to build good fiction writing skills? Anyone has any tips or experience with this?
@Creamyyy
My recommendation, especially for people like me who get to caught up in there own rules. Is to write the story you really love/want to write, it may be small first. Maybe just a sentence, then try to grow on what you have and want make it a paragraph then a out line, ect.
Now I know that everyone is different and that method may not work for you. However don't write what you don't want to write because you'll never write it then. I hope something I said made sense or helped you even if it was just I don't want to do it that way, because hey now you know how ya don't wanna do it! Anyway have a a good time writing mate and good luck.
@7Bear7 you're right. Forcing to right especially for fiction never works . I'm writing the stories I have loved. But it's just when they translate on paper they don't look beautiful as they did when they were in my mind.
@Creamyyy
From my experience writing and drawing are very similar. They are both art if you draw with stiff hands trying to perfectly control every line non of the lines will look good or natural. In the same way if you try to control every sentence non of them will be natural or look good. A lot of artists will erase the sketch after they have inked the drawing. You could do the same with writing after you write a chapter or paragraph or book go back over see what lines(yes pun;) you like and keep/trace those and erase the rest. You can then always color it. Since we are using a art analogy here I feel it would be remiss if I don't bring up what Bob Ross said, "there are no mistakes, just happy accidents."
Once again I feel like I am not being helpful but maybe I am so that why I still respond. Also talking about and writing about how you like/dislike something, or why you do/don't do something can be beneficial for your own understanding of yourself. I hope this helps have a good day! ;)
@7Bear7 definitely helpful :)
@Creamyyy
Yay!!! :)
Glad to be of service my friendo!
@Creamyyy First of all.... I don’t think anything you’ve written is lame. It was legible and understandable. If anything, maybe the story just felt a little flat and that’s totally fixable. I’m not a critic or an expert (and honestly I effing hate critics) but I can share some stuff that’s helped me.
One approach is to start with the world if you're not sure where to begin. Ask yourself- is it our world or a fictional one? What are the values, the culture, the religion? Is there a clash of values or a brewing conflict in the world itself? That already gives your story some tension and structure.
Then move to the characters. What are their core traits and values? This is something Pine also mentioned in their advice—really understanding what makes your character tick. When you know your character deeply, the readers will feel that too. The story becomes more grounded.... more alive. Drop the character into that world and just let them react in a way that’s consistent with who they are .... and there's your story.
When I started writing, I used first person POV with characters that were basically me (narcissistic, I know 😅) But it helped—it made it easier to figure out how they’d respond in different situations. Later.... I started borrowing traits from people I knew (not looks, just personality) which made my characters feel more real and easier to write. Now I am able to make up people (in paper).
Usually... a story feels flat when the character’s behavior doesn’t match who they are supposed to be. To fix that, try making them more relatable, give them a personality, not just quirky. Like, if someone’s a perfectionist but going through a hard time, don’t say it—show it. Maybe their usually neat desk is a mess, they haven’t slept, their hand shakes as they open a bottle and it spills. Those little things hit harder.
Same with bigger traits. Want to show someone’s narcissistic? Don’t spell it out. Show how they obsess over their appearance or casually insult other people’s choices like they're offering wisdom. Trust the reader. Show, not tell. Let them feel it—through sound, sight, motion, small actions.
If your character’s terrified and is running away, don’t say “they’re scared.” Show them slipping, gasping, scanning for cover. Keep their inner monologue short, fast, panicked. Make us feel like we’re running with them. Maybe before writing (run around in your bedroom so you can understand how it feels - the heartbeat, the sweating, and can you even keep an inner monologue alive whole running)
Take one of your old stories and try layering it like that. Review, rewrite, reflect. That self feedback loop is honestly one of the best ways to grow as a writer.
And I totally agree with Bear’s advice too—it really all starts with a sentence or a theme you love. Even the villains or conflicts should feel logical within your world. If you love your characters and your theme, you’ll start to see what threatens that love, what stands in its way—and you’ll feel naturally driven to write in defense of it. That’s when the writing starts to feel powerful and personal.
Take care and I hope something in here helps. Really looking forward to reading more of your stories<3
@azurePond thank you for the tips and encouragement. So far the world of my stories and characters are fictionalized versions of myself and the places I have been in. I think we start from what we know most about. "Show, not tell" - I've been told this before and I am trying to do that, it's just the 'tell' part in me is quite impatient . Perhaps I need to slow down. I'm going to try again and I think things will get better. Maybe one day ill post about a story getting completed and ready to be shared. ❤️
@Creamyyy Yes ! You have got it!!—starting from what you know makes everything feel more grounded and emotionally real. And honestly... the fact that you’re already aware of the “show not tell” thing and working on it? That’s huge. So many writers never even get to that stage.
Impatience is totally normal.... especially when you care deeply about the story. Slowing down is hard but it also means you’re giving the story (and yourself) the space to breathe. Keep going at your own pace and don’t be afraid to rewrite, reshape or even just sit with a scene. And when that day comes—when you post that a story is complete and ready to be shared—I will be cheering you on like crazy... Keep writing!
@Creamyyy
That's great! You're doing a great job, I have taken a break from long form writing till I get a few life things out of the way. Be happy that your getting it done, recognizing mistakes, and that you are improving yourself!
@azurePond
Amazing advice! While some of it is generic, you both have some useful and unique advice while putting everything in a good format. How long did it take to write?????? Lol
Thanks Puddles.
@7Bear7 Thanks Bear! Generic stuff is generic for a reason. Uniqueness usually comes from the writer’s personality.... the rest tends to be the same across the board. I do type fast though... thanks to my trusty keyboard lol
@Creamyyy
Last time when I was talking with ChatGPT _he_ offered to amuse me with a short story he has written, based on two different writing styles and ideas.
The results were astonishingly good.
I started to wonder what's the use of all these mass-produced "creative writing courses", whereas well-trained AI can do the same, or better and in a matter of seconds, not hours or weeks.
But I think what is special in human writing is the reference to our human experiences, and our human soul - the most important thing being written between the lines.
@jacek73 that's a very good insight.
@jacek73 I agree with you. It’s sooo true— you can tell the difference between a human author and an AI author by the patterns in their writing and how the writings feel. We human writers tend to have a natural inconsistency, our own little imperfections like personal biases and mistakes in sentence structures. We often inject our personality, voice and lived experience into our work. But AI on the other hand, writes in a way that’s structurally sound but emotionally stunted—more formulaic, more polished, oddly generic or too 'balanced.' I don't know.. like.. "soul less ". It can mimic style well but it rarely surprises you in a way a human can. There’s a spark in human writing that doesn’t follow perfect logic—and that’s exactly what makes it feel real. So... I don't think AI can replace art. AI is great for repetitive routine tasks. It might assist in improving art.... like acting as a beta reader for spell checks or keeping track of multiple timelines in a plot or helping us remember details about our own worldbuilding or something like that. But the day AI replaces art completely? That would be a sad day.... the day art dies and loses its soul.
...Okay, that took a morbid turn😅