I think this tends to be a major problem. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the idea of "getting it down on paper" seems to be one that bothers a lot of people. I think sharing ideas and getting a vision of what a story is going to be may get writers excited, but when it comes time to write, they may go "Oh, this is going to be hard."
So how do you get your vision down on paper, so to speak?
Here are some things that have helped me recently:
1. Write down scenes in a notebook throughout the day. Something that just pops into your head "A dragon surrounded by cacti" or "A wizard duel on an icy tunrda." Sometimes a strong image can help propel your writing in the right direction.
2. Make sure your characters stand out in some way. I find writing characters that have a particular quirk or something different about them, makes me feel like they're a bit more real. So then I have an easier time writing them. I think the tendency to just describe characters physically may just make them feel like card-board cut-outs. Give them a distinct way of talking or physical problem or a nervous tic. Something that makes them something other that just a "robust man with brown hair."
3. Look at pictures. Find art that you think is cool and sometimes it will inspire you. Not just fantasy art, but pictures or art of real life things too. I saw this picture of children playing in the ice in Finland or something, and I thought, for some reason, "These kids look like vampire hunters." I have no idea why, but that image and that idea stuck in my head. Tumblr may be a good place to visit.
4. Whatever your vision is, don't sway from it. A lot of fiction is truly written in editing. It's a good idea to have a good first draft, but I think some writers may tend to fret with tiny things that aren't that important. If your story framework is solid, you can go back and add to it later.
I think of a first draft as a frame of a house. Editing is adding all the walls, floors, ceilings, furniture etc. You don't want someone living in your frame house do you? No matter how immaculate the wood is.
These are just some ideas. What other ideas do people have to accurately transfer their vision to the page?
So how do you get your vision down on paper, so to speak?
Here are some things that have helped me recently:
1. Write down scenes in a notebook throughout the day. Something that just pops into your head "A dragon surrounded by cacti" or "A wizard duel on an icy tunrda." Sometimes a strong image can help propel your writing in the right direction.
2. Make sure your characters stand out in some way. I find writing characters that have a particular quirk or something different about them, makes me feel like they're a bit more real. So then I have an easier time writing them. I think the tendency to just describe characters physically may just make them feel like card-board cut-outs. Give them a distinct way of talking or physical problem or a nervous tic. Something that makes them something other that just a "robust man with brown hair."
3. Look at pictures. Find art that you think is cool and sometimes it will inspire you. Not just fantasy art, but pictures or art of real life things too. I saw this picture of children playing in the ice in Finland or something, and I thought, for some reason, "These kids look like vampire hunters." I have no idea why, but that image and that idea stuck in my head. Tumblr may be a good place to visit.
4. Whatever your vision is, don't sway from it. A lot of fiction is truly written in editing. It's a good idea to have a good first draft, but I think some writers may tend to fret with tiny things that aren't that important. If your story framework is solid, you can go back and add to it later.
I think of a first draft as a frame of a house. Editing is adding all the walls, floors, ceilings, furniture etc. You don't want someone living in your frame house do you? No matter how immaculate the wood is.
These are just some ideas. What other ideas do people have to accurately transfer their vision to the page?