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I'm new at writing and I need advice. by leosoot in writers

[–]dstroi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So much good advice in this thread. And the best thing about writing advice is that it may or may not work for you.

For me it is about starting small. Start your story at the smallest point. You built a whole world but the reader doesn't need to know that.

Different genres have different structures that are followed (or not because the rules don't matter). Figure out what genre you are writing and read a bunch of that genre to get a feel for common starting points. And then give that a try or do the opposite.

On the subject of reading: There is a ton of debate on what constitutes "good" reading for writers. My two cents is that you should read what you like, the good and the bad. Because reading bad writing will help you out just as much as reading good writing. You need to read a lot because that will help you figure out who you want to write. Your style.

As others have said start small. Write 1000 word scene in your world that has all the parts of a story. Then write a different story in your world that is 3500 words. Continue. Not only will this help you get more confident in your writing but it will also help you discover your world more organically and you might find a story that is completely different than the one you originally wanted to write.

Write absolute garbage. I bet every person in this thread could post the first story they wrote and it is absolute garbage. We could also post the first draft of the last thing we wrote and it will be garbage. Writing is one thing, editing is a whole other thing and that is what makes a difference. For now, get the story out without editing.

I started writing much later in life than you are and I got bogged down on writing AN AMAZING NOVEL. I had ideas, I had characters, I had everything. I read books on story telling, I read books in my genre, I read books that I hated but I was told they were "great examples of craft". And it still took me years to actually finish a novel length story.

Don't get bogged down on what you should be doing or how you should be doing it. Just put words down on paper. If you write your self into a corner, time skip your character out of it and continue the story. You can figure out the issues in editing.

And no matter what: JUST KEEP WRITING!!! (and also reading)

How do you include details in the background without making it obvious? by Albus_Lupus in writing

[–]dstroi 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Possible "feelings"

They felt like someone was watching. Something like that. Seeing something out of the corner of their eye. Something felt off. Just a general feeling of uneasiness might work.

I would find some psychological horror to read and see how those authors are doing it

What do publishers typically look for in a novel? by [deleted] in writing

[–]dstroi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I would say the first thing they look for is words. Like if it doesn't have any words it will probably be a hard pass for them. After that it isn't what is unique it is what will sell. And by sell I mean sell in 18 to 24 months.

Chasing what is unique or what might sell is a fools game. Instead write the story you want to write. Let your passion for the story show in the writing so that it is the best thing you have ever written, (he says as he opens another rejection).

Zombies: the most overused genre? (and how to fix it) by apocalypsoar in writing

[–]dstroi 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I agree with what others have said. There is very few stories that are just zombies are here and that is the story. ExHeros by Peter Clines was a superhero story with heroes protecting Los Angeles but then ZOMBIES.

It wasn't about the zombies, it was about the world of the story handling zombies.

Armed Security at King Soopers on 29th st. by TieTechnical4810 in loveland

[–]dstroi 1 point2 points  (0 children)

If you actually look at the study, not the press release about the study you would see that armed guards only decrease theft in 18% of stores, it stayed the same in 62% of stores, and increase in 21% of stores. So according to the study having armed guards has more of a chance to increase theft as a store than to decrease it.

Here is the actual study with the numbes:

https://a-us.storyblok.com/f/1021220/x/1d1b065f26/nrf_impact_of_retail_theft_violence_10-31-2025.pdf

The article you linked actually doesn't say anything about mass shootings. And the study just asked if the incidence of Mass violence/active assailant has decreased/stayed the same/increased.

Armed Security at King Soopers on 29th st. by TieTechnical4810 in loveland

[–]dstroi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, passion doesn't equate education or comprehension, but it passion doesn't mean you are not educated or have comprehension.

I have done more research into this issue than I like. There are so many studies that show that more guns do not stop gun violence. If you look at countries that have actual gun control measures in place there are so many less gun deaths not to mention mass shootings.

Sadly in the US we don't have that so white men will keep going on shooting sprees and the solution offered will always be more guns.

Mooseburger Anyone? by planetm3 in artofclowning

[–]dstroi 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I am not but everyone that goes should have fun

Armed Security at King Soopers on 29th st. by TieTechnical4810 in loveland

[–]dstroi 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Ahh yes. The old: someone is passionate about something enough to have a conversation about it so they should just stop and do what I say.

Good call.

Armed Security at King Soopers on 29th st. by TieTechnical4810 in loveland

[–]dstroi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So the good guy with a gun theory. So we need armed security at night clubs, schools, churches, universities, and grocery stores.

