Quote by Mendalla
Yay. Someone else who makes self-deprecating comments about their musical abilities.
Finally, someone who understands that my biggest musical talent is enthusiasm.
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Sherzahd
2 hours ago
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Quote by Mendalla
I have had poems that I kind of set to tunes in my head but have never really set out to deliberately write a lyric. That said, I love a good lyric and some of my favourite lyricists are also published poets (Leonard Cohen, for instance) so I think the idea of approaching it as poetry is a sound one. If I was going to try writing lyrics, I would probably listen to and read the lyrics of some of my favourites in the style of music I was targeting to get into the mindset, then see what came out of me rather than thinking about it too much. The thinking would come afterward when I started editing and trying to make it fit a tune. But more likely, I would just write poetry that had a nice, regular pattern so could be fitted to a tune easily. Among my current poems, Spooky People is the one that I can most easily see becoming a song.
Music is my soul's comfort food. So I don't want to muck it up. To be honest, I used to fantasise about being a musician… but unfortunately, I was born with the rhythm of a broken washing machine and the vocal range of a confused goose during mating season. So now I just vibe dramatically with my air guitar and pretend the cats are applauding me.
Spooky People
A celebration of my favorite night of the year
Poetry Administration
Quote by WriterGirl
I totally agree with Molly. For you, write a poem first. For me, I took popular songs and changed the words all the time to sing to my son, so I did that with the Twinkle Twinkle song, but I wasn’t really creating a new song, just changing lyrics.
My hardest category was the play! Omg! Mainly because I wanted to write in the playscript format. But when you get to that, just do your own thing. And I’d suggest keeping it short at first. Write one act. You can always add on once you get the hang of having to think about how it could play out on stage. And read the others posted!
The play is another thing weighing on my mind. That and sci-fi, both bridges I will cross, then burn, once the time comes. I think I am comfortable with every other category, but I find it hard to write what I don't enjoy reading. That said, I enjoyed reading your play.
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Thank you. I'm definitely starting from ground zero here, so hearing it broken down like that makes it feel... well, still mildly terrifying, but less like I’m about to trip over a guitar string and fall into a drum kit.
When I decided to do this, I had no idea what I wanted to write about; it just had to be a song to satisfy the omni thingy. But once I started outlining it, everything changed. I'm now excited about doing this. I have two ideas (for now), so they might end up being two songs or one awkwardly merged song.
I love the idea of writing the poem first and not stressing about it being a “song” just yet. That takes some of the pressure off. Melody? Rhythm? I currently have neither… unless we count the rhythm of mild panic and the melody of overthinking. But hey, maybe that’s a start.
You’re right, poetry and lyrics live next door to each other. I might try writing a piece with a chorus in mind, just to see how it feels. Repetition feels like something I can play with... once I stop panicking about rhymes and metaphors behaving themselves. I can't write or read music, so it'll only be lyrics to a beat that's only inside my head.
Also... I did try writing songs years ago for one of my stories. Read them now. And oh, wow. Let’s just say there was a lot of emotion. A lot of rhyming. At least two death threats (“I could have him dismembered” was apparently a romantic turning point), and some intense gardening-based revenge fantasies. Somewhere in there, I rhymed “dies” with “eyes,” so we know the desperation was real.
Another one had a chorus that just kept begging to be taken to “eternal bliss”. Repeatedly. I don’t know whether I was writing love songs, villain origin stories, or some kind of off-Broadway melodrama. Either way, it’s all proof that I’ve always felt things. Loudly.
So yes. Growth is good. Subtlety is nice. But also… I kind of love that I just went for it. Maybe the cringe is part of the charm.
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Hi everyone,
I’ve set myself a personal writing challenge: I want to try writing something in every category, reaching for the omni badge. I think it’ll be fun, a bit daunting, and hopefully a great way to stretch my creative muscles.
