How to . . .

[Maze_Runner]

A couple of questions on how to.

#1. How to introduce characters?
#2. How to make a whole new world?
#3. How to make people be drawn to your book?
#4. How to make a cliffhanger?
#5. How to describe snow without saying the word snow?
#6. How to edit your novel?
#7. How to make the reader feel an emotional sensation towards the characters and what they are doing?
#8. How to describe seasons?
#9. How to describe weather?
#10. How to pick a setting?
Those are only a few How to questions that I have and that I've been dealing with! Let me know! (No you don't have to answer all. If you know 1 or 2 or more then just say which number and your answer! And if you can answer all, please do )

 

[MissPaige36]

A couple of questions on how to.

#1. How to introduce characters?
#2. How to make a whole new world?
#3. How to make people be drawn to your book?
#4. How to make a cliffhanger?
#5. How to describe snow without saying the word snow?
#6. How to edit your novel?
#7. How to make the reader feel an emotional sensation towards the characters and what they are doing?
#8. How to describe seasons?
#9. How to describe weather?
#10. How to pick a setting?
Those are only a few How to questions that I have and that I've been dealing with! Let me know! (No you don't have to answer all. If you know 1 or 2 or more then just say which number and your answer! And if you can answer all, please do )

6:You can edit once you've reached a milestone or when the novel is finished!

 

[SerikoLee]

1#Think of a setting like a monarch making a gathering of high-ranking individuals or researching a group or faction then introduce characters in a similar manner to your liking.
2# Slowly set the cast and events of the world if you have a road map or use a map generator to plan out your world.

 

[CL]

A couple of questions on how to.

#1. How to introduce characters?
#2. How to make a whole new world?
#3. How to make people be drawn to your book?
#4. How to make a cliffhanger?
#5. How to describe snow without saying the word snow?
#6. How to edit your novel?
#7. How to make the reader feel an emotional sensation towards the characters and what they are doing?
#8. How to describe seasons?
#9. How to describe weather?
#10. How to pick a setting?
Those are only a few How to questions that I have and that I've been dealing with! Let me know! (No you don't have to answer all. If you know 1 or 2 or more then just say which number and your answer! And if you can answer all, please do )

#1: Sit down with someone and have an interview. Ask them to introduce themselves. On how they introduced themselves, that'll give you an idea how to follow up introductions with your characters.

#2: As for the world, think about how to describe Earth towards aliens. We will be aliens to your world. And talk when first describing it. You need to hear yourself.

#3: Attracting readers can be both cheatingly easy or hit/miss. The cheating method is using something that already attracts the masses (usually sex), but if it isn't related towards your story then expect an unpleasant reception. The hit/miss method is featuring the main themes of your story towards the readers and attracting a target audience (those searching for that type of read).

#4: Build suspense with no definite conclusion. That usually works. This is me guessing because I haven't tried this method yet (cliffhangers can be frustrating).

#5: Usually you'd have to speak about something similar for a representation and then apply it to the setting. I had the same thought once when I wanted to describe ashes falling like snow, but I didn't want to use the word ashes. I had the character mistake the ashes as snow before he rubbed the "flakes" off of his arm and noticed it had left his palm black and smeared soot across his arm. That was my method.

#6: Recite your written work out loud. Listen to what you wrote and discover how it sounds to you. That is one of the best ways to hear how right or wrong it'll sound for us readers.

#7: One way is to gauge how you yourself feel about the situation or scenario. If it brings emotion up for you, describe those emotions by their sensations and apply them to your characters as if they're the ones experiencing it. I'm sure there are other ways, but that would be mine.

#8: Um... Good question. This would be a combination of #2 and #5, I'd believe.

#9: See above.

#10: This depends on your imagination and what situations you desire arising for your characters and scenarios. Sometimes great obstacles are directly from the settings. If someone gets lost in the woods, the obstacles would be anything ranging from the darkness, tripping, and wildlife, but they may not have to worry so much about food and water (maybe getting food poisoning though). Being lost in a sandy desert has different obstacles, but it also removes the earlier obstacles the woods had. Figure out what you want to set up for us to read.

Hope this helps.

 

[Paul_Tromba]

#1 If it's a first-person book then do it through meeting them as if it was you meeting them for the first time. If third-person then describe it as if it were you introducing a friend to another one of your friends for the first time. If it's second-person then I can't help you.

