I mean, what if my IDEA or my story is great, but my writing is average? Will the publisher help me out, or will they make me write a better story? I hope this doesn’t sound like a stupid question. 
Thanks in advance!
While my first completed manuscript was snapped up by a major N.Y. publisher and did not require any revisions, my second, third, and fourth manuscripts (completes, not proposals) were rejected before I started selling again. Here’s the salient fact: my writing DID NOT CHANGE. It was the stories themselves that were deemed not good enough for publication.
It’s true that a certain level of competence in writing is necessary for publication. But after that, the story is king. How else can we explain the fact that while literary types criticize Dan Brown for sloppy research and poor writing, EVERYONE has read The DaVinci Code?
The story’s the thing.
All of the Soul Reaver 1 story from the Opening FMV to the end of the titles including all dialogue, glyphs and boss fights.
All honour to all the creators of the Legacy of Kain game series.
Part 3
Vampire Wraith, Finding Melchiah, Melchiah’s soul
Notes
Ok, could have made this shorter, not much happens here.
Shame Raziel seems to lose that fire retardancy in his skin in SR2 or is it because they are ‘magic’ fireballs they throw at him?
That’s a very conveniently placed meat masher, his immortal flesh won’t be closing after that cleaving!
Ooh look there’s my favourite spear hovering in the air at the end.
Duration : 0:9:27
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I need a plot for a story, that needs to be fantasy, magical not in modern times, something like eragon or Harry potter or northern lights, i just need a small idea to start me off, like harry potter’s is that there is a magic school, Eragon is that a boy finds a dragon egg and Northern lights is the idea of the golden compass….I need something like that…PLEASSSSSSEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It would be greatly appreciated!
It could be set in any century; I’d use an "alternative Earth" setting so you can play around with how the World looks; it cold be very close to real history or you could have steam powered airships and mythical monsters.
An ordinary girl working for a rich and powerful family has to protect them from a threat they don’t believe in; she is smitten with a member of the family so she risks her life.
Possible idea:
She works in the kitchens or gardens and when she fights off an inhuman intruder she accidentally sets fire to the room; afterward there is no sign of any intruder and she is thrown out; the son of the family (perhaps her romantic interest) believes her and confesses that he has been hiding a rare gift for sorcery/witchcraft – which is forbidden and outlawed – that he is unable to safely control and believes he may himself be to blame.
When the same apparition reappears and almost successfully kills his father he leaves the home with the girl – but she does not believe that he is responsible and tries to find the real source. The father being rich and powerful sanctions a witch-hunt to drive out all practitioners of forbidden arts and the girl (who has no magical powers) falls under suspicion for "bewitching" his son and being the possible assassin.
So basically the girl is a detective and the boy is a witch.
The twist in the end could be that the father gained all his power and wealth through malevolent sorcery and the apparition that tries to kill him is created by his own conscience – his good side trying to stop him.
I hope I helped. 
I need help coming up with an idea for an adventure story plot. Something along the lines of Indiana Jones, National Treasure, The Mummy, Tomb Raider, etc. Any help is really appreciated.
Well, since I love writing and I always fire off plots that I never actually use here’s one:
Three teenagers are hanging out one day in one of the teenager’s living rooms. They’re all ranting about some video game when a news bulletin comes on TV about a treasure in these woods no one ever dares go into.
The teenagers are intrigued about the treasure they hear about on TV and they set off in search of it and go into the forbidden woods.
Little do they know that the bulletin was just a joke. There is no treasure to be found.
So the three, while searching, encounter a large tribe of people who want them to join in on a great celebration they are having. The three agree because they are relieved the tribe is not trying to kill them.
The celebration is fun but eventually the three teens want to leave. Just one problem: the tribe and the tribe leader won’t let them go.
So, it is up to them to be witty and make their own escape from the hazardous woods or be stuck there forever with a tribe of insane people.
I need tips for thinking of a good story plot….i have writers block….any tips that help u?
In the past, when writing short fiction, I have always used bits and pieces of real things/events/people/places and I not only torqued them to fit a new story, I also disguised them with imagination.
One story involved a rodeo, and I could make that a realistic event because I had been to the big rodeo and horse show held annually (at least then) in San Francisco, and used it as my location for the story.
Another story I recall was fantasy/sci-fi, so though I used talking atoms and such that are not at all real, I also included a scene in a hospital emergency room that was taken from what I’d seen in hospital emergency rooms.
That only means this: to write well, a writer must always be observant of all life around him or her, and in fact seek to know situations s/he may not otherwise know by going to interesting places and observing what occurs there, and ANY public place is interesting (private, too) because you can observe people you don’t know, as well.
Observe, take note, inquire, watch, travel and any other word you’d like to include in the list of observation will help you enormously. Even recognizing what leads you to observe a particular thing helps, like whether it was a sound or color or movement, etc.
Suggest you start by mixing up various things you are already familiar with from life (not from books) and just write ideas, even one line, until you hit your stride with one of them. Then write out a general outline, if necessary, though often a one-line idea will turn itself into a ‘good story plot’ before you know it.
Best of luck.
If you still need ‘prompts’ for ideas, try clicking on a few numbers at the following free and safe site until one prompt (or more) strikes your fancy:
http://www.creativewritingprompts.com
Everyone’s complaining that this video’s without sound. So, I looked at my Bohrok Swarm CD and found narration for it.
