I've started a few stories here on CHYOA, but for the life of me, I can't muster the wherewithal to write much beyond the first page. I like the settings and worlds associated with the stories I've started, but I'm struggling to get any sort of plot thread going. Is there any sort of general advice for helping me to get the ball rolling?
Well, I guess you could try jotting down the plot in a broad outline first. Like : starting situation >> something bad or good happens >> a problem arises / a boon is given>> someone wants to help >> battle/conflict >> the situation is back to normal >> happy end. Also, every character has its own potential when you imagine it, start by developing that too. Like a snotty brat that has to be taught a lesson eventually, or a timid hero that has to overcome her/his fears. Or, well, just take a break. That works too sometimes
Ha. This is the reason why I am reluctant to start a new story without a significant headstart in chapters My general advice to breaking writers block is to...just write. Set a(managable) amount of time per day aside and start writing. Yes, your output will be complete garbage, but that doesn't matter. The important part is the act of writing itself.
Try thinking in baby steps. If you're stuck in a cave after the entrance collapse think about how to survive the first night and not about how you are going to escape. If you're playing a video game, think about the first quests and not about the epic max lvl fight that you are going to have. Unless the epic fight is all that you want to write about. I found it helps, taking a big problem and splitting it into many little ones.
This is my appraoch as well. I brute force writing chapters sometimes, and just edit it the day later with fresher eyes. That being said, I have a general idea of what I want to do with that chapter or scene. So, yeah, a basic idea of your plot helps, or at least have a scene in your mind you want to build up to and work backwards from there. In addition to the advice already given, starting with something familiar helps too. Use tropes and ideas you can yoink and twist for your setting and appropriate it as a jump off point.
Write out a wireframe of the whole story before you start writing individual chapters. It’s helped me enormously. If you can’t come up with a compelling story to tell in the world you’ve created then maybe just drop it for something else.
The story is driven by the characters, so I think about what the character wants. Characters are going to move in the general direction of what they want, so what would be the next step in that direction?
Honestly, the best thing you can do is to plan out in your head in advance where you want your story to go. More or less like a loose pinpoint in the map, and when you draw the lines between those points that were you start filling the gaps with details. If you are stuck it's fine being stuck, it gives you time to think. Compare to being set for a certain deadline you feel constrained and have no breathing room to think. So take your time and don't rush.