#2 come up with the rules for your universe to act as a backbone for the narrative. Then make sure your plot fits within those rules. Create the characters and decide what cultures you want them to have. This can take a lot of time so I suggest looking at real-world cultures for inspiration. It would also help to read very world-building-style novels. C.S. Lewis's space trilogy would be a good place to start.

#3 good cover, good synopsis, and lots of promotions.

#4 Write a scene but end it right before it can be resolved or when a character's life is in danger and come back to it later.

#5 White shit? I don't know. That's just what I've been calling it because it's awful.

#6 Sit down after you haven't looked at it in a while and read your work. As soon as you see something you want to change you change it. You can also add more descriptions, remove pointless descriptions, and correct grammar. I just edited 82 pages this week because I actually sat down to do it.

#7 Make your character realistic and relatable. Then make them suffer in a relatable way. It's about all I can do as my descriptive skills are very poor.

#8 Look at the descriptions of the seasons in the encyclopedia and dictionary. You can also look at other books for inspiration.

#9 I am very bad at descriptions but I assume, dry, wet, moist, warm, hot, cold, freezing, raining, sunny, foggy, ambient, stormy, cool, enjoyable.

#10 spin the wheel of settings. I actually have a wheel that I slap settings on and throw darts at. It's how I make most of my worldbuilding.

 

[Maze_Runner]

#1 If it's a first-person book then do it through meeting them as if it was you meeting them for the first time. If third-person then describe it as if it were you introducing a friend to another one of your friends for the first time. If it's second-person then I can't help you.

#2 come up with the rules for your universe to act as a backbone for the narrative. Then make sure your plot fits within those rules. Create the characters and decide what cultures you want them to have. This can take a lot of time so I suggest looking at real-world cultures for inspiration. It would also help to read very world-building-style novels. C.S. Lewis's space trilogy would be a good place to start.

#3 good cover, good synopsis, and lots of promotions.

#4 Write a scene but end it right before it can be resolved or when a character's life is in danger and come back to it later.

#5 White shit? I don't know. That's just what I've been calling it because it's awful.

#6 Sit down after you haven't looked at it in a while and read your work. As soon as you see something you want to change you change it. You can also add more descriptions, remove pointless descriptions, and correct grammar. I just edited 82 pages this week because I actually sat down to do it.

#7 Make your character realistic and relatable. Then make them suffer in a relatable way. It's about all I can do as my descriptive skills are very poor.

#8 Look at the descriptions of the seasons in the encyclopedia and dictionary. You can also look at other books for inspiration.

#9 I am very bad at descriptions but I assume, dry, wet, moist, warm, hot, cold, freezing, raining, sunny, foggy, ambient, stormy, cool, enjoyable.

#10 spin the wheel of settings. I actually have a wheel that I slap settings on and throw darts at. It's how I make most of my worldbuilding.

#1: Sit down with someone and have an interview. Ask them to introduce themselves. On how they introduced themselves, that'll give you an idea how to follow up introductions with your characters.

#2: As for the world, think about how to describe Earth towards aliens. We will be aliens to your world. And talk when first describing it. You need to hear yourself.

#3: Attracting readers can be both cheatingly easy or hit/miss. The cheating method is using something that already attracts the masses (usually sex), but if it isn't related towards your story then expect an unpleasant reception. The hit/miss method is featuring the main themes of your story towards the readers and attracting a target audience (those searching for that type of read).

#4: Build suspense with no definite conclusion. That usually works. This is me guessing because I haven't tried this method yet (cliffhangers can be frustrating).

#5: Usually you'd have to speak about something similar for a representation and then apply it to the setting. I had the same thought once when I wanted to describe ashes falling like snow, but I didn't want to use the word ashes. I had the character mistake the ashes as snow before he rubbed the "flakes" off of his arm and noticed it had left his palm black and smeared soot across his arm. That was my method.

#6: Recite your written work out loud. Listen to what you wrote and discover how it sounds to you. That is one of the best ways to hear how right or wrong it'll sound for us readers.

#7: One way is to gauge how you yourself feel about the situation or scenario. If it brings emotion up for you, describe those emotions by their sensations and apply them to your characters as if they're the ones experiencing it. I'm sure there are other ways, but that would be mine.

