Re: Questions for those who write fan fiction

[Andy Stoffel <see2go4me@xxxxxxxxx>]

--- janet <icekream71@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Is writing (story telling) an inate ability or is it something
> that can be taught? 

[IMHO of course] Writing is a skill you can learn. You can also
learn to tell stories. It's the ability to sling together words,
ideas, sentences, etc. into a COMPELLING story that is a talent
not everyone has (I write fan fiction but I haven't done enough
of it to know yet if I'll ever get beyond the mechanics into
something that requires/displays talent.)

And someone with lousy writing mechanics can be a good story
teller. The two don't always go together in the beginning.

> I have so many story ideas in my head 

That's a good start... 

> but when I sit down to try and put those thoughts into 
> words I come up blank. 

I don't think you can force it to come out without a lot of
practice. Of course, a "professional" writer who doesn't eat if
they don't write has probably learned that particular skill...
but if you don't have a compelling reason to write...

I can go days or weeks between writing stories and suddenly a
few thousand words will come flying out... while other people
are cosntantly writing... the words just pour out and they can't
stop. And while quantity is not always a hallmark of quality,
the more you write the better it SHOULD get.

> So I am considering taking some creative writing courses 
> to see if that could possibly help me organize my thoughts
> into writing.

Can't judge the usefulness of that myself. The only creative
writing class I've ever taken was a waste of everyone's time.

>   Also I have considered emailing some of my favorite fan fic
> authors with my story ideas in hopes that they could write
> some of my stories if I give them a basic outline.  But would
> that be considered rude espcaially since so many of them have
> unfinished stories they r working on. 

As someone who has a growing list of story ideas I'll never do
much with (there's a list on my blog on my fanfic page) one more
idea might be amusing but would have to be a lot better than
anything I've already got going (ideas or Wip's) for me
(speaking personally) to spend any time on it. And like I said,
I haven't written a lot... just imagine how many ideas someone
who has been writing for years might have lying around.

To get someone to look at your ideas they're going to have to be
something special...

The challenge idea suggested by someone else might be your best
bet... if you don't feel up to it yourself.

And of course advice is often worth what you paid for it :-).

-Andy-



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