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Hey /lit/,
I can't fucking write a story. Like, I can not literally write a fucking story. Whenever I try, I find that the story is basically worthless. I just started trying to write them. Unfortunately, they suck.
My goal is to eventually write a 60 page screenplay.
Do you have any good books to read or any websites or things that you have personally used that have helped you become a better writer?
I am currently watching the videos at this link: http://filmmakeriq.com/2011/03/free-complete-screenwriting-course-from-university-college-falmouth/
however, I am having trouble with seeing how these exercises will help me tell a story. The first exercise is weird, then the person decides to show me this thing about David Lynch and how he gets ideas, but I swear that the guy is mentally unstable and the only reason that he gets ideas is because he is so fucked up in the head, which I am not. I do not think that I am as fucked as he is.
So yeah... can you help out?
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>>7612121
She looks better when she's dirty to be honest.
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Read more, work on capturing what you're trying to say, work on your voice, and write constantly.
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Just fucking practice. Practice for literally 10 years, then you might get good.
You have enough taste to recognize that you're currently shit, this is the only reason you may, potentially, get good.
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>>7612142
Das it mane. Here, have a quite to make you feel better.
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I was taught by professors to omit everything useless and cliche word/phrase that I could. Sometimes, a cliche in a sentence is forgivable if sounds nice. OP, i'd start by cleaning up your writing, cut out all the unnecessary shit. Then you can try making outlines, and build your characters up that way.
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>>7612203
could you give an example or two of the most common cliches that you thought were most overused?
I am not OP. just a 22 year old with no formal literature. Tried writing a bit, and immediately realized how trite, cliched and derivative every sentence of mine was. (except when I wrote about stuff about myself that I knew how to clearly express using my own words).
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>>7612121
Start here.
http://channel101.wikia.com/wiki/Story_Structure_101:_Super_Basic_Shit
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>>7612121
Start with a healthy 15mg dosage of 4-aco-dmt
Gotta shatter that box your brain is stuffed in.
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>>7612121
Read Donald maass writing the breakout novel. It will help you a lot.
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>>7612121
>read literature you like
>read books explaining what stories are made of - plot, character, etc - to provide a framework for understanding that literature
>keep doing that until you get a sense for how the rules of literature work
>once you've read enough, start to pick some of those rules - some representative types of plots, characters, etc - and develop them yourself
>using literature as a basis for emulation - rip people off until you finally learn how to use what you've learned creatively
People who think learning how to make art is some magical act of inspiration are just stupid or not creatives themselves. Really it's just like learning anything else (or at least it is until the people who are good at being creative separate themselves from the less good): learn it works by following examples - build your understanding from specific examples until you get a general comprehensive understanding - then utilize the wealth of specific examples and general frameworks/rules you've built up in order to make something.
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Read Invisible Ink. It's very concise and it's also the best book on screenplay structure I've read.
>>7612667
Is also great, but just beware that this is meant primarily for sitcoms.
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