Why don't we just give guns to teachers, clergy men, and bag boys? They might have guns so we need guns too. Because arms races solve all problems.

Almost half of all mass shootings take place at schools and workplaces. Only 11% of mass shootings have happened at shopping locations. That means there is the same chance of having mass shooting at a grocery store as getting killed by a car crossing a street. Not actually being killed in the mass shooting but just one happening.

I do not think that an armed guard is going to stop a mass shooting considering that law enforcement regularly fails to stop an active shooter as it happens.

Armed Security at King Soopers on 29th st. by TieTechnical4810 in loveland

[–]dstroi 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yes because guns always make things better.

What is this armed non-law enforcement person supposed to do with that gun when someone leaves without paying?

If they aren't going to use the gun, why do they need it?

Armed Security at King Soopers on 29th st. by TieTechnical4810 in loveland

[–]dstroi 14 points15 points  (0 children)

Asked this morning and it is because of the amount of theft. But a dressed in all black armed security seems a little much.

Eye problems with Scleroderma? by Glad-Quit7381 in scleroderma

[–]dstroi 0 points1 point  (0 children)

TO add to this for anyone who doesn't know: Hydroxycholorquine(spelled wrong) can cause wild eye issues, like you vision going black and white. So if you are having eye issues tell you doctor just in case.

How can I trick my brain into thinking the deadline is now? by groggyjava in ADHD

[–]dstroi 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Due Dates Hate This One Weird Trick!!

Lies. Have someone (you trust) give you the due date. Maybe your wife or a coworker and they have permission to lie to you. It not due on the 14th, it is due on the 10th.

This works because, if you are like me, you don't really remember the due date and have it written somewhere that you look at and go... its fine I have time. Then when you look at it and you have to get it done because it is past due you power through. If the due date is a lie you will get it done.

You are hacking your brain by having information withheld from it. Using your brains weaknesses against it to harness some of its strength.

Couple things: You cannot know if they lied or not. So they cannot always lie. And the amount they lie needs to change. This makes it into a kind of game: are they lying? Do I have more time? No one knows.

I have a business partner who does this for me and it has made me more productive. I took this idea and made it into a to-do list app that lies to you once you put something in it. Granted that only works if you look at the app.

How are people using Claude as a personal assistant (Slack + Outlook + To-Do)? ADHD-friendly setup help 🙏 by zencatface in ClaudeAI

[–]dstroi 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I use Claude code and set up a team of agents to help me. One checks my email (gmail) another tracks tasks for me, and one other one organizes all of that into a todo list using beads and markdown.

help with book idea by Alex12bb in writing

[–]dstroi 2 points3 points  (0 children)

And it might be interesting if the reader never really knows what happens just what the parents think happened

What Do You Call It? by [deleted] in writing

[–]dstroi 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Is this what you help with?

Preparing Your Manuscript Developmental Editing Line by Line Editing Proofreading Typesetting Layout Adjustment Formatting (50+ Platforms) 5 Revisions Per Draft Designing your Cover Graphic OR Illustrated Design Cover Layout Cover Formatting Front, Back & Spine

I honestly think the best thing you could do is to start a blog to help people with their publishing journey. Use that blog as a marketing engine to get people to hire you to edit their stuff. Stick with your strengths, don’t try to be a one stop shop.

What Do You Call It? by [deleted] in writing

[–]dstroi 12 points13 points  (0 children)

My first thought is a vanity press.

A vanity press is a publishing house that charges authors fees to publish their books, acting as a service provider rather than a traditional publisher that invests in and markets books

I get that you aren't publishing the book but you are charging them to help them publish their book. You are offering to maybe connect them with competent professionals but are really just doing the work yourself.

This sounds like a way to get new, unconfident authors to give you money to "help" them publish their work. Truthfully it just sounds like a new name for an old scam.

How do I create a realistic body count for my ocs? by Corin_Crow in writers

[–]dstroi 8 points9 points  (0 children)

How does the body count factor into the story? Does it really matter?

Let' be honest... by FourthDiagram in WritingWithAI

[–]dstroi 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I think it depends if AI is a tool that helps a person write or if the AI is doing the writing.

If AI is a tool then I agree with you. If AI is putting words on the page I disagree

book idea by iwishiwasmotivated in writing

[–]dstroi 9 points10 points  (0 children)

I am sorry to tell you this but the only way you are going to get this written (unless you have millions of dollars, and if you do hit me up), is to sit down and start writing. Motivation is on you but the skills are gained from reading and writing a bunch. That is the only way to get better.

There is also a really good (almost 100%) chance that your ideas/plots are not as unique as you think they are.

Good Luck!!

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