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My old writing teacher gave me advice that backfired hard
Back in community college, Professor Hayes told me to always start a story with action, no setup. He said readers get bored with descriptions and want to jump right in. So I wrote this whole short story about a guy finding a locked box in his attic... started with him prying it open with a crowbar. I submitted it to a small contest and the feedback was brutal. The judge said they had no idea why the box mattered or who the guy even was. I realized Hayes meant action like conflict, not just physical movement. Now I start with a quiet moment that hints at what's coming, and it works way better. Anyone else get writing advice that sounded good but messed you up?
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mark_chen624d ago
Whoa, I read somewhere that Stephen King mostly ignores strict rules like that and focuses on character first.
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olivia_lopez984d ago
Saw an interview once where King said he thinks of his characters as real people first and just kinda follows them around with a notebook (which honestly makes so much sense if you've read his books). The plot stuff comes later, after he knows who they are and what they'd actually do in a given situation. It's less about following rules and more about asking "what would this person do next?" That's probably why his characters feel so alive, even when they're doing crazy supernatural stuff. Definitely makes me rethink my own writing process.
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