The problem? I’m not equally confident in all the categories - songwriting, for example, really intimidates me. I love words and rhythm, but turning that into lyrics with flow and structure feels like a completely different language. I tried researching, but the concept of beats and bars goes over my head. Writing lyrics feels like poetry, but I have a feeling it's not the same.
Does anyone have any tips or suggestions on where to start?
I’d love to hear how others have navigated this kind of creative experiment. And if you’ve got a favourite category that surprised you, I’d love to know that too.
Thanks in advance for your wisdom and encouragement!
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We’ve all been there- staring at the blinking cursor as it mocks us, whispering sweet nothings of nothing but deadlines and despair. And from the entries I've just read, I can see that this comp is a victory over the block.
Good luck, and may the words (eventually) flow!
Administration
Congrats to the winners. You absolutely crushed it, and the hard work you put in showed. Well done!
To everyone else- amazing effort all around. It’s always incredible to see the creativity, passion, and skill you guys bring. Honestly, it’s what makes these comps so much fun.
Can’t wait to do it all again. Until then, let’s celebrate the wins, learn from the challenges, and keep being awesome.
Administration
I would like to congratulate all of the entrants. Writing is hard, writing well even more so. And you all did a splendid job with this theme. I applaud and thank all of you for having the courage to enter the competition. This site would be nothing without all of you, always remember that.
Well done Violet, JLA and Ceebees. You deserve to be applauded for your win.
And I would also like to thank Ping for generously donating his prize money from the last competition back to the site so we could run this one. Your love for Stories Space does not go unnoticed.
And cut the drama. This is a time to celebrate another awesome event at Stories Space, the first since the move. Let's not mar it with ugliness.
Administration
Best of luck to everyone who entered. I was impressed with how many different takes on the theme came out in this competition, some wonderfully unpredictable. I will always be proud to call Stories Space my home and all of you my family... even if some are those dysfunctional sheep who keep you rolling your eyes.
Administration
Quote by ObituariusQuote by SherzahdQuote by Obituarius
What is it with the badge ego!
You're right, it probably is ego, but know what, it's also a heck of a lot of fun chasing badges. Fun is something you might want to try on here, for no other reason than it is fun.
I think I need to tackle these challenges too, it's been a while since I got a shiny new badge.
I have and it got me nowhere when all the apples go to a few pies. A posse does not change the truth.
Never liked apple pie myself. Apples should be crunchy, not squishy. Don't you agree?
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Quote by ObituariusQuote by SherzahdQuote by Obituarius
What is it with the badge ego!
You're right, it probably is ego, but know what, it's also a heck of a lot of fun chasing badges. Fun is something you might want to try on here, for no other reason than it is fun.
I think I need to tackle these challenges too, it's been a while since I got a shiny new badge.
I have and it got me nowhere when all the apples go to a few pies. A posse does not change the truth.
Never liked apple pie myself. Apples should be crunchy, not squishy. Don't you agree?
Administration
Quote by Obituarius
What is it with the badge ego!
You're right, it probably is ego, but know what, it's also a heck of a lot of fun chasing badges. Fun is something you might want to try on here, for no other reason than it is fun.
I think I need to tackle these challenges too, it's been a while since I got a shiny new badge.
Administration
Personally, I only write traditional forms of poetry when I want to challenge myself to colour within the lines. So yes, traditional forms of poetry like sonnets and haikus have set rules that need to be adhered to.
That said, there are no rules against coming up with your own style of poetry, it might just be the new 'traditional form of poetry' someday.
That said, there are no rules against coming up with your own style of poetry, it might just be the new 'traditional form of poetry' someday.
Administration
I think the problem we have on the site isn't that we're not getting enough members, because there is a steady flow of new members, but more an issue of how to have members who actually contribute actively and regularly. I would also love to see us hit the 3000 mark, but not if there will still only be the same few regulars who actually log on daily.
I think a better question would be how we can draw in more readers to the site. The reason a lot of members don't stay is because no one ever reads or comments on their stories.
And like Rebs said, if there are things that are driving members away, feel free to message me about any gripes you may have. I'm happy to listen and help in any way I can.
