writing help

[safda]

This doesn't necessarily have to do with fanfiction, but writing in general...
I used to write A LOT, and my stories were pretty good (if i may say so myself ^_^), but they would always fall out because I could never keep them in my head. I recently got an "idea" that I think has promise but holding on to it is like trying to hold water in my hands. Is there something that I can do to make sure it doesn't go away?

[Leader Desslock]

Write it down as soon as possible. Doesn't have to be finished prose - just write the ideas, thoughts, related concepts and other important things down in a stream of consciousness. Keep a notebook (or a Word Doc) open for just such an emergency, and add to it whenever anything new comes to you. You can sit through the debris latter; while it's in your head, just pour it out for future reference. This'll help you stick to your idea or restructure it later if you need to do so.

If you wait until you can sit own and write real prose, you'll probably forget the idea. Either that or you'll forget some aspect of the idea that made it 'cool' to begin with. That's annoying.

Also - and I'm sure you know this - don't take the story changine out from underneath you to be a sign that the original idea 'fell out'. The fact that the story seems to have a life of its own is often a good thing. Just let the story go where it will. Some of my best work has come out on its own, quite indifferent to the original ideas I had planned. That works better for short fiction or scenes than for novels, obviously, but you get the idea.

[safda]

Thanks a bunch, I'll start writing stuff down NOW.

[Gatomon]

Ideas are always a great start to a story.
Like Desslock said. write it down!
I sometimes just have the idea and then I develop the framework to the story.
For me I'm what you would call a Free writer. I just go from the start and after a post I consider where I'm going and write some more.

Here is a small post from my newest story.
The College?

Things in life never seemed fair.
Maze watched others constantly Jump ahead in all aspects of life.
Friends would show up with the Best toys and more.
"What did I do to deserve this" She thought.
Maze was not a Brilliant person. She did get B's and some A's at school.
But, like everything else she watches others get the same or better grades with little or no effort.
She still perservered at her school.
Maze was Athletic in her own way. Limber and tough she always did well in Physical education. She never was the Top student but she was at least respected.
Many of her classmates would call her a "Tomboy"
Growing up in Middle Class America was Trying for here parents.
With Dad always working and Mom doing her Part time job to make ends meet.
Maze often found herself at home alone. Even her Brother was rarely home.
Not that she minded. She would always find company with the Neighbor kids.
Sadly they all were boys. This had done its change on her over the years. having to be Tough and tumble made her what she was.
After a couple of years Even Maze's mom stopped bothering with Buying her "Girl's clothes."
Not untill Maze started changing into a woman did any of the boys even give her any attention.
Still Maze would wear jeans, tennis shoes and T'shirts. When she reached her senior year in Highschool Maze still seemed under the Radar of the boys.
Few girls were her firends and most of the boys had moved on to the more attrractive girls.

"Why me." Maze said standing infront of her Bathroom mirror.
She studied her Plain looks. Her black hair. Even shoulder legnth. Seemed to do nothing for her Feminity. She looks at her Farmer tan from wearing shorts and t-shirts and sighs.
Maze puts on her Bra. Dispite her being under the boys attention she had ample Atributes. Her figure was well proportioned. From her C-cup bra to her nice figure.
Dressing she pulls on her jeans and baggy t-shirt. She heads down to the kitchen for breakfast.
Maze finds her mother still home and sitting at the table.