Writing Starting Your Story: In Medias Res & Basic Writing Tips.

[T.K._Paradox]

One of the hardest things to do for any author is to start a story.


But there are three common ways to help kick start your story and today I will be discussing In Medias Res, a form of writing that begins in the middle of the story with an already established main character. I'll be also be talking about some more general tips that help with getting your story started.


In Medias Res:

• When writing In Medias Res it is good to remember that your character already has some sort of experience with the world around them and is not some greenhouse flower seeing the sun outside for the first time.

• They should already have established connections with multiple people and places, and they should have at least some knowledge about the core (main plot) of your story.

• Flashbacks are important when rounding out your character that already has been established. Use these later on in the story when you reader has already made a significant connection with your main character.

Basic Writing Tips:

• Remember to not give a grand spiel about what has already happened with your character or what they have done, introduce relationships and information organically in little snips through causal dialogue or character interactions.

• Also when writing remember to not be too vague with your terms and laws that make up your world, give your readers context clues on what those words may mean.

• Don't be afraid to challenge your world's status quo, the progress that happens in your world is a good thing, hitting a universal reset – or erasing consequences – is a good way to drag out your story into endless filler where nothing happens.

• Your world doesn't have to be realistic like the real world, it just has to obey the laws of your world.

In Conclusion:


Remember to pace yourself and make sure you actually what you want to write is what you want to write.


If you let fans or critics dictate your style or your plot you will be consumed by caving to the mob.


And always remember to actually enjoy this hobby, take a break if it overwhelms you.


God Bless you all,


T.K.

 

[Deleted member 113259]

• When writing In Medias Res it is good to remember that your character already has some sort of experience with the world around them and is not some greenhouse flower seeing the sun outside for the first time.

• They should already have established connections with multiple people and places, and they should have at least some knowledge about the core (main plot) of your story.

• Flashbacks are important when rounding out your character that already has been established. Use these later on in the story when you reader has already made a significant connection with your main character.

Now what if, hypothetically speaking, asking for a friend type stuff... What if the main character is so lazy that it is his first time seeing the world outside his, home, and has no connections with any other characters?

 

[Zinless]

Now what if, hypothetically speaking, asking for a friend type stuff... What if the main character is so lazy that it is his first time seeing the world outside his, home, and has no connections with any other characters?

then they're either a self-insert for NEETs or an Isekai main character.

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

Now what if, hypothetically speaking, asking for a friend type stuff... What if the main character is so lazy that it is his first time seeing the world outside his, home, and has no connections with any other characters?

Then I believe that is not in Medias Res.

 

[Deleted member 113259]

Then I believe that is not in Medias Res.

It could be, you don't know.

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

It could be, you don't know.

Then it’s a bad story. The only way both what the author said is true and that it is in Medias Res is for there to have a plot centered around a shut-in life, and the only connections continually being referred to are the ones to the shut-in’s tiny house and the television or other entertainment material.
I worked on the assumption that the story wasn’t some abominable, contrived piece of shiitake mushrooms.

 

[Deleted member 113259]

Then it’s a bad story. The only way both what the author said is true and that it is in Medias Res is for there to have a plot centered around a shut-in life, and the only connections continually being referred to are the ones to the shut-in’s tiny house and the television or other entertainment material.
I worked on the assumption that the story wasn’t some abominable, contrived piece of shiitake mushrooms.

No, it could be like this:
Guy: *leaves his house.
Policeman: Civilian, I need you to follow me. Johnny Fernandez is attacking the city.
Guy: Who the hell is Johnny Fernandez?

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

No, it could be like this:
Guy: *leaves his house.
Policeman: Civilian, I need you to follow me. Johnny Fernandez is attacking the city.
Guy: Who the hell is Johnny Fernandez?

But that's not the middle of the story, unless this is a multi-MC type book. It's still the actual plot of the story starting for the first time, not in the midst of it.

 

[Deleted member 113259]

But that's not the middle of the story, unless this is a multi-MC type book. It's still the actual plot of the story starting for the first time, not in the midst of it.

