# I have something to ask...



## Cyprus X (Sep 26, 2009)

Okay, I'm a beginner writer on FA. I'm brainstorming my story and I got my plot down at least.  But what's stopping me from typing is me being so nervous about my writing ability.  Like, will the plot make sense? Am I using the correct vocabulary? And will my story catch viewers?

It's bothering to the highest degree!  How the heck do you writers submit your chapters and poems without being nervous? Please tell me!


----------



## TakeWalker (Sep 26, 2009)

We know that, should there be major flaws, our peers will gladly point them out to us. :V Submit away, brave wanderer, without fear that the glaring mistakes in your writing will be overlooked, for they shall not! Soldier forth into this brave new world of posting your writing online! For glory! For victory! For the potatoes! Do it for baby Jesus! For eternal wealth!


----------



## Cyprus X (Sep 26, 2009)

TakeWalker said:


> Soldier forth into this brave new world of posting your writing online! For glory! For victory! For the potatoes! Do it for baby Jesus! For eternal wealth!



Lol, that was pretty good words of encouragement! XD

I feel a bit better since I'm not the only one worrying about it. I'll give it a shot, thx!


----------



## Whistling Otter (Sep 26, 2009)

Failure is only failure if you fail to learn from mistakes.  Try to keep that in mind. =)
Good luck, though, too!  And have some fun with it!  I'd like to read it when you're finished, if you don't mind. ^^


----------



## Murphy Z (Sep 26, 2009)

Anonyminity helps. 

Most everyone was probably nervous before submitting their first story, but somehow in their own way got over it. Remember you can change anything you submit, so mistakes aren't set in stone here.


----------



## M. LeRenard (Sep 26, 2009)

I don't let that kind of thing bother me because I know there's always somebody worse.  The fact that you care about those kinds of things means you're already ahead of about 60% of the writers on this site.


----------



## VÃ¶lf (Sep 26, 2009)

Don't bother with edits until you've got the story down, first off.

Next, don't worry about it. I just put it up without much worry about what other people thought. and besides, not too many people will likely read it right off anyways... of course, you can ask for critique on the forums, but, that's a different game you can play whenever you're ready


----------



## Cyprus X (Sep 26, 2009)

Hmm, I see. Yeah, worrying about it and accepting failure won't get me anywhere :\
Thanks for the help guys. Imma get this story started


----------



## panzergulo (Sep 27, 2009)

I'm a Finn. Who writes in English. I tell my stories in my second tongue. I know my English is seriously lacking, if not in spelling, then in grammar, or in vocabulary. And still, I am able to submit my stories without fear. And I have even been able to gather some sort of minor popularity. Grammar and spelling and such are one thing, but often just the ability to tell a story in an entertaining way means more than anything else. So, you should be able to do it even easier.

Don't worry. You'll get hang of it.


----------



## Atrak (Sep 30, 2009)

I'm just pretty much incapable of worrying  . It's just that nothing bothers me much, anymore. Here's a prime example: on the day of my high school graduation, I didn't even have a gown. Wasn't worried  . Ten minutes before graduation, I had a gown, but then I found out I couldn't walk without dress pants and dress shoes. Didn't worry me  . After graduation, I had to return the gown I borrowed from someone who didn't come to graduation, the shoes to JROTC, and the dress pants to the principal XD.
Anyway, yes, your stories will probably suck, at first. But they will get better. That is the good part. If you are perfect to begin with, what's the point in trying to improve yourself? There isn't one. Here:
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2810064
That is the first story I wrote that was over 8 pages long. I wrote it in June/July of 2009. It was the first story I'd written in years, and the first with more than a single digit in the number of pages  . Read it. It's not very good, but I hopefully improved in the next three. I free write, which means I don't plan my stories out, or at least, I have very minimal planning. I pretty much just sat down and wrote. The story comes out, one way or another  .
You should try that. Just sit down and start typing. Don't think about what you're typing, just type. You'd be surprised at what you can come up with that way  .


----------



## ShÃ nwÃ ng (Sep 30, 2009)

Cyprus X said:


> Okay, I'm a beginner writer on FA. I'm brainstorming my story and I got my plot down at least.  But what's stopping me from typing is me being so nervous about my writing ability.  Like, will the plot make sense? Am I using the correct vocabulary? And will my story catch viewers?
> 
> It's bothering to the highest degree!  How the heck do you writers submit your chapters and poems without being nervous? Please tell me!



Forget worrying about viewers, hundreds of stories are posted every day that get barely any views at all. If it bugs you that much, make an icon that'll catch their eye.

Honestly, if you're a beginning writer then just writing will do you good. As you produce more stories you'll start to get a feel for your style, the kind of vocabulary that works and will get a better sense of tying your stories together. There's nothing to be worried about. Your personal information isn't on any of your documents, neither is your name, nor would be your pseudonym unless you included any of that information. It's an anonymous process. And since FA users are unlikely to be rude unless prompted you shouldn't have anything to worry about in terms of people being mercilessly harsh on your story.