#8: Um... Good question. This would be a combination of #2 and #5, I'd believe.

#9: See above.

#10: This depends on your imagination and what situations you desire arising for your characters and scenarios. Sometimes great obstacles are directly from the settings. If someone gets lost in the woods, the obstacles would be anything ranging from the darkness, tripping, and wildlife, but they may not have to worry so much about food and water (maybe getting food poisoning though). Being lost in a sandy desert has different obstacles, but it also removes the earlier obstacles the woods had. Figure out what you want to set up for us to read.

Hope this helps.

1#Think of a setting like a monarch making a gathering of high-ranking individuals or researching a group or faction then introduce characters in a similar manner to your liking.
2# Slowly set the cast and events of the world if

6:You can edit once you've reached a milestone or when the novel is finished!

you have a road map or use a map generator to plan out your world.

Thank you guys so much! I really appreciate the help!

 

[Horizon42]

4: reveal something impactful at the end of a scene. Something like a dialogue line or background detail that you know is somewhat out of the ordinary. Isolate it so readers easily recognize it. Dont expand on it, keep it a small sentence.

 

[Toripuru-S]

A couple of questions on how to.

#1. How to introduce characters?
#2. How to make a whole new world?
#3. How to make people be drawn to your book?
#4. How to make a cliffhanger?
#5. How to describe snow without saying the word snow?
#6. How to edit your novel?
#7. How to make the reader feel an emotional sensation towards the characters and what they are doing?
#8. How to describe seasons?
#9. How to describe weather?
#10. How to pick a setting?
Those are only a few How to questions that I have and that I've been dealing with! Let me know! (No you don't have to answer all. If you know 1 or 2 or more then just say which number and your answer! And if you can answer all, please do )

whew

These are some tough ones to answer, because everyone has a different style and there isn't always an objectively correct answer (plus some may be greedy and don't want to share their secret recipes )

I can try my best to answer #s 3 and 7 . Just be genuine and don't hold yourself back too much when writing. If things get unexpectedly dark, comedic, or sweet while writing, just embrace it all and let it run as far as it needs before reeling it back in. "Go where the story follows" I think Stephen King said that.

...sorry if my own answers are bad or aren't specific enough lmao. One last thing, is to be open to criticism and pay close attention to how readers are responding to your current approach to tackling the above questions (or, are NOT responding ).

 

[Maze_Runner]

4: reveal something impactful at the end of a scene. Something like a dialogue line or background detail that you know is somewhat out of the ordinary. Isolate it so readers easily recognize it. Dont expand on it, keep it a small sentence.

Alright thank you!

whew

These are some tough ones to answer, because everyone has a different style and there isn't always an objectively correct answer (plus some may be greedy and don't want to share their secret recipes )

I can try my best to answer #s 3 and 7 . Just be genuine and don't hold yourself back too much when writing. If things get unexpectedly dark, comedic, or sweet while writing, just embrace it all and let it run as far as it needs before reeling it back in. "Go where the story follows" I think Stephen King said that.

...sorry if my own answers are bad or aren't specific enough lmao. One last thing, is to be open to criticism and pay close attention to how readers are responding to your current approach to tackling the above questions (or, are NOT responding ).

I think your answers are great! I appreciate that you answered them and I'll keep it in mind!

 

[Grandloaf]

I won't give away my secrets

 

[Toripuru-S]

Alright thank you!

I think your answers are great! I appreciate that you answered them and I'll keep it in mind!

You're welcome, wish I could say more . Whatever you go with you, do the best you can

Oh! About editing, definitely check out Grammarly. When it works well, it's super helpful . Even when it gives bad editing suggestions, it teaches you how to be combative, disagree, and come up with better suggestions by yourself

 

[TheEldritchGod]

#1. How to introduce characters?

Seriously? There is a near infinite number of ways to introduce a character. Have him fall out of the sky dressed as the Hamburgler. How should I know?

#2. How to make a whole new world?

Every story that is a stand alone is it's own world.

#3. How to make people be drawn to your book?

There is no wider audience. There are different audiences. There is no perfect book. There are perfect books. Making a book for everyone appeals to no one. Pick your audience and write the story for that audience. If what they want isn't what you want to write, suck it up and write what they want and become a sell out like the rest of us, or pick a different audience.

