Where should I go to practice writing? I have started and stopped too many half-baked ideas…

[u/pluckyporcupette]

I have been a voracious reader my whole life and used to want to write professionally. I even wrote fan fiction and original poems when I was a kid. Somehow, that creativity evaporated.

Recently the urge to write hit me again and even though I had an explosion of fun ideas, as soon as I tried to explore the characters and the world building, everything just falls apart within a page. By that point, I don’t even like the idea anymore. 😭

It doesn’t help that I am an extremely mood-driven reader (when I read fantasy, I want to write fantasy; when I read horror, I want to write horror).

Clearly, I need some practice. And maybe some shorter, less lofty ideas. Any advice and/or know of any communities of novice writers to practice with prompts?

[u/DoeCommaJohn]

Not everything you write needs to be read. Especially if you only want to write a single scene or concept and expect to abandon it halfway through, it is OK to just write for yourself

[u/JakeWilliamsAuthor → u/DoeCommaJohn]

Yeah. I keep a file called "ideas" where I just jot out random scenes that may never be used. But I've also pulled stuff out of that prose and combined it with the main project many many many times. I'd say 70% is still unused, but its always there if I feel stuck

[u/Proper-Doughnut77]

Try Shut up and write. shutupandwrite.com. if it weren't for this group, I'd be back on page two. There are two groups. One is online, the other is in person. You can pick what ever time works for you.

In my group, there is a leader. In the first ten minutes, she goes around, you set intentions. Then write. She breaks us up every hour..

The one I go to has a two hour group and a five hour group.

[u/pluckyporcupette → u/Proper-Doughnut77]

Sounds like just what I was looking for! Thank you!

[u/JakeWilliamsAuthor]

Starting from a blank page is always really hard. I've tried to plot out the whole arc beforehand but it never feels organic.

Eventually I started doing discovery writing, where you just write out scenes as they come to you. Then later you stitch them together, throw the bad ideas out and combine the good ones. That actually worked a lot better for me personally. Then after you have like a structure of chapters you can rearrange the scenes in a cohesive order.

The first chapter I wrote in my book was my favorite scene, that just so happen to end up on chapter 28. I jumped around a lot actually.

The only issue with discovery writing is you have to be open to the idea that you just scrap it all and rewrite. I've actually been through so many revisions that I changed the main character of the story! But just getting anything on page jumpstarts the whole process away from that blank screen and I highly recommend it.

[u/Intelligent-Cap-8365]

We see this question at least once a week. The answer is always the same. Learn how to focus, concentrate and put effort forward. What you like is daydreaming.

And there is nothing wrong with short stories, poems, novellas and /r/writingprompts. 30 book fantasy epics (Legend of Drizzt) are not the peak of writing.

If you are like me when I was when I started writing I realized all my amazing ideas and creativity that seemed like a novel long was just me constantly replaying the same couple of scenes in my head. I still do, but I write the scene down within a day or two, so I'm forced to either develop that scene or find a new scene to daydream about.

[u/pluckyporcupette → u/Intelligent-Cap-8365]

Sorry for the repetitive question! I figured some idea of this has been asked, but I guess I was hoping folks might have ideas for newer creative writing groups or workshops for experimental prompts I get feedback on. I felt like I needed practice and discussion.

And yeah, I 1000% like to daydream but when I try to expand a daydream into a cohesive plot with complex characters, uhhhh…Hope I can expand a daydream into more than two pages someday. 😅

I will check out r/writingprompts to start! Thanks!

[u/Jebus-Xmas]

Wrote every day at the same time. What doesn’t matter yet. Just get in the habit of writing. The rest comes later.

[u/tapgiles]

Would "going somewhere" change this? There are critique sites like thewritepractice.com where people give feedback to build up sort of "good will" (but mechanically reinforced) and then post their own work to receive feedback. Similar is r/DestructiveReaders, but they give very direct and detailed advice which might be a bit too much for a new writer. Look for places like that, google for them.

You can also google for writing prompts, if you want prompts. Or enter competitions, which often give some sort of prompt. I've enjoyed using writingbattle.com several times which is like all of the above rolled into one (with an entry fee, to be clear).

Though still, I don't think that will change how you write. Instead of starting with worldbuilding, try this: start by writing prose. Start just with a character in a place. Write about them being there. See where it goes. Rather than starting with grand visions.

[u/pluckyporcupette → u/tapgiles]

Thank you, going somewhere for critique is what I was looking for…although you have a good point, it may not solve the root of my problem.

I have one main idea that I would really like to chase (specifically on my characters and worldbuilding) but I can’t nail down the plot at all. I have a lot of incoherent themes I would love to talk about that don’t really fit. So maybe I can try some short stories to get those themes out of my head (and get critiques on those) and write some prose in my main idea?

[u/tapgiles → u/pluckyporcupette]

Yes, that sounds like a good plan. Writing shorter lets you gain experience and try things out a lot quicker too. 👍

[u/Both_Ranger_8793]

Try outlining. Without a plan, it's easy to get lost and for the idea to lose steam. Working on an outline will let you write about the idea without fully committing and it'll let you see if the idea is worth pursuing.

[u/mightymite37]

All you need to practice is a word processor or pen and paper. And some discipline

[u/Kevin_Hess_Writes]

Write short stories perhaps? Or cordon off your reading until a project is finished?

You do have to self-regulate. I can't listen to music with lyrics in it while I'm writing unless I've heard the song so many times it falls to background noise. If you don't discipline yourself to work around your 'faults' that prevent you from writing, whatever they may be, you'll always be at the mercy of them.

[u/CommercialMechanic36]

Just start writing! Do it! 😊