No. You could simply fill the MC in through dialogue. Hamlet for example starts after his father's death and characters make reference to it.

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

No. You could simply fill the MC in through dialogue. Hamlet for example starts after his father's death and characters make reference to it.

Hamlet is Medias Res. Because he actually has connection to other characters and he isn't seeing everything for the first time. The plot started prior to the death, an important part of the story and its direction.
What you and the other have got is more like saying a world war is going on, and starting at first entrance of our MC into affecting anything involving the world war, it is Medias Res.
That's not how it works. The actual story started with the first entrance, all of what was covered starts with the first entrance, therefore it is ab initio.

 

[Deleted member 113259]

Hamlet is Medias Res. Because he actually has connection to other characters and he isn't seeing everything for the first time. The plot started prior to the death, an important part of the story and its direction.
What you and the other have got is more like saying a world war is going on, and starting at first entrance of our MC into affecting anything involving the world war, it is Medias Res.
That's not how it works. The actual story started with the first entrance, all of what was covered starts with the first entrance, therefore it is ab initio.

Johnny Fernandez is actually MC's father.

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

Johnny Fernandez is actually MC's father.

You are still conflating a fully fleshed out background world with medias res. They often go hand-in-hand, BUT one DOES NOT lead to another. Johnny Fernandez being the MC's father just means there is some intrigue fleshed out in the background, not that it is medias res.

 

[Deleted member 113259]

You are still conflating a fully fleshed out background world with medias res. They often go hand-in-hand, BUT one DOES NOT lead to another. Johnny Fernandez being the MC's father just means there is some intrigue fleshed out in the background, not that it is medias res.

Nah Johnny Fernandez has a fully fleshed out background.

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

Nah Johnny Fernandez has a fully fleshed out background.

...
So? Just in case you missed it, I will repeat again: fleshed-out background does not equate to medias res on a one-to-one basis.

That proves my point that you are conflating background with medias res. In fact, that directly shows that I am right in that you've fallen into that pitfall.

 

[Deleted member 113259]

...
So? Just in case you missed it, I will repeat again: fleshed-out background does not equate to medias res on a one-to-one basis.

That proves my point that you are conflating background with medias res. In fact, that directly shows that I am right in that you've fallen into that pitfall.

You haven't actually said what medias res is.

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

You haven't actually said what medias res is.

T.K. Paradox did. Do you not know what it is (in other words, you made the accusations without knowing nor reading T.K. Paradox's thread) that you need me to specify?
I will specify for you regardless, copy and pasting from the first sentence of a Wikipedia site.
A narrative work beginning in medias res opens in the midst of the plot

 

[Deleted member 113259]

T.K. Paradox did. Do you not know what it is (in other words, you made the accusations without knowing nor reading T.K. Paradox's thread) that you need me to specify?
I will specify for you regardless, copy and pasting from the first sentence of a Wikipedia site.
A narrative work beginning in medias res opens in the midst of the plot

Oh, I thought it was going to be different to what my thing was. Yeah, the Johnny Fernandez thing opens in the midst of the plot. Johnny is attacking the city in the first scene with no setup.

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

Oh, I thought it was going to be different to what my thing was. Yeah, the Johnny Fernandez thing opens in the midst of the plot. Johnny is attacking the city in the first scene with no setup.

No... the attack is the start of the plot. Mystery is not synonymous with plot progression. Again, unless Johnny is the second MC, in this case it counts as medias res for him, not the lazy MC you've been talking about.

 

[Deleted member 113259]

No... the attack is the start of the plot. Mystery is not synonymous with plot progression. Again, unless Johnny is the second MC, in this case it counts as medias res for him, not the lazy MC you've been talking about.

Johnny is the third MC.

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

Johnny is the third MC.

I tried, but from (checks thread) your second comment, I have had the sinking suspicion that you are just trolling me rather than participating in an actual argument. You have had zero conviction, and are just adding hypotheticals, examples, and further parts to your story piece meal. You have done nothing to prove my numerous reasons, as to why it isn't medias res, wrong. Instead, you are simply stringing me along.

I'm leaving for a shower, troll.