#4. How to make a cliffhanger?

You write something dramatic without following it to it's proper conclusion, then end the chapter. I usually follow the format of a large paragraph then a single line of text about four spaces below. I find the wall of text to be a bad idea, keep it to 4 to 6 lines. Sometimes I'll put in a little padding to distract them. Maybe a joke about something, like the size of my penis.




By then I will have managed to sneak up behind you and level my pistol against the back of your head.

#5. How to describe snow without saying the word snow?

Allusions, metaphors, or similes. There are websites devoted to this. Use them.

#6. How to edit your novel?

Get text edit. Turn on text to speech. Listen to what you wrote. Don't read it as your eyes will 'edit' what you see. The text to speech is without mercy. It will say EXACTLY what you wrote. Expect to spot every other sentence to correct the horror you are listening to. It is more effective then anything else you can use. Oh, and use a spell checker.

#7. How to make the reader feel an emotional sensation towards the characters and what they are doing?

It's called empathy. You have it, or you don't.

#8. How to describe seasons?

Why? What's the point? How does seasons add to the story? What narrative purpose does it serve? If it has no point, if the story means the same thing without seasons, then don't include the seasons. Only include it if it serves a purpose. If it serves a purpose, describe it in a way that mirrors your story and GIVES THE READER USEFUL INFORMATION.

#9. How to describe weather?

Dear god, are you hell bent on wasting your reader's time? You are BEGGING THEM TO READ YOUR CRAP. Who cares about weather? It's like the seasons, What is the point? Here's how you describe the weather:

It was Sunny/overcast/raining lightly/a heavy downpour/snowing/a blizzard/quite foggy.

Then get onto the part where the reader will give a crap. Unless your story is Weather porn, then go all purple prose and vomit a thesaurus into your word processor.

#10. How to pick a setting?

WHO. IS. YOUR. AUDIENCE? What do you want to TELL YOUR AUDIENCE? What do you want them to think/learn/feel/know? WHAT IS THE VALUE OF WHAT YOU ARE WRITING?

Setting? SECONDARY CONCERN.

You are asking all the wrong questions. What? Did you learn how to write in college or something? YOU ARE SELLING INFORMATION TO A TARGET DEMOGRAPHIC. Figure out what your information is and the target FIRST, then pick a setting that will best present your information.

Those are only a few How to questions that I have and that I've been dealing with! Let me know! (No you don't have to answer all. If you know 1 or 2 or more then just say which number and your answer! And if you can answer all, please do )

Yeah, your priorities are all screwed up. That's your problem. Take it back to formula.
Who is my audience?
What do I want to tell them?
How do I package what I am selling so they will like it?

Stop thinking that this is some school paper where you are listing off things in a format that the teacher has taught you to write. YOU HAVE A NEW CLIENT NOW. You are no longer writing for your teacher. You are writing for me, or for fans of cat girls, or people who like explosions, or kekistanis, or Neo-Nazis, or people who like feet in a sexual fashion, or over 40 mothers who are at home with nothing better to do, or people who like tornado porn, or Elvis impersonators, OR WHO EVER YOU WANT.

But you aren't writing for your English teacher. Not any more.
Get your capitalism on, baby.

 

[Ilikewaterkusa]

A couple of questions on how to.

#1. How to introduce characters?
#2. How to make a whole new world?
#3. How to make people be drawn to your book?
#4. How to make a cliffhanger?
#5. How to describe snow without saying the word snow?
#6. How to edit your novel?
#7. How to make the reader feel an emotional sensation towards the characters and what they are doing?
#8. How to describe seasons?
#9. How to describe weather?
#10. How to pick a setting?
Those are only a few How to questions that I have and that I've been dealing with! Let me know! (No you don't have to answer all. If you know 1 or 2 or more then just say which number and your answer! And if you can answer all, please do )

just make things as cool as possible

 

[Maze_Runner]

I won't give away my secrets

Fair enough

 

[mlaser]

#1. How to introduce characters?

You really don't need to introduce characters. Describe what they look and what actions they take, the reader will familiarizate with time. Just have a mental note of the motivation of characters and let them act.

#2. How to make a whole new world?

You only need to create where the characters will interact, the development can come later. Many worlds doesn't need development, you just have to pay attention to rules of your world to not contradict when you expand it.