I think a better question would be how we can draw in more readers to the site. The reason a lot of members don't stay is because no one ever reads or comments on their stories.
And like Rebs said, if there are things that are driving members away, feel free to message me about any gripes you may have. I'm happy to listen and help in any way I can.
Administration
I’m going to post this here instead of sending it in a private mail, just in case it can help any other writers who are writing fantasy. I will send you ideas for the actual prophecy in a private message.
Firstly, prophecies are fun to write and add a bit of mystery, but I would suggest they be avoided unless they are absolutely essential to your story. I’ve also written stories with prophecies (yes, it feels great to write them), but there are also downfalls to adding them to a story.
Prophecies make your stories predictable and being predictable is boring. Not only is it boring, life can’t ever be predicted – my humblest apologies Nostradamus – so they are hardly ever reliable. I know, you’re thinking, But it’s fantasy…, and yes, it is, however no matter what genre you’re writing, a good writer wants to convince their readers that everything they’re reading is true. Yes, you want to be that kind of writer who makes their readers question their own sanity.
And if the story is about a prophecy that actually comes true at the end, it does limit the way you end the story. So basically, your reader already knows how the story starts and ends. But alas, do not fret, that only means you have to deliver a brilliantly written body that leads up to the ‘written in stone’ ending.
That said, if you really need to have a prophecy, there are ways of writing it that can actually make your story stronger.
Personally, I prefer twisted prophecies where either it comes true, but not in the way everyone – including your protagonist – expected. So when writing it, don’t make it sound like an instruction manual, be cryptic. That way you leave enough room to twist your plot around what everyone is expecting to happen. An even better twist would be if the prophecy has either been replaced or changed over time, so that even if your protagonist did fulfil it, everything will come crashing down since they’ve played into the antagonists hands. Something that might be even more interesting would be if the protagonist finds out toward the end of the story that he/she was never the instrument, but that their actions would only lead to the actual instrument being revealed. Interesting and fun, but a lot of hard work. Worth it though…
Something else, leave the prophecy writing until the story is complete. Trust me on this, you will find it easier to write the prophecy around the story you have, rather than writing the story around the prophecy.
Be realistic. Imagine finding out that there’s a prophecy that predicts you will be the saviour of worlds… how would you react? I know what I would do. Everyone knows that saviours have to become martyrs. Right? I would be questioning my own existence. Was I born specifically so I could save others? Noble as it sounds, it is something you need to adjust to. So please do not make your character embrace this new role without question or pause. It’s not realistic. And yet again, it is boring. Let him/her fight against it at first (even though everyone knows you cannot fight against destiny – it’s called a prophecy for a reason). Let him/her question everything and allow a bit of selfishness in, that is after all human nature. There has to be a trigger that makes him/her want to fulfil the prophecy, find that and there is hope your story will not be too predictable.
I won’t go into much detail about the writing of the prophecy, since that does depend on your personal writing style, but here are a few tips.
Like I said, sometimes it’s best to leave the prophecy for last, but that’s really up to you.
Do not make it too wordy. Do not make it sound like a tutorial – adding names and places and everything else that makes it too rigid. Be vague, merely implying bits and pieces here and there.
Write out whatever you want the protagonist to know, bearing in mind that the antagonist will also know what you know. Then go back in and add the mystery by taking out actual names and describing people and places with metaphors or riddles.
Another cool trick is to give a few things obscure meanings so they are left open to misinterpretation. That is one way of not having a predictable ending. So basically, both the reader and the characters might think the prophecy is about one thing, when really it’s about something that could be described in the same way.
Do not let the story begin with all the things in the prophecy already known and clearly understood. Leave some room for new things to come in and amaze your readers, as well as your characters.
No, there is no rule that your prophecy has to rhyme, but it does add a bit of drama. Me, I’m usually too lazy to rhyme anything, but if it’s cryptic enough, it’ll fly without rhyming.
