How Do You Write A ‘Normal’ Story?

[WaterFish]

By normal I mean one that has a clear goal and purpose. One that reading it makes you feel the intent of the author and the message being passed through characters merely existing.

I myself find this difficult.

A fellow writer and friend praises my ingenuity in being able to bring out ‘new things’ in regular tropes. Making standard ideas non-standard through executing them just a bit differently.

I tried writing a Xianxia, and I was praised on being able to write such empathetic and understandable characters. For anyone who knows what usual Xianxia are like, this should be enough to say my writing style is… weird.

But I can’t help it.

I’ve been thinking about doing a contemporary work instead to test my skills in this area, but I get bored without a magic system. Things that are different from the reality I live through.

Fantasy of all sorts is more my style.

But I feel that if I keep being stubborn or going like this, I’d never find my footing and be able to write something with meaning. After all, tropes and characters should serve a purpose.

If I keep making twists and points of interest without thinking of a clear intent for their inclusion in the story, I write myself into a corner for it. Being confused on what to do next.

I stopped writing that Xianxia because of a headache on what I wanted the story to be.

What I wanted it to be about?

Power Fantasy? Empathy? Something between the two? What should happen for consistency?

Once I forget the original intent like that, my usual consistency also goes out the window.

There are those who look down on only being able to write bland stories using trope, but I envy that I can’t even do that right. Making it a mess that ‘has potential’ that is never realised.

How do people write stories like that?

I’ve seen how Solo Levelling worked out well despite using every Power Fantasy trope in the book… precisely because of that. It knew what kind of audience the tropes were meant for.

How can I do that?

Maybe this seems like a lot of questions, but for those who read this far, I’m guessing you’ll understand my problem better than me who’s writing this post. At least, I’d always left satisfied even if there’s only one person who gets it.

For now, I’ll leave this blog here so I can hear thoughts that aren’t my own about this issue.

Maybe I’m making a mountain out of a molehill.

 

[Cipiteca396]

Experience.

Those famous authors have spent years writing and sharing their work with friends, family, editors, and publishers. They know what works because they've tried everything and found what doesn't work. The work you think is subpar is just step two or three in writing your 'masterpiece'.

They read the stories that are similar to the ones they want to write, they do research, and then they share the rough draft with trustworthy folk who can tell them if their 'intent' came through.

Each little quirky subversion of the trope gets recycled and reused with each draft, each new story. Each time it improves.



Or luck. Sometimes, you just get noticed for no reason. Can't rely on that though.

 

[Syringe]

Have you tried making a draft/timeline of events to get from point A to point B? I feel like if you know where point B is, then you can adapt your writing/characters in-between A and B to make it feel meaningful as it heads towards point B. It's like connect the dots. Knowing the end goal or goals between can help you squeeze blood out of a stone if you're backed into a corner.

Having a central theme (even multiple) is a must imo. It gives your story an identity. When someone asks me about what Arifureta is, I can say it's a revenge tale as much as it is a power fantasy. You can have underlaying ones as well. What you can do is have one major theme and several sub themes that can be done on the side/passively. A power fantasy + empathy is totally doable. Power fantasy can be the major focal point, and empathy can be an underlaying theme conveyed by the way the MC/characters interact with the world.

 

[Corty]

I don't know if this is helpful or not but I go into all of my books with knowing what ending I want for it. It sets a goal to reach and my job is to work towards that goal. Makes it much easier.

 

[WaterFish]

Experience.

Those famous authors have spent years writing and sharing their work with friends, family, editors, and publishers. They know what works because they've tried everything and found what doesn't work. The work you think is subpar is just step two or three in writing your 'masterpiece'.

They read the stories that are similar to the ones they want to write, they do research, and then they share the rough draft with trustworthy folk who can tell them if their 'intent' came through.

Each little quirky subversion of the trope gets recycled and reused with each draft, each new story. Each time it improves.



Or luck. Sometimes, you just get noticed for no reason. Can't rely on that though.

