Talira Greycrest
Troll in Chains
Registered: 01-2018
Location: Waterfall City, Dinotopia
Posts: 22
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Assistance required
I'm often told that my stories are boring and my characters are too basic. Can anyone give me some tips on how I can develop more interesting and complex stories as well as building bigger and better characters?
--- Breathe deep, seek peace
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2/12/2018, 9:05 am
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Firlefanz
Lady of the Land
Registered: 05-2003
Location: Germany
Posts: 6984
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Re: Assistance required
1) Read in your genre. Read lots. Watch what the author does, how the adventures are structured and how the author handles his or her characters. Watch for the overall story arc, as well.
2) Watch and observe
Even if you're writing fantasy, your characters will mostly be people, or based on people - since that's who we as readers relate to.
Watch people. Listen to how they talk (both in real life and TV). Observe how they move, what they look at, how they react. The more familiar you are with people, the easier it gets to write them convincingly.
3) Write lots.
Some people prefer starting out with short stories. Those usually have only one or two characters to handle and the story arc itself is short and simple.
Novels are obviously bigger, demand more character growth and much more material than a short story. The evolution from short story to novel, however, isn't truly linear. It is also a bit of a different mindset.
So write lots, and many parts of writing will get easier with practice.
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2/12/2018, 10:57 am
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Joxcenia
Squire
Runboard staff member
Registered: 11-2005
Location: Whoosher House
Posts: 710
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Re: Assistance required
You can also check out the websites of the authors you love best, and see if they have any writing tips posted there.
---
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2/13/2018, 5:04 am
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PaulKater
Journeyman
Registered: 05-2019
Posts: 80
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Re: Assistance required
An idea would be to write short biographies for your most important characters. Give them a background, a life of their own, and refer to those things in the story.
I don't know if your commenters told you 'what' makes your stories boring. It always helps to put readers on a side track and make them think that's the main track, to slap them back on the road after a while.
--- My English books and stuff: https://www.paulkater.com
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5/19/2019, 12:07 pm
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Firlefanz
Lady of the Land
Registered: 05-2003
Location: Germany
Posts: 6984
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Re: Assistance required
By now, Talira is no longer a member of this board.
She got on my last nerve by demanding assistance and posting inane stuff instead of actually interacting with people here.
Thanks for trying to help her anyway.
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5/20/2019, 5:22 am
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PaulKater
Journeyman
Registered: 05-2019
Posts: 80
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Re: Assistance required
Right-o.
Perhaps there is a way to lock this topic then?
--- My English books and stuff: https://www.paulkater.com
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5/20/2019, 4:01 pm
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Firlefanz
Lady of the Land
Registered: 05-2003
Location: Germany
Posts: 6984
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Re: Assistance required
*facepalm*
Yes, there is. Good idea.
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5/21/2019, 5:37 pm
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