Anyone else feel like all your story ideas are beyond your skill level?

[Anonymous]

Hey KeePers!

Okay, I’m feeling a little discouraged. To keep a long story short, I basically feel like all my story ideas are beyond my skill level. I’ve always been a “deep” person, so I’ve always wanted to write stories that aren’t afraid to address heavy themes and that have the power to be life-changing.

I recently got a really exciting idea for a novel. I actually jumped into research right away – that’s what I was doing before deciding to post this lol. The novel idea has evolved and is now looking quite different than it was a day ago. In fact, even though the original premise has stayed the same, everything else has changed and has become something pretty heavy that honestly scares me. Idk. I really want to write this but don’t know if I can, you know? I really want to address heavy, gritty themes in my writing, like if I didn’t I don’t know what I would write about. But I keep remembering that I’m only 15 after all and don’t have any experience with these topics. So I’m afraid to even try to touch them because the last thing I want to do is come across as ignorant, insensitive, callous, or just plain silly. I have no idea what to do, because no matter how lighthearted my story ideas start off as, I can never stay away from the heavy topics.

I’ve finally discovered this is the real reason why I’ve been having so much trouble getting motivated to write lately. Does anyone else ever feel this way? What do I do? I need help!

Thanks for listening.

@gracie-j @issawriter7 @mkfairygirl @writerlexi1216 @kathleenramm @lydia-s @godlyfantasy12 @scripter-of-kingdoms @elfwing @abigail-m @r-m-archer @e-k-seaver

Please tag more people if y’all don’t mind XD I always forget the usernames.

[Evelyn]

@joy-caroline

Ooh, I know exactly how you feel. I feel stupid everytime I try to write something with deep themes, or just anything in general. I keep reminding myself I’m just a teenager and that some things should be above me, but then I look at other books kids have published, Anne Frank’s diary, etc, and I feel horrible.

I don’t know how to help myself when I feel this way. I just kind of push myself back into this little box and ignore it. This probably isn’t the best way to deal with it but it keeps from stressing too much, I don’t recommend it, though.

If you ask me about my book, I will talk for hours. Have a nice day!😊

[Linyang Zhang]

@joy-caroline Mm….years ago, when I first started writing, I got a story idea. But it was on the deeper side, so I decided to let it sit and wait, and only just started writing it now. And I’m glad that I let it wait, even though I had really wanted to start it back then. So in the same way, I suggest you let this story idea sit and wait until you feel that you are mature enough to handle it. And also, don’t be afraid of making mistakes. That’s what editing is for. And if you never practice, you’ll never improve, y’know?

Best of luck!

Lately, it's been on my brain
Would you mind letting me know
If hours don't turn into days

[Elizabeth]

@joy-caroline Oh, I know exactly what you’re feeling. That’s honestly what kept me in the throes of writer’s block for so long–I felt as if I had to reach some standard of maturity or knowledge before I could share my thoughts. Fun times, right?

However, the funny thing about growing up is that it never really stops. You’re always going to be growing and changing, and the stories you tell will grow and change along with you. You don’t have to “arrive” at a particular place before you write–you can just write.

That being said, I don’t necessarily think you need to write this story now–Lin has some great points on that matter, which I can definitely second. But also, don’t think that your experience isn’t valuable just because you’re young. You and your writing aren’t silly, and your voice matters!

“Seven seconds till the end. Time enough for you. Perhaps. But what will you do with it?”

[Elfwing]

@joy-caroline

Yeah…

I’ve tried tough topics before, and just the research made me uncomfortable and I determined after talking with my parents that it was not just being unsure if I could do it; for me at that point, it was the topic being something beyond my range. So… two years later and it’s still not done, but I have studied the topic more.

It was research on a seriously debated biblical view and the more I researched the more overwhelmed I got and realized it was beyond my age range to be writing on such things; “who are the Nephilim and what they are and do they relate to the mysterious six-toed double set of teeth giants and the legends of pale-skinned blue-eyed six-fingered/toed giant people falling from the sky among the North Americans?” is not a topic for a 15-year-old to write about XD so I have just researched more, but not written any book on it. I just discuss it with my friends randomly and throw them off-guard because they either have no clue what I am talking about or they’re uncomfortable at the thought of what the Nephilim are.

BUT I think there is a balance between maturing (as you said you’re 15), and also just it being something you’re comfortable writing about.

I would suggest talking with the family about it, especially parents, they’re good at gauging such things— at least, mine are, and they’ve been right every time.

Depending on the topic, I’d say even someone you respect in your church family. Even if it’s a little intimidating at first, an older person can really have some wisdom on such things and usually does. Also in my experience, seniors/older people LOVE it when youth ask them what they believe on things, it can really make their day just to talk with someone! 🙂

 

I'm 'a homeschooler' because cookie-making writing artistic animal-whisperer isn't a job title

[Jenna Terese]

@joy-caroline

I can’t remember where I heard this, but this came to mind: “God doesn’t call the qualified. He qualifies the called.” God gave you that story idea. He must want it t be told. By you. Just know that He wants to help you, strengthen you, support you. Yes, research is a must, but at some point you just have to let go, take a deep breath, and trust that God’s going to help you make this story what it needs to be. Even if you don’t feel qualified.

Hope that helps! <3

I'm a Kapeefer 'TIL WE'RE OLD AND GREY!
www.jennaterese.com

[Anonymous]

Thank you everyone for the input!

[SeekJustice]

@joy-caroline

Hopefully I can be of some help! I’m by no means an old writer (though I occasionally feel old amongst all the young teenagers on here 😛 ), but I feel like I have some experience with this topic.