That’s right… I’ve been thinking about this too small-scale. Of course that’s the case.

There was something else. A different topic I had on my mind. I have this story I want to tell, but I’m not sure if I should follow an established format to tell it or branch out using creativity.

The established formula for Action Fantasy might help me, but I worry about whether shortening the scale of the story using this method would hurt the potential of what it could’ve been.

But now that I write it down here, I think I’ve answered my own question by accident.

How embarrassing…

Have you tried making a draft/timeline of events to get from point A to point B? I feel like if you know where point B is, then you can adapt your writing/characters in-between A and B to make it feel meaningful as it heads towards point B. It's like connect the dots. Knowing the end goal or goals between can help you squeeze blood out of a stone if you're backed into a corner.

Having a central theme (even multiple) is a must imo. It gives your story an identity. When someone asks me about what Arifureta is, I can say it's a revenge tale as much as it is a power fantasy. You can have underlaying ones as well. What you can do is have one major theme and several sub themes that can be done on the side/passively. A power fantasy + empathy is totally doable. Power fantasy can be the major focal point, and empathy can be an underlaying theme conveyed by the way the MC/characters interact with the world.

I’ve done that for another story, but I feel that only worked out due to me having a clear vision of the end I was aiming for. Right now I’ve got a bunch of world building I’ve recently put together, but have no vision on what story I’m trying to tell. There’s no clear equivalent unlike the one I made my plan for (with point As and Bs like you said).

There’s potential in there, but I can’t find the vision of how things are supposed to play out.

What kind of ‘journey’ I’m giving the characters.

Only that I want this story to be about growing past pain and living with your existential nihilism.

I have interesting characters, but I have no one to embody the themes I’m aiming for.

I don’t know whether to base the story around that character (therefore the theme) or find it using a different method.

 

[Tempokai]

Try to write 500-1000 word short stories, based on a single concept, and you'll slowly (probably) start to write better. Also, "normal" stories don't exist, because everyone has their preferences.

 

[Rhaps]

I can't help you with this. I should be the last person giving advice on this matter.

From a somber plot about saving the world somehow became a slice of life, pushing saving the world into being a subplot, then action mercenary, now a school life otome...
I just described a dnd campaign...

 

[ModernGold7ne]

Well, to convey a clear goal and purpose, you need to focus on clarity. However, there's no such thing as normal. Every authors' has their voice, and that dictates the way they write. For a story to be considered normal, it has to be dull. Unless you're writing a college essay, you shouldn't stress about following any standard (what we authors consider tropes, cliche, etc). It's far more important for a story to stand out.

 

[Succubiome]

Once I forget the original intent like that, my usual consistency also goes out the window.

If you think this is the issue, why not write the original intent when you first start, and reread it before you write each time?

There’s potential in there, but I can’t find the vision of how things are supposed to play out.

What kind of ‘journey’ I’m giving the characters.

Only that I want this story to be about growing past pain and living with your existential nihilism.

I have interesting characters, but I have no one to embody the themes I’m aiming for.

I don’t know whether to base the story around that character (therefore the theme) or find it using a different method.

It might be a story centered around "growing past pain and living with your existential nihilism" like this won't make the most sense with a clear linear plot. If you have multiple characters with past pain living with their existential nihilism, maybe make this a story about people recovering from a more "standard" plot, and do multiple slice of life POV, while revealing what happened with them in mostly-uncomfortable flashbacks as they remember?

 

[owotrucked]

By normal I mean one that has a clear goal and purpose. One that reading it makes you feel the intent of the author and the message being passed through characters merely existing.

I myself find this difficult.

A fellow writer and friend praises my ingenuity in being able to bring out ‘new things’ in regular tropes. Making standard ideas non-standard through executing them just a bit differently.

I tried writing a Xianxia, and I was praised on being able to write such empathetic and understandable characters. For anyone who knows what usual Xianxia are like, this should be enough to say my writing style is… weird.

But I can’t help it.

