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I finally gave up on my epic fantasy outline and just started writing a short story
For months, I was stuck trying to plan a huge fantasy series with maps and family trees. My friend in my writing group said, 'Just write one scene from the middle, anything.' So last Tuesday, I opened a blank doc and wrote a 1,200-word piece about a guard finding a strange key. No outline, no pressure. It was the most fun I've had writing in a year. The scene turned into a complete story with a clear ending. I was so focused on building the whole world that I forgot to actually tell a story. Now I have a finished piece to edit instead of another sprawling note file. Has anyone else broken out of a planning loop by forcing themselves to write something small and complete?
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lunar476mo ago
My last three finished stories all started with random scenes like that.
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gray_schmidt86mo ago
So that's your secret, huh?
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thomas2913mo ago
Three unfinished stories in my drawer started with me eavesdropping on strangers at a diner, @gray_schmidt8.
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