Seeking Guidance on Writing Challenges

[Smile369]

Dear Esteemed Seniors,

I hope this message finds you well.

I would appreciate your insights regarding a few challenges I am facing as a new writer. For several months, I have been diligently planning various aspects of my fantasy novel, including world-building, magic systems, character development, themes, and plot structure.

However, when I attempt to write, I find myself at a standstill. The difficulty does not stem from how to begin my story; rather, I struggle to translate my imagination onto the page effectively. I suspect this may be related to my proficiency in English, as it is not my first language. I would greatly appreciate any advice on how to overcome this obstacle.

Additionally, during the revision process for publication, I have noticed that my chapters often do not feel self-contained. As I introduce new elements, they inadvertently alter the overall theme of the chapter, necessitating revisions of earlier sections. This cycle continues as my pre-planned concepts—such as character arcs, plot points, and world-building—emerge in my mind whenever I write something new. While it may seem that I am uncertain about my story's direction, I assure you this is not the case.

Thank you for your time and guidance in advance.

Best regards,
[Smile 369]

Mysteries Concealed in Shadows

In 'Mysteries Concealed in Shadows,' a world electrified by the ancient force of metallic energy teeters on the edge of chaos. As kingdoms flourish, they remain blissfully unaware of the mythological beings—once the rulers of the earth—awakening from their slumber, driven by a thirst for...

www.scribblehub.com

 

[Bobple]

That is a challenge even for people with English as one their first languages. I don't have any perfect solutions. But it is something a lot of writers face and many how solutions that only worked for them.

One way is too just wing it, just write it, it may not perfect but it easier to improve it later than spending hours finding the perfect way to explain it.
Two could just be having a dictionary or thesaurus to help you find the words you need. E.g https://www.onelook.com/thesaurus/

 

[MajorKerina]

One thing I've tried you can do is use an LLM and just ramble at it about all the things you want the story to contain and how you see the scene and what it looks like and what's happening and whatever pops into your head. It will listen to all that and put out a version which is not really good but it gives you a starting point for how you want to assemble all of that. It's like coughing up bones from your imagination and the AI can jam those bones together into a weird creature but with that beginning figure you can rearrange the bones so that you can get a hold on turning it into shape you want and then putting meat on those bones. You're even stuck at a point you can just ask it what's a ton of ideas and imagery for this dumb thing I'm stuck on?

 

[CharlesEBrown]

This is part of a process called "writing" - unless you are writing non-fiction or just essays, all of this will happen at some point. You just have to learn to roll with it, use what you have, make revisions where you must.