----------



## Cyprus X (Oct 1, 2009)

Sorry Atlatnica is too much fun..

Anyways, let's recap here



atrakaj said:


> I free write, which means I don't plan my stories out, or at least, I have very minimal planning. I pretty much just sat down and wrote. The story comes out, one way or another  .
> You should try that. Just sit down and start typing. Don't think about what you're typing, just type. You'd be surprised at what you can come up with that way  .




I gotta admit you're right about the free typing.  It was a nice idea   Actually improve my creativity a bit.  But here's the thing: I have a wild imagination.  It's a nice thing for story writing, BUT, the bad thing is putting that virtual idea onto a piece of paper.  Grammer That's actually part my the problem of me worrying about my submissions.  Then worrying is something I need to get rid of right now. Stressing on things won't get me anywhere like I said before.  Learned that the hard way. 



Bowtoid_Obelisk said:


> Honestly, if you're a beginning writer then just writing will do you good. As you produce more stories you'll start to get a feel for your style, the kind of vocabulary that works and will get a better sense of tying your stories together. There's nothing to be worried about. Your personal information isn't on any of your documents, neither is your name, nor would be your pseudonym unless you included any of that information. It's an anonymous process. And since FA users are unlikely to be rude unless prompted you shouldn't have anything to worry about in terms of people being mercilessly harsh on your story.



Very much changed me how I feel about the FA users that comment. I read a few stories here and there and so far I did not see one bad comment. I kept thinking about how they'll react from it every time I write each sentence in my story (I know, it's pretty stupid of me to think that). You can tell how low my self esteem is...



panzergulo said:


> I'm a Finn. Who writes in English. I tell my stories in my second tongue. I know my English is seriously lacking, if not in spelling, then in grammar, or in vocabulary. And still, I am able to submit my stories without fear. And I have even been able to gather some sort of minor popularity. Grammar and spelling and such are one thing, but often just the ability to tell a story in an entertaining way means more than anything else. So, you should be able to do it even easier.
> 
> Don't worry. You'll get hang of it.



And plus, your personal experience is interesting. You using a second language to write your stories and no fear came in mind. Lol here I am bitching and worrying about submitting!

Thanks all for the assist. I believe I got all the info I need to start submitting some chapters!


----------



## Atrak (Oct 1, 2009)

> I gotta admit you're right about the free typing.  It was a nice idea :grin: Actually improve my creativity a bit. But here's the thing: I have a wild imagination. It's a nice thing for story writing, BUT, the bad thing is putting that virtual idea onto a piece of paper. Grammer That's actually part my the problem of me worrying about my submissions. Then worrying is something I need to get rid of right now. Stressing on things won't get me anywhere like I said before. Learned that the hard way. :sad:



Well, I'm really good with grammar, so I have no problems with it. However, if you are really that concerned, you can always show it to some friends on here who can proofread it for you.


----------



## Cyprus X (Oct 1, 2009)

True I can do that


----------



## Volpino (Oct 1, 2009)

For me, writing is more like watching TV than it is like drawing a picture. I don't generally experience large amounts of fear directly concerned with watching a movie. The movie might be scary, but if I'm scared, it's what's happening in the movie that frightens me, not the simple fact that I'm watching a movie. Making some sense? Probably not. =P

If you're afraid that you're writing junk, then I guarantee, you're probably writing junk and it has nothing to do with how good of a writer you are. It has to do with the fact that you're afraid.

â€œFear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.â€ and bad writing. 

For me, I don't write stories. I create characters and sets. I make up my stage and watch to see what happens. It's fun. And when I'm done recording what I witnessed, I throw it out in as much traffic as I can and hope it doesn't become road kill.

Here, I don't think you have to worry much about in the way of road kill, but... Even were your story to be badly received, even if the trolls and flame-throwers come up from the depths of lowest hell (often pronounced "vanity publishing"), then well, you have an excellent opportunity to learn how to get better.

It's a sad truth that often our enemies do more to help us in our personal growth, then our truest friends. Let's see this work of wonder of yours. I'm ready, even though I don't own a red pen.


----------



## Atrak (Oct 1, 2009)

Interesting way of doing it, Vupino.


----------



## GraemeLion (Oct 2, 2009)

Free typing is a solid way to get words down on paper, but it's likely you'll throw away more than you use.

What I would suggest is focusing on scenes.  "Grow" your novel, as Sol Stein says.  Start small, and work into something bigger.  

Write the opening scene, some middle cliffhanger type scene (your end of Act Two scene, maybe), and the ending scene. Congratulations.  You now know where you're starting, what you're going through, and where you're ending. 

Everything else is filling the blanks in.


----------



## SailorYue (Oct 2, 2009)

well... in fiction, nothing makes sense. but if it makes sense in the univere you create than its OK. its like when authors make universes where vampires, wherewolves and shapeshifters co-exist with humans.. if you follow the rules of the game, it can make sense.

am i making any sense >.O


----------



## Cyprus X (Oct 2, 2009)

You're making total sense I understood it well


----------



## VÃ¶lf (Oct 3, 2009)

yep, very true


----------

