Out Of Gas

[mythingperson]

The blank page looms before you, the prompt taunts you, and you’re feeling completely and totally out of ideas. You want to write a story, but where do you start? How do you start? When all the ideas have been had and there’s nothing new under the sun, how do you create anything at all, much less something awesome

Comments

[mythingperson]

Starting with a character is something I do once in a while, too, but it's a lot rarer compared to other methods (especially if I'm feeling stuck!). Very occasionally the 'seed' will even be a character for me - a person I've written about or roleplayed, someone who just pops in my head, that kind of thing. But I always have a much harder time verbing those nouns and finding the action in such a story.

I think it's neat to be able to identify things about your writing by the way that you find things to write - you are clearly a very character oriented writer!

"If I'm entirely stumped, though? I take the topic. I dissect it. Play word associations/stream of consciousness that shit until I arrive to either of the things mentioned above. And run with it. :)"

Ohhh yes, this happens with me too. This is usually step one of my "I'm not stuck, I'm just getting started!" process, except for me, it usually leads to the kind of seed concept I can run with. I do a lot of thinking about a prompt and how I can do something entirely unexpected with it.

[theun4givables]

"Character oriented" doesn't even begin to describe it. ;) Things like plot and setting and blah blah blah? Yeah those are only present because they're kinda necessary to an over all story. But I can't get started without a character-concept. I just can't. xD

I'm one of those people who are blessed with vague ideas right off the bat, 90% of the time. The rest of the time I have to dissect things. Or when I'm trying to do something out of my comfort zone, like humor. Because then I have to think through the jokes, too. It takes a little longer, but it ultimately works for me.

[mythingperson]

Ok, so this seems opportune - I get a daily digest from the creative writing opportunities mailing list (it's a yahoo group - search for CRWROPPS-B) and I saw this in the digest this morning:

call for submissions: Conclave
Wed Aug 7, 2013 11:38 am (PDT) . Posted by: "AllisonJ" aejos
Conclave: A Journal of Character is open for submissions for Autumn, 2013. We are particularly seeking photography submissions, but also consider short stories, poetry, and short works of all creative forms.

Conclave is a bi-annual print journal that focuses on character-driven writing. See our website to see what we believe comprises great character: http://www.conclave journal.com/

We select six of our best works each year to be nominated for the Pushcart Prize.

You may read all submissions guidelines at:
http://www.conclave journal.com/ submissions/ submissions. html

Just sayin'.

[theun4givables]

Oooh. I will have to take a look at this. :: does her best Mr. Burns impression:: Excellent...

[g00fball]

Yer links arrrr broken, matey!

[mythingperson]

For what it's worth, this is a "feature" of LJ, trying to be helpful. I just copy-pasted the message in, and the links weren't linky, nor were they intended to be - just straight http blah blah blah. LJ formatted them poorly and now they don't work. Unfortunately, I can't edit the comment now to fix them because there have been replies to it, and I didn't notice it being all pesky when I first posted. Sigh.