Duration : 0:2:44
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I can never seem to come up with a love story plot to my stories like i think of something and then i get bored with it and i always get major writer’s block. I can never think of something knew and fresh that someone hasen’t done before I always end up like having the same plot as a movie that’s already made or a book. Any story,plot idea’s? Things to help with writers block?
I disagree with a lot of the responses on here. First of all, writer’s block CAN be dealt with, and I’ve found that trying to write through writer’s block without any sense of direction can snuff out motivation and ruin a story. I used to be in the same pickle as you are, until I tried these tips:
Number one: Don’t sit around. When having writer’s block, a lot of writers tend to stare at a blank piece of paper for hours, asking the same question: What in the world am I going to write about? Instead of waiting for inspiration to come to you, go looking for inspiration. Get out and watch movies. Go hang out with friends. Go shopping. Surf the web. And while you’re at it, watch the world: study the different people around you, all of the everyday conflict that surrounds us day in, day out. Ask yourself questions: "What if I had a character like that guy, and put him in this situation?" "What if something bizarre like this happened to this person, what would they do?" Look for possible story plots in everything.
Number two: Write it all down. Keep a journal handy, and in it write every little idea that pops into your head. Cool dialogue, plot ideas, character names, unique conflicts, ETC. Even if an idea seems stupid at first, write it all down. Then if you ever get writer’s block, flip through your journal and you’ll be in a gold mine of inspiring and brilliant ideas that you would have forgotten if they hadn’t been written down somewhere. It works wonders. I’ve experienced this firsthand.
Number three: If the previous doesn’t work, just write. I know what you’re thinking: Didn’t she tell me not to do exactly this? Well, yes and no. You shouldn’t try to write a story when you have no idea what it’s going to be about. But sometimes, writing about something comepletely different can push you along in the creative process. Don’t write about anything to do with your story when you do this. Just write what’s on your mind, or about some random topic that can take your mind off your story for a while. Once you’re done, who knows? You may have just needed a break from the pressures of thinking up something new.
That’s what’s worked for me! I hope it works for you, too, and good luck with the book. Oh, and another thing. Don’t be dissapointed if you aren’t hit with a great idea right off the bat. It might take a day or two to think of something, and that’s just how it goes.
Ok, so i have to do an outline for a story… it’s historical fiction and has to has to be about someone/thing in the Lewis & Clark expedition, or the War of 1812. Like you know how there’s books on Lewis and Clark’s dog? It’d kinda be like that… fictional characters.
Can you guys help me think of a charcater/plot in either of those? I was thinking maybe like a soldier in the War of 1812 or something? Thankss!!!! =D
Here are some ideas you could play with:
A soldier is a good idea. Perhaps have him injured and lost, then finding his way back to his regiment again.
What about a soldier’s wife, waiting for him at home? His letters could have stopped coming, and she waits in vain – until he either comes home, injured, or she gets a visit from a comrade to tell her he’s been killed.
The story of a little drummer boy who saves the day (in a small way, but still important!).
Any good?
I want to know the best way for Character development and Story plotting. Like I want to have a very detailed but simple Character setup and Story setup as well. So can someone please tell me the most detailed and most easiest way?
There are two styles of writing: A plot based story or a Character based story. In a plot based story you have a story that doesn’t vary no matter what characters you have. Tom Clancy novels are like that. You need a President or some other political head honcho. You need a computer geek or some other person to read between the lines (news paper guy, research developer, scientist, military expert) someone who recognizes either the large pattern or small details to break the case. And you need a terrorist or some other international (politcal) threat. Any three names can fill those spots. They have to have a certain history to fill those positions.
Harry Potter and Frodo are characters that make the story. The characters are detailed. It is their character and motivations that drive the story. If Harry had originally just let Voldy kill him in the second book then bam, no more books. Same if Frodo had handed off the ring since just about anyone else who touched it got crazy with power all of middle earth would probably have gone the way of Pompeii.
If you are creating memorable characters they you follow them. Let them speak to you and then through you. I think my characters are a part of me that doesn’t exist but wishes she did. So I give her life on the page. First small things or a minor incident but then it becomes clearer. She bumps into a guy on the street, what’s he look like, does she notice him noticing her? Is he tall? And so how tall is she in comparison? Is she light, dark, heavy, long hair? How does he see her and describe her in his mind? Does she think of herself this way? Does he speak? Where is she going? Where is he going? Then shots ring out? How is she dressed, can she run, is she being trampled, does he try to get her out of the line of fire?
* The scene continues to grow in size and momentum as well as detail. I can see more of the street, in fact now I know the city because I know where this is happening, I know the season based on what they are wearing, I know he’s making jokes during all of this and so is she.
After about three chapters now I write a character profile. I add up all the details I have about the characters now. Their descriptions are there, their clothing preferences, a little background, etc. Just basic stuff. I like to think of characters as friends. I don’t know what all my friends will do in every single situation but I can guess until it happens. So I want my profile to be a little vague. Are they a workaholic? I can answer that just like I know my friend Jen is a workaholic she hates stockings so she wears only pants suits. She drinks tea and acts like it doesn’t have as much caffine in it. What is her deepest hope? Not sure, I guess being named partner in her firm. (Jen isn’t real)
See what I’m getting at? Know them but don’t make them cookie cutter. Make them real. My editor asked me a ton of questions I couldn’t answer about my main character. Still can’t. Some writers know that stuff. Really just depends on the writer.
Part 3/5