#3. How to make people be drawn to your book?

Write a good book and people will gather

#4. How to make a cliffhanger?

Cliffhangers aren't necessary. But will come naturally if people become interested in the story.

 

[Tsuru]

A couple of questions on how to.

#1. How to introduce characters?
#2. How to make a whole new world?
#3. How to make people be drawn to your book?
#4. How to make a cliffhanger?
#5. How to describe snow without saying the word snow?
#6. How to edit your novel?
#7. How to make the reader feel an emotional sensation towards the characters and what they are doing?
#8. How to describe seasons?
#9. How to describe weather?
#10. How to pick a setting?
Those are only a few How to questions that I have and that I've been dealing with! Let me know! (No you don't have to answer all. If you know 1 or 2 or more then just say which number and your answer! And if you can answer all, please do )

1) Or narrator or the reincarnation/transmigration MC try to find out his identity and the reader know at that time, or 4th wall introduction (but kinda not recommended)
2) I just give suggestion as i am no expert author. It is just one possible tactic. Try to think, the beginning, and the end. THEN you can think of filling inside. In short, think of core idea, and embellish.
or you can do the usual "i invent as i keep writing"
3) (Half joking half serious answer) Write wholesome. Lately, japan got a big trend of vanilla (especially for male readers). Because kids that was main demography for mangas, grew up and are tired/busy working. World god only knows author (and the Hayate no gotoku author) for example did that. First one though his manga i kinda doubt it's not popular, compared to 2nd because 2nd got a anime.
But seriously, you can choose to cater to public, or write what you want, or mix the 2, and finally try to move the feelings of readers.
[[EDIT : Attractive cover, attractive title, attractive summary. As a hook-bait. And quality to keep them. QUALITY is what is the most important. You can write the most unpopular theme in existance, if the quality is good enough, you can become a world acclaimed author (i far too much exagerated but you understand my point). Btw check the "anti-routine" CN i brought, and look how it is to "hook". Also tip : having a anime-ish cover is a cheat method. Even chin#ses do that. lol]]
4) Try reading some recent raw CNs. They are expect at doing it. or in fact, read the MTL i brought of a on-going popular CN where MC do anti-routine. In one chapter, author end it with giving "choice" but not writing what pick MC, which attract reader to want to see what do MC
In short, always cut your chapter right when the reader expect to see the moment.
Or simply watch TV and see how some shows do advertising right when a big moment gonna happen.
5) White particles ? The landscape was entirely white ? H2O in solid form ? LOOOOOL XD
Search poetic stuff ? Cold. Small. Utility. Memories. Time ? Season ? Element?
6) Lazy to explain but click on your image on top right of scribblehub page or go to your series and find the "pen-like" edit button
7) Oh ? Nice question and as a veteran reader i am happy to explain. First, the more time the reader see the character, the higher the chance of being attracted to it. A random important character appearing and dying in 2 chapters, most of the time, can be ignored. BUT if the guy was a guy that followed MC for 200 chapters, higher chance you will be moved by his death, as long author don't suck. Or if author is talented he can make a random old of 5chapters, make the reader cry (coughhappened to mecough)
2nd. The characters must be attractive themselves AND originality.
3rd. Make the reader feel the character is "alive" and not just a random fictive character wrote from a IRL person. It can touch the problem of chuunibyou, people too attracted to 2D etc but we will ignore that.
4rd. To feel like it's "alive", making flaws for a character, is near-always needed if you aim high. Onepunch-man is more attractive because he is bald, stupid with his kindness, opness. Imagine if he was handsome, flirting with girls too. You can bet lot of otakus would be pissed off.
Also. BIG PROBLEM of having a TOO-GOOD MC without flaws : it feels FAKE. Too much wish-fulfillment. It's as dumb if a MC walk on the road, blow a kiss and all girls in 500m faint or scratch a lottery and win 50m or pick a stone and it's a diamond.
Why do we feel fake for too perfect characters ? Because PERFECTION don't exist in the universe. Yep. Also flawed stuff is attractive. Also Life is more craved because we fear death.
5nd. Be cautious of context. Their personality. Environement. Their pasts. In short, pay attention to details. And it include the whole novel.
For example, in a CN that i saw 2 poison cliches, i kept reading and was rewarded with good quality content. BECAUSE i seen from details, the novel had a good author.
6th Go watch more animes/mangas or any shows. Try taking inspiration from anything. But don't copy. Find your own way. Btw "Reacher" is a nice recent popular anti-hero ruthless MC.
8) Try finding poetic stuff
9) (1/4 joking) Go watch weathers reports lol =p. just kidding. Hmmmmm, describle what see the MC maybe ? POV writing is nice and in fact i love seeing POV reactions from spectators for urban CNs. As long they are well done. For example, movie director MC novels are shit if there are no POV of a spectator watching the movie of MC
10) ...............Your question is too vague. Setting "romance/fantasy/isekai/apoca" ?
I risk going too profound but............Go sit down in a silent place. Calm yourself. Forget everything And think for 20min.