I’ve been thinking about doing a contemporary work instead to test my skills in this area, but I get bored without a magic system. Things that are different from the reality I live through.

Fantasy of all sorts is more my style.

But I feel that if I keep being stubborn or going like this, I’d never find my footing and be able to write something with meaning. After all, tropes and characters should serve a purpose.

If I keep making twists and points of interest without thinking of a clear intent for their inclusion in the story, I write myself into a corner for it. Being confused on what to do next.

I stopped writing that Xianxia because of a headache on what I wanted the story to be.

What I wanted it to be about?

Power Fantasy? Empathy? Something between the two? What should happen for consistency?

Once I forget the original intent like that, my usual consistency also goes out the window.

There are those who look down on only being able to write bland stories using trope, but I envy that I can’t even do that right. Making it a mess that ‘has potential’ that is never realised.

How do people write stories like that?

I’ve seen how Solo Levelling worked out well despite using every Power Fantasy trope in the book… precisely because of that. It knew what kind of audience the tropes were meant for.

How can I do that?

Maybe this seems like a lot of questions, but for those who read this far, I’m guessing you’ll understand my problem better than me who’s writing this post. At least, I’d always left satisfied even if there’s only one person who gets it.

For now, I’ll leave this blog here so I can hear thoughts that aren’t my own about this issue.

Maybe I’m making a mountain out of a molehill.

Full text of "Robert Mc Kee Story (pdf)"

 

[detroitapollo]

By normal I mean one that has a clear goal and purpose. One that reading it makes you feel the intent of the author and the message being passed through characters merely existing.

I myself find this difficult.

A fellow writer and friend praises my ingenuity in being able to bring out ‘new things’ in regular tropes. Making standard ideas non-standard through executing them just a bit differently.

I tried writing a Xianxia, and I was praised on being able to write such empathetic and understandable characters. For anyone who knows what usual Xianxia are like, this should be enough to say my writing style is… weird.

But I can’t help it.

I’ve been thinking about doing a contemporary work instead to test my skills in this area, but I get bored without a magic system. Things that are different from the reality I live through.

Fantasy of all sorts is more my style.

But I feel that if I keep being stubborn or going like this, I’d never find my footing and be able to write something with meaning. After all, tropes and characters should serve a purpose.

If I keep making twists and points of interest without thinking of a clear intent for their inclusion in the story, I write myself into a corner for it. Being confused on what to do next.

I stopped writing that Xianxia because of a headache on what I wanted the story to be.

What I wanted it to be about?

Power Fantasy? Empathy? Something between the two? What should happen for consistency?

Once I forget the original intent like that, my usual consistency also goes out the window.

There are those who look down on only being able to write bland stories using trope, but I envy that I can’t even do that right. Making it a mess that ‘has potential’ that is never realised.

How do people write stories like that?

I’ve seen how Solo Levelling worked out well despite using every Power Fantasy trope in the book… precisely because of that. It knew what kind of audience the tropes were meant for.

How can I do that?

Maybe this seems like a lot of questions, but for those who read this far, I’m guessing you’ll understand my problem better than me who’s writing this post. At least, I’d always left satisfied even if there’s only one person who gets it.

For now, I’ll leave this blog here so I can hear thoughts that aren’t my own about this issue.

Maybe I’m making a mountain out of a molehill.

Sounds like a hurdle that needs to be overcome!

I was on the same shoes like you when I started writing back in my high school days and guess what, I used to write fictions that were totally ingrained to daily struggle as a student to what I am writing now, historical fantasy fiction.

For me it's just came out naturally as I keep writing. If I am not comfortable or feeling what I write, I write scenarios that are exponentially different to what I had planned, and somehow my writing come out just fine.

Maybe a little brainstorming about unfamiliar topics will help you? You mentioned about your friend, maybe you can ask him/her to give you ideas that you still do not know.

 

[doravg]

Just tell a story. You will have more fun that way. That said, one good thing that can make the story fleshier is research. Take this how you want.