I was wondering if anyone knows of some good resources for writing

Yo, /lit/ here. Also a creative writing major. To write well, you gotta read well. Read a lot of stuff and, as you read, think about what the author does that you find to be effective. This includes things like individual word choice, sentence construction, overall plot, everything. Then, write some stuff of your own (doesn't have to be long, just a little short story or something), post it somewhere (like a critique thread on lit), and tell people to fuck you up. They probably will.

When it comes to writing characters, things are a bit different. Things transfer over, but you really want to focus on making them

1. Emotionally believable. Even in fantasy worlds, people have reasons for doing things and being a certain way. Make sure you know those reasons and try to make them manifest visually when drawing.

2. Interesting. If they're the same as everyone else, why do we care about them? Exceptions are things like when you're designing the way an average dude would look in a certain society or something, then they SHOULD be pretty normal. Mostly.

And 3. Likeable by some type of person. Not everyone will like every character you write. That's how it goes. But when you're writing them, think about what type of person might really connect with them. Don't try to make a character be loved by everybody, cause that tends to make him/her really boring. Come up with an interesting character and stick with who they are in everything they do.

>>2713984
diff anon
where can I learn more about choosing sentence construction?

>>2713882
Seems like you are looking for a nice way to procrastinate. You don't need to know how to write a fucking story as a concept artist.

>>2714125
Things like sentence structure and diction are all part of style. To develop style, study authors that you like and experiment in your writing.

Variations in sentence structure influence the rhythm or flow of your writing. To learn how to use it effectively, you need to read a lot.

>>2713984
Fuck me that's a good advice.

I was wondering, in visual art there are some general principles like rhytm, squash and stretch or the golden ratio, is there something similar in learning storytelling, like basic compositional approaches, main character types, common plot structures etc. summarized in a book or a podcast?
Do you on /lit/ have something like the Loomis of storytelling?
I mean, who gives a shit if I can draw a comic panel if the story sucks ass.

>>2714209
>Loomis of storytelling

Not that anon, but that's called grammar, orthography and punctuation.

Just do this and start writing.
>Read a lot of stuff and, as you read, think about what the author does that you find to be effective.

>>2713882
Do you not watch Feng Zhu Speaking? He says to reference from life.

>>2714240
>assuming I have a life
>4chan

>>2714209
Sorry, just now got a chance to check up here again.
Yeah, basically what >>2714221 said. You just gotta read things that are well-written and think about how the author creates a certain effect that you find striking as you read. "How" questions are the most important when it comes to incorporating techniques into your own work. "Why" questions are okay, usually as precursors to "how" questions, but "how" questions are generally better..
Why is that happening? Why did they describe this event in this particular way?
or
How did they make me feel so sad right here? How did the author give me an impression that the narrator might not be who he/she says he/she is?

You get the idea.

>>2714164
Why do you think all of /ic/ wants to be a concept artist?

>>2714209
If you're talking about basic building blocks a la Loomis, there is a formula for creating a character. Sort of. I'll try and explain how I do it, anyway.

What you gotta do is create the character in layers, (like in Photoshop). Assuming you've got the situation and scenario for the story all set up, imagine the most basic, bland character you can think of, something that can be described with a noun and 1-2 adjectives, e.g. "A conquering hero" or "a dark sorcerer". Think of this as your first "layer", the basic shapes for drawing your character..

Then add a flaw. Even evil characters have flaws, if a character is too good or too evil, they become boring. Character development is all about overcoming flaws, if a character starts out perfect, then he is already fully developed and there is no story. A hero can have a bad flaw, i.e. being a drunkard, while a villain can have a good flaw, i.e. he has a young daughter that he loves with all his heart.

Then just add a few other basic personality quirks, such as a love or hatred of something, or an unusual pastime. It's best if this can add another "flaw" to the character. Maybe the brave, conquering hero likes to sew, or the dark sorcerer likes classical music. Especially important for this step is learning how the character "talks", in other words, how he acts and reacts to other characters and events.

Finally, send the character off on the journey, and during each step of the way, try to get inside their head. Say "What would HE do in this situation?".

Delete any layers or personality quirks that you feel weren't necessary afterwards, and there you've got your character.

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There is some advice that famous writers have given. I may post some of the more straightforward, but I think this is more of a /lit/ subject.

I want to make a graphic novel, and I have found that writing is much easier than drawing. Anyways, read a lot. Your writing skill increases the more books you read. Read first, ask to /lit/, browse some websites for writers and try to make a few paragraphs everyday.

>>2714358
Read the OP more closely.

>>2714221
>>2714281
>>2714452
Thanks guys, though I hoped someone who's really good at storytelling already did this for us so we wouldn't have to invent a wheel. Reading lots of books takes up lots of time.
Thanks again.

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>>2714635
Oh. Well don't I feel silly now.

>>2714640
That would be nice, but writing is a lot more open-ended than most things. Lots of stuff can work. Reading is the best way to get a good sense of what works and what doesn't. There *are* books that are things like "How to Write" and that kind of thing, in which a google search will do you some good, but those are mostly just one perspective. They often have good ideas though, so if you're into that, go for it.

I just find it more fun to read.

>>2714640
Oh, another thing: Role-playing games like D&D are good for practicing writing characters, since that's the large majority of what you have to do as a player. Write your character and stick to them like your life depends upon it. If you're into that, check it out. Tips for making D&D characters transfers over (most of the time) to normal writing.