This technique is also used if you need to do heavy decisions. Or simply restrospect yourself and find out about lot of stuff. I did it and changed an important thing from my life. Kinda.
Also i bet the number of people that do that on earth is freaking low, when in fact, it is op.
In FACT, we already do that. In shower, or before sleeping. But it's not as good. It's also why during shower, the brain can suddenly think of "interesting stuff" and why there is the funny topic about "Shower thoughts". Which btw, a youtube channel brought a compilation from reddit/website.

 

[Tsuru]

Btw, it would be much appreciated if more people "react" (and not just emojis/likes) to my big post.

 

[K5Rakitan]

Carefully

 

[Scaver]

A couple of questions on how to.

#1. How to introduce characters?
#2. How to make a whole new world?
#3. How to make people be drawn to your book?
#4. How to make a cliffhanger?
#5. How to describe snow without saying the word snow?
#6. How to edit your novel?
#7. How to make the reader feel an emotional sensation towards the characters and what they are doing?
#8. How to describe seasons?
#9. How to describe weather?
#10. How to pick a setting?
Those are only a few How to questions that I have and that I've been dealing with! Let me know! (No you don't have to answer all. If you know 1 or 2 or more then just say which number and your answer! And if you can answer all, please do )

1. Depends really. For protagonist you have to start the story at a certain time which is neither early nor late. It could be the inciting incident. For side character, you can give a flasy first impression or introduce slowly. In one of my story ideas the main antagonist, he is introduced almost at the start. Since this character goes through complete transformation so i just don't start it early, but little later in his life, then flashbacks with other characters pov.
2.okay for this just don't dump some information. First the starting character, what is happening? Alright then what does that chapter needs for description? Add a little more than the neccessary amount. Then slowly increase as chapter goes by.
3. Starting point. And a hook. But there is a problem that even if you have a mind bogling idea but the execution is bad , you are fucked!
4. End where a question remains.
5. I won't tell this cus if i did it would be different than your writing.
6. Well, write the first draft then copy it in another file and mark the changes you wanna make and write it somewhere. At last edit. If you try to edit at once then you will make a mess!
7. Backgrounds. Why would the reader care for the characers? Internal conflict! Break your characters! Make him/her what they despise the most.
8. Seasons ah...YOu can be poetic if you want. You can just say it too. But don't waste time on some useless prose. You don't have to be shakespeare!
9. Same as the previous one.
10. Waht you like the most. Which setting do you like inserting youself in? For me i like a wide range of genre. SO in theory i can write all of them. I currently have 4 story ideas. Each with slight different tone. I will try all of them, but it will take probably more than a decade. sigh!


But above all no matter who gives you, how much advise, you will do shit unless you try out youself. Struggle. Struggle and struggle!
Don't goddamn be satisfies with what you did. But aim higher. More so!
Earn money by writing? You have to at least work a year long.(maybe less for some).

" Effort breaks talents. But again gender is trash in front of pure genius."- Some character from one of my story xD

 

[SakeVision]

Eeeeeasy. Example:

McCock is a badass(1#). He lives on Earth, Detroit(2#). But right now, he's hanging off a cliff(4#). His cock is dangling bare over the edge of the abyss, and it's rock hard(7#). It's fucking cold and the cliff is covered in frozen water, making his fingers slip with every passing millisecond. What's worse, it seems there is a blizzard coming!(5#, 8#, 9#).

There. Perrfect. As for editing, just read what you wrote when you're sober. For example, the first time I wrote the above I typed "called" instead of "cold" and didn't notice.

As for picking a setting, use a random number generator.