Finally, after a long break from the workshop, I, cheetosmoontos, am back for the first writing lesson I am doing in this whole writing career.
Today I would be introducing roughly of what to do before actually placing your wonderful blabbers and proses down onto the sheet of paper before you, or jabbing the keyboards down to allow those sentences and blocks of ideas to appear on the screen before you.

 

 

 

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       I.            Find A Story Idea

What keeps the reader of your story want to continue scrolling down? Yes, an interesting main character with a fantastic conflict. There are two ways that you   might want to try to finding a story idea.

 

·         Think from a character

This might be the easier way for the authors of Asianfanfics, simply because, usually, they all have a character in mind, of whom we want to write of, before even thinking of what genre the fiction itself should actually fall into. Think of unique features of the character, or maybe contrasting ones if there are any. This helps your story to get juicy.

 

·         Think from a situation

Maybe some authors are just confused and troubled on who they should write on, themselves, their bias, the requested stars… They just could not decide. Well then, this will be the perfect starting line for you. Think of an unusual situation. Maybe something you have experienced before. Maybe you have seen someone pickpocket another (and actually did not bother to report of it), or maybe you have seen cheating in a particular place occur. Nevertheless, the situation should be one that will bring a conflict in.

 

Once you are set with the character, then now think of a conflict. If you started from a situation, now think which character might suit to be the protagonist of the situation the best. Make sure the characters and situations you are brainstorming have a variety of different information of ideas, just in case you might discard one.

 

 

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      II.            Think of the Purpose/Audience

This step shall be a breeze for all writers, because basically it is straight out. It is for entertaining the crazy otaku people/fan people out there! If so, making the story as interesting as possible to them is key. Why not pull in some laughter for the audience with silly mistakes of a supporting figure? Or why not pull the audience into a suspense of mystery? Think of who you are, and what you expect from Asianfanfics. Consider what will be enjoyable for you and the audience. Always keep that in mind as you progress your fiction.

 

 

 

 

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  III.            Plan Characters, Settings, and Point Of View

 

·         Develop Your Character

 

So now that you know who your character is, and roughly what kind of person he will be in the story, why not start thinking of his/her physical appearance, how he/she acts, how he/she sounds like? Filling in these information that might be minor in a story can make the character in your story more lifelike. The main character in your story, the complex major character, will be the star in your story. The other characters will be the complex minor characters. Use especially sharp and specific details for the characters, the more specific the details are, the more lifelike your characters will be.

 

Below is an example of maybe how I will develop a character of mine.

 

¨       What does my character look like?

Ø  Moon JongUp

§  Red hair

§  Brown, nature’s eyes

§  Small compared to other male characters

§  Usually wears a tank top

§  Remarkable six packs

 

¨       What does the reader need to know of him/her?

Ø  Moon JongUp

§  Seventeen years old

§  Lives in Korea, Seoul

§  Lives with a brother, Moon JongHyun

§  Parents live in Busan

 

¨       What is his/her personality?

Ø  Moon JongUp

§  Keeps feelings to himself

§  Tries to make others feel good too much that he sometimes sacrifices his own voice

§  Always gives off his best

Well that was something I just totally made up. Moving on.

 

 

 

·         Where? When?

The setting is of where and when the story would take place. It does not have to be just one specific, there could be a few. The big ideas of settings are past, present, future, season, country, Earth, Mars, Mato Planet, outer space, and so on. Rather big categories. Some were actually not any sort of category.

Settings are important key roles in your story. It could tell of your character’s character (well that sounds rather weird); it could create a mood, or even, create a conflict.

 

For example, a bedroom full of medical books shows that one is interested in medicine in some sort of way. An abandoned house at night with howling wind gives the horror spice into your story. Or even, if your story occurs in some mountain, like the Alps, during a blizzard, it could lead to a conflict of your character.

 

When thinking of a setting, make sure to ask these questions to yourself.

 

Ø  Where and when is the story taking place?

Ø  What places, weather, events, or times of the day could be important in your fiction because of the setting?

Ø  What senses could you use for giving the detail to describe/show the setting?

 

 

·         Who is talking?

The point of view of your fictions varies on who is narrating the story. Stories can become very different if someone who had not experienced an event narrates the story, or vise-versa. Below are the main points of view used in writing.

 

Ø  First Person

The narrator is the character in the story, narrating from his/her point of view in the story. This narrator could only narrate of what he/she is thinking, feeling, and experiencing. The story will most often be narrated as ‘I’.

 

Ø  Third-Person Limited

The narrator is not a character of the story. The narrator tells what one character of the story feels, thinks, and experiences, however none of the others. This is more commonly used than the latter.

 

Ø  Third-Person Omniscient

The narrator is not a character of the story either, but knows what each and every thought of major and minor characters. This narrator has also the right to know of what none of the characters know, such as the future.

 

So which am I to use? You ask. Most effective fictions are used in the first person point of view, or the third-person limited point of view. Choose first person point of view if you want the readers to put themselves into the story, as if they were the major character. Choose third-person limited point of view if you want the audience to experience the story from a distance, as if they are part of the mobs, watching the main character.

Never use several point of views at once, or do not keep switching point of views. Hide what some characters might be feeling, hint it, but do not put that out in the open, it usually makes stories more interesting.

 

·         So what is the story?

 

Now that you have created the interesting characters ad placed them in an appropriate setting, you would need to plan the plot line, also known as the series of events in a story. From then it will turn your ideas into a fiction. A plot usually includes the following parts:

 

Ø  Beginning

The beginning is the start of your story, which introduces the characters and settings. Make sure to grab the audience’s attention here so they would continue reading.

 

Ø  Conflict

The problem(s) that is faced by the character(s).

 

Ø  Rising action

The buildup of conflict as the character(s) faces obstacles while trying to resolve each. It leads into the story’s .

 

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When the conflict reaches the breaking point, there needs to be suspense. Readers worry most when at the top of the . Make them worry of the outcome.

 

Ø  Resolution/Denouement

When the conflict is resolved, usually leaving the main character to change in some way, internally or externally.

 

Make sure that your story outline that you would create based on these information is according to climactic order – each event building on to intensify the conflict till it reaches the .

 

 

 

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Now get out a sheet of paper and start jotting down ideas! And remember, have fun.

With lots of Love,
cheetosmoontos