This makes me want to start a story that has a prophecy in it now. I have too many other unfinished stories, but I am very tempted.
And if anyone has anything to add to this thread, please do. It’s always good to share what you know if it can help others improve their writing.
I hope this helps. Happy writing.
Firstly, prophecies are fun to write and add a bit of mystery, but I would suggest they be avoided unless they are absolutely essential to your story. I’ve also written stories with prophecies (yes, it feels great to write them), but there are also downfalls to adding them to a story.
Prophecies make your stories predictable and being predictable is boring. Not only is it boring, life can’t ever be predicted – my humblest apologies Nostradamus – so they are hardly ever reliable. I know, you’re thinking, But it’s fantasy…, and yes, it is, however no matter what genre you’re writing, a good writer wants to convince their readers that everything they’re reading is true. Yes, you want to be that kind of writer who makes their readers question their own sanity.
And if the story is about a prophecy that actually comes true at the end, it does limit the way you end the story. So basically, your reader already knows how the story starts and ends. But alas, do not fret, that only means you have to deliver a brilliantly written body that leads up to the ‘written in stone’ ending.
That said, if you really need to have a prophecy, there are ways of writing it that can actually make your story stronger.
Personally, I prefer twisted prophecies where either it comes true, but not in the way everyone – including your protagonist – expected. So when writing it, don’t make it sound like an instruction manual, be cryptic. That way you leave enough room to twist your plot around what everyone is expecting to happen. An even better twist would be if the prophecy has either been replaced or changed over time, so that even if your protagonist did fulfil it, everything will come crashing down since they’ve played into the antagonists hands. Something that might be even more interesting would be if the protagonist finds out toward the end of the story that he/she was never the instrument, but that their actions would only lead to the actual instrument being revealed. Interesting and fun, but a lot of hard work. Worth it though…
Something else, leave the prophecy writing until the story is complete. Trust me on this, you will find it easier to write the prophecy around the story you have, rather than writing the story around the prophecy.
Be realistic. Imagine finding out that there’s a prophecy that predicts you will be the saviour of worlds… how would you react? I know what I would do. Everyone knows that saviours have to become martyrs. Right? I would be questioning my own existence. Was I born specifically so I could save others? Noble as it sounds, it is something you need to adjust to. So please do not make your character embrace this new role without question or pause. It’s not realistic. And yet again, it is boring. Let him/her fight against it at first (even though everyone knows you cannot fight against destiny – it’s called a prophecy for a reason). Let him/her question everything and allow a bit of selfishness in, that is after all human nature. There has to be a trigger that makes him/her want to fulfil the prophecy, find that and there is hope your story will not be too predictable.
I won’t go into much detail about the writing of the prophecy, since that does depend on your personal writing style, but here are a few tips.
Like I said, sometimes it’s best to leave the prophecy for last, but that’s really up to you.
Do not make it too wordy. Do not make it sound like a tutorial – adding names and places and everything else that makes it too rigid. Be vague, merely implying bits and pieces here and there.
Write out whatever you want the protagonist to know, bearing in mind that the antagonist will also know what you know. Then go back in and add the mystery by taking out actual names and describing people and places with metaphors or riddles.
Another cool trick is to give a few things obscure meanings so they are left open to misinterpretation. That is one way of not having a predictable ending. So basically, both the reader and the characters might think the prophecy is about one thing, when really it’s about something that could be described in the same way.
Do not let the story begin with all the things in the prophecy already known and clearly understood. Leave some room for new things to come in and amaze your readers, as well as your characters.
No, there is no rule that your prophecy has to rhyme, but it does add a bit of drama. Me, I’m usually too lazy to rhyme anything, but if it’s cryptic enough, it’ll fly without rhyming.
This makes me want to start a story that has a prophecy in it now. I have too many other unfinished stories, but I am very tempted.
And if anyone has anything to add to this thread, please do. It’s always good to share what you know if it can help others improve their writing.
I hope this helps. Happy writing.