How do I make an interesting, if not creative story? Where do I start?

[Endrenesk]

"You're not trying." More like I can't think of anything! It's very frustrating to hear that when no progress is made.
I've been told, that starting, and not really thinking, is the way to go. Mistakes are meant to be made, yes- I understand that, but what is the point of a story that has no meaning, no message, no character? No personality?

I've thought about making a story for almost two years now. Something. Anything.
I had to erase a big ass pile of "these were my plans, what was I thinking/doing wrong" because that took up way too much space and stuff, and I don't want to be that guy.
However, the hour of writing I erased did kind of clue me in on what I was doing wrong, because apparently my hands think better than my brain do. I'll restate this better later.

Basically; a world is worthless without characters, and characters that don't interact are worthless.
...Okay, maybe that's putting it a bit bleak/harsh on myself and anyone reading this.
However, figuring out what I'm doing wrong doesn't help me if I don't know what to do.
It's hard to create a meaning to anything, something with SUBSTANCE. Characters, a World, a Story, or even a basic plotline. Let's start with the simplest of simples; the world is just the setting, so it's easy. plop some ideas in there and it's a-okay because worrying about geography, councils, and all that other stuff wastes time by overthinking.
The story is the meat. It's generally what you believe, or what you want to show the world.
The characters are just as important, they're the vegetables. actually this is a bad analogy braindead st- self interruption

My problem is thinking.
People call me creative. Sure, I have interesting ideas. I don't believe them though. My brain is cold and empty.
It doesn't help that I've... probably? been running away from an existential crisis my whole life.
I don't understand people, I don't like the world, life seems pointless, rhetorical, and ironic.
If I were a character in a story, I wouldn't even deserve the spot of an extra. I'm not interesting. My opinions are unknown even to myself. Do I lose myself to find myself, or do I continue to ignore?
Ignore what?
Dammit.
I'm lost.

I can't make characters because I'm not a character...???
yeah i'm sorry i need a brain intepreter. your thoughts?

[AnnaLandin]

1. Your story doesn't have to be long, and you don't have to craft an entire world for it. It's okay to start small. It's okay to do a short comic, less than 30 pages, and have that be a finished thing. It can be set in the real world so you won't have to built a new world to accomodate it.

2. It can be a story about whatever you want. It's okay to do stories that are about how pointless and ironic you think the world is.

3. This:

It doesn't help that I've... probably? been running away from an existential crisis my whole life.I don't understand people, I don't like the world, life seems pointless, rhetorical, and ironic.

... Is not something this forum can help you with. It doesn't matter what creative advice strangers on the internet give you if you don't feel well. We can't fix a psychological crisis. If this is how you feel, I strongly advice seeking professional help; no one should go through that kind of thing alone, and I doubt any one of us is equipped to help you.

Take care of yourself!

[AtaraxiaStudios]

People call me creative. Sure, I have interesting ideas. I don't believe them though. My brain is cold and empty.It doesn't help that I've... probably? been running away from an existential crisis my whole life.I don't understand people, I don't like the world, life seems pointless, rhetorical, and ironic.If I were a character in a story, I wouldn't even deserve the spot of an extra. I'm not interesting. My opinions are unknown even to myself.

You have to work on your personal issue first, comrade. Mainly your limited beliefs