Help with a Contest

[Will-Mun]

Well, it's not really a contest... Lemmie explain.

I am a Writer, amature... Hope to some day make it a profession. I was talking with a friend the other day, and she heard this... And suggested I hone my craft in the National Novel Writing Month. NaNoWriMo is a sort of challenge for amature writers to finish a 50,000 word novel in one month. It's essentially just so writers can get passed the blocks in writing a book... You know, editing, writers block, disinterest.

Anyway, I have a problem, and so I don't have to retype it, I'll put the posts here.


"My problem is starting. My original idea was "Massive" a story taking place completely within a fictional MMO, (Massive Multiplayer Online Game). Now, when I say story, I mean vague concept, I really don't know whats gonna happen, or if I can get a comprehensive story off the ground... Thats the problem.

I have another idea... Kinda, a vague concept of Unlikely Hero fighting off a swarm of Aliens/Monsters in the sense of Half Life, the Romero Zombie Flicks, and Alien. I think it'll be easier to bang out a story since thats a much more linear concept...

But I really don't know what to do, go with my original idea, which I feel is a bit more... Unique but may be difficult to develop an actual story, or the Sci-Fi fluff that'll be easier to get from beginning to end, but may be harder to give actual depth?"

Someone responded, and suggested I write both, or combine the stories into one...

"That... won't exactly work. They're two different stories. One is a sort of parody and satire of Multiplyer communities. Looking at how Role Players, Power Gamers, PVP enthusiasts, and other niches of MMO Gamers form one community. One is about a single man, or men, placed in an environment where they must fight against creatures unknown to survive.

Ones a social commentary, one's Sci-fi action. They don't really mix.

And as for writing both, aside from the fact that my brain would hemorrhage from the stress of trying to write TWO Novels by the end of the month, would I even be able to? My word count only keeps the count of one story...

I'm really asking is if I should go with the unique story that may be hard to write but will be a lot more meaningful, or the fluff story that'll be pretty easy, but will most likely come out rather cliché and read like a Half Life fan-fiction? (Not that theres anything wrong with fan-fiction, thats just not what I'm here to write.)

Help? I'm two days in with nothing written. One way or another, even if I have to flip a coin, I'm gonna pick one and start writing tomorrow damn it... But I really DO want some opinions here."

Got a bunch of replies, seemed a lot of people figured I didn't like the Sci-Fi story

"

Heh, well thanks for all the replies. Seems like you've all got some great opinions here... But maybe I put myself in the wrong position... I would love writing the Schi-Fi fluff, because I would MAKE it have depth, and meaning. That and I am a huge fan of sci-fi action.

It's just the 'easier' story, the one that almost writes itself... The one most people will think is a load of manly manly chest ponding and alien splatter, but after reading will change their minds.

The thing is I was really into this MMO idea, it's just a very large undertaking. I have to develop an entire fictional MMO, what genre, the Arch Types, the powers, the style... All that stuff, then there's the difficulty in the fact we never see the characters, only their avatars.

I think at this point I'm gonna do the Sci-Fi story... Maybe tuck Massive away as a big project for the future. But I'm not decided yet, and I have a couple hours before I wanna start writing, so more opinions please! Two stories that I WOULD love to write, ones unique, ones a bit cliche."

Then someone basically just told me to write the one I'm comfortable with.

"

Heh, I get what you're saying, but I really do want to write both... Just a matter of deciding, it's getting to my deadline, the time I said I would start writing no matter what, so I will be choosing. I just don't want to get halfway through one, and start getting GREAT ideas for the other.

See, this is what my problem is, once I start? I'll probably have no problem... You know aside from the basics of writers block and my Inner Editor screaming at me for letting a rather lame piece of dialog get out. But starting is always the hardest, staring at that blank whiteness... Unknowing of what to write, how to start... That fist line, the most important line in any story... "It was a dark and stormy night" will get you killed... So how to start the story with a grasping line!

After that it's pie.

Still looking for opinions for a short time more."

So...Before I make my decision and start, what do you guys think? :D

[Rapscallion]

You have to have two qualities for writing a story that people want to read. The first is an ability to write without annoying your reader - overblown prose irritates many, some hate short, clipped sentences; whatever suits and works for you, I guess. The other is that you need a story behind the scenes.

There are several basic tales behind what you are writing. Coming of age is a good, old standard - The Belgariad springs to mind. Authority and how you deal with it is another - Starship Troopers. Some really good tales involve many elements - Star Wars has the coming of age section down pat, but then there's the authority of Yoda being challenged by Luke running off and facing the dark side, and who can forget the old Western cliche of "I'm looking for the man who shot my pa."? Of course, this in turn became "Luke, I am your father," but the concept is there.

The story about the MMORPG - fine, you can play off the various types, and that would be fun, but what are you telling your readers? That people who play games obsessively don't have real lives? A good way to do that would be to meet up at a real life (from the game perspective) convention. The message would be that you can't succeed in too many areas - dabblers would have time to date and woo the opposite sex, whereas those who sleep at their keyboards would ... stink. It's stereotypes, but people recognise them.

Rapscallion

[Jester]

NaNoWriMo is a sort of challenge for amature writers to finish a 50,000 word novel in one month. It's essentially just so writers can get passed the blocks in writing a book... You know, editing, writers block, disinterest.

But I really don't know what to do, go with my original idea, which I feel is a bit more... Unique but may be difficult to develop an actual story, or the Sci-Fi fluff that'll be easier to get from beginning to end, but may be harder to give actual depth?"

As often is the case, the answer to your question is in the question itself.

The whole idea of NaNoWriMo is to get writers WRITING. Forget for a moment about which may be the better concept. Ask yourself which one are you going to actually be able to WRITE in a month? To me the answer seems obvious: go for the fluff. Yes, the other story may seem like a great idea to you, and perhaps it is, but that is one that is going to take a lot more out of you, a lot more creativity, a lot more work than you can probably do WELL in the time frame you have. Also, knocking out the fluff story will probably give you confidence and, more importantly, some good ideas for the original idea. If and when THAT happens, jot down the general idea in a separate place, so you can come back to it later when you actually get down to working out the more conceptual piece.

I know, I know, you don't really want to just knock out fluff. Well, make the fluff story good. Write it as well as you can. Don't just "knock it out." The important thing here is to get it written, right? Right. So get it written, then. And then, once this is over, take a new look at your concept piece, and work on that....and if it really is as good as you think it is, take your TIME on that one. Quality cannot be rushed.

An old quote I have heard goes something like this: "You can get something good, you can get something fast, or you can get something cheap. You might be able to get two of them. You aren't going to get all three. So choose which two you want."

[Rahmota]

Well here's an idea just kinda stupid and off the wall but how you might combine the two ideas. have the person playing the MMOG but it actually be a reality crossing thing where his actions affect the player who is the one fighting the alien zombie horde of doom. Or whatever. Like I said its a goofy stupid idea.

But there are books written on stranger thigns. *shrug*

Good luck with that and just try and find your written voice and someone might like it if you can get a big enough audience/distribution. But another phrase to recall is "you can please some of the people some of the time but not all of the people all of the time"... OR somethign like that.

[Soulstealer]

I've never really liked NaNoWriMo. They seem to care more about being able to get a word count than developing a story. Good writing is about developing your plot and getting it to readers. Anyone can have a good idea or write enough words but that by itself won't make a story good.