Maybe I should just be a writer...

[centeruniverse]

Today in class, my drama professor was handing back papers. Before he did so, he gave us a speech on how horrible most of the papers were, and even felt a need to explain what it means in Word when a word or line is underlined in red or green (I shudder to think of what he had to read to prompt that...). He said that pretty much all of the papers

Comments

[jakemercadante]

the plot is really what I'D say the writer DOES, besides just spewing out shit words in an attempt to be "real", but here's one I thought you'd enjoy

A beautiful, intelligent girl is the only sane one around a seemingly endless psychotic train of near-retards and is put upon by society in nearly every way possible, until, her every potential wasted by the limitations of the prejudice places upon her and the inadequacies of those around, commit suicide by jumping off a tall, tall building having at least three epiphanies about the nature of life/her ownership of it and finding inner peace before she hits the floor.

[centeruniverse]

But then they win. I won't let them win. Maybe if at the end, when she jumps off the building, she flies away instead? Switch from an utterly literal story to metaphor in one line?

[jakemercadante]

yeah, but thats such a copout

[centeruniverse]

I'm not killing her off. I'm not letting them win. The flying thing can be a metaphor for death, but she is not dying absolutely in my story.

[centeruniverse]

I think you'd be a hell of a lot better at that one than I would...

[centeruniverse]

Seriously? I can't wait to read it!

[ladydewinter]

Personally, I don't think it works if other people tell you what the plot should be. It can be something of an inspiration, I guess, but if you want to write something you just write it. There are a couple of creative writing exercises that may be helpful, they can definitely help to get you started.

[centeruniverse]

Well, I've found that if other people give me conditions for a story, I sometimes create a great plot just figuring out how to string them together. Something about having some limitations on my imagination. I don't know, it works for me.

Besides which, I don't really have time to write much right now anyway. I just wanted to have some possible stories floating around in my head, waiting for their moment.

[kickpuppies]

I've always been told/heard to write what you know. I've been perpetually writing a book for forever on the adventures of waitressing. Write something that you love ... that won't be tedious to come up with and continue with. That's the best I can say to you. As what's been said before ... whatever inspires you.

[centeruniverse]

I actually have an idea for a book about a waitress who waits on a table of mafia men talking about the people they're going to "take care of" and realizes over the next few weeks, watching a series of murders take place on the news, that they were planning the murders. She has to figure out whether or not to tell anyone and who to tell if she does decide to do so, all the while wondering if the men even realized that she heard them.

But I've never actually gotten around to starting it...

[centeruniverse]

I do realize that. And I wasn't planning on a "novel" I was planning on a "book" (I think there's a difference in the intended audience and level of snootiness the author employs).

That being said, I've already written a book. I finished it in high school. I just need to edit/re-write and send it off to the publishers.

[centeruniverse]

Thanks. I think I might try to work on it/finish it this summer. (Okay, so the finishing part is a little opitimistic, but...I can try...)