When I was a really young teen (13/14/15, even all the way up to 17) I tackled some pretty heavy topics in my writing and I really did not do it well! I ended up having a pretty traumatic last few teenaged years (my dad and nan died within a year of each other, both in traumatic/unexpected ways, on top of a lot of other things that were awful to deal with) and I stopped writing for about eighteen months. When I came back to writing, I found that a lot of my previous attempts to tackle dark topics were pretty shallow or were not very well handled and I’ve got a lot more experience to handle those topics now.

Having said that, there’s no “switch” that suddenly means you’re ready to write difficult things–whatever category they may fall into. And I truly believe that young writers should be tackling difficult topics in an age appropriate manner, because there’s no other way to practise! So try to select topics and use them as a building block–for an example, write a sideplot first, then experiment with it as a main plot. One of my stepping stones was writing a novel with a heavy theme of sexuality, which sounds like a pretty strange theme for a Christian novel, but it was what I was thinking about at the time and considering a lot. So that was a major stepping stone that has now led to me tackling more heavy topics–I’m rewriting a novel that deals heavily with sexual assault and corruption perpetrated by authority figures, as well as mental health and suicide, by far the heaviest thing I’ve tackled.

Also, I think it needs to be said that your novels don’t have to include these topics in order to be important or worth writing, I’ve written heaps of novels that are just fun stories with good messages and clean content. Readers sometimes just need escapism and beautiful things.

INFP Queen of the Kingdom commander of an army of origami cranes and a sabre from Babylon.

[Anonymous]

@seekjustice

Thank you so much!! That definitely helped. The advice about the stepping stones and handling things in an age appropriate manner was awesome and I never thought about it before. It definitely works out because admittedly, my writing life has been a bit rusty lately, so I could sharpen my skills. I’ve decided to practice with something small and go from there.

Love your last point. There are certainly a bunch of novels I’ve greatly enjoyed that don’t have super heavy themes. And I also really like writing stuff that’s still spiritual, but that’s more fun and lighthearted.

Thank you so much for all your help!!!!

[SeekJustice]

@joy-caroline Glad I could be of help!

INFP Queen of the Kingdom commander of an army of origami cranes and a sabre from Babylon.

[Kathleen]

@joy-caroline

I’m a bit late to this topic and everyone else had great advice, but I just decided to pitch in my thoughts  just in case it can help at all. 🙂

My best advice for handling darker, grittier things, is not the most helpful advice because a lot of people can’t do it, but to have some kinda first hand experience with it, or be really close to someone who has and learn everything they felt going through that experience. Kinda like what Chelsea said.

I only recently learned this, because I read a story about a character going through a difficult experience similar to one I had a few years ago. And I could really tell just by reading it, that the author didn’t experience it first hand.

It was blatantly written from someone who googled it, read a couple article, and took that as what really happens. The story was a perception of what outsiders think the experience is like, not what actually happens. So the whole story that was supposed to have an emotional, moving impact, fell flat.

Meh at best, and dangerous at worst.

So yeah, after reading that story I had a whole new outlook on writing about heavy topics you’ve never experienced.

So I suggest writing about difficult things you have personally experienced in your life, even if it may seem small in comparison, it’s still something you had to fight through. And it may be really helpful to someone going through the same thing.

Or write about difficult things you know a whole lot about from knowing close family or friends who’ve experienced it and talk to them about their experience. Though even then, there are probably a lot of things they leave out, so getting the whole picture from someone else is pretty difficult. As it can be extremely painful to open up about those type of things.

Or, like Chelsea said, take steps. Slowly a gradually over time tackle more difficult things. Getting a bit more deeper each time. Maybe not have it as a main plot but a side plot. Over time revealing more as you learn more as a person and a writer.

Anyway, that’s just my thoughts and I still have a whole lot to learn about these type of things, and quite frankly many things when it comes to writing, so just take this just my little opinion, not necessarily the correct one. 🙂

[Anonymous]

@kathleenramm

Thanks! I definitely understand what you mean. It’s like hearing someone in real life talk about something they’ve obviously never experienced, so their “experienced” talk comes across as hurtful and ignorant at best. Great to keep in mind.

[Abigail.M.]

@joy-caroline

Hi Joy! Sorry for being late here, but yes! I understand exactly what you’re feeling about your writing. I don’t think my writing goes as heavy and deep as yours, but I often delve into deep themes, allegories, and topics. So you aren’t alone one bit and I concur with @lewilliam s when she says we’re always growing and learning. And that we should write before we reach any particular place because honestly, we’ll completely never arrive at the particular place of knowledge that we want or at least imagine. At every stage of our lives, we’ll have new views and knowledges, and experience. The stories you or I or any one of us write now will look different than those we write when we’re twenty. And the stories we write when we’re twenty will look different than the ones we will write when we’re thirty. And it goes on and on. I also agree with everything @jenwriter1 7 said as well:)

But in any case, I truly understand what you mean since the main question in my own novel that I’ve been hanging on to for going on four years now is a question that I don’t even know the full answer to. So I often feel like it might be a good idea to hold off and write it when I’m older than I am. But then I remind myself of the most cliched yet only true advice that a writer needs: write. Write the first draft, write at all costs and keep the mind always open to learn because there are always a ton of opportunities to 🙂

 

[Anonymous]

@abigail-m

Thanks! That helps a lot. Always opportunities to learn, and we’re always growing as writers. Thanks for your advice!

[Abigail.M.]

@joy-caroline

Of course! I’m glad I was able to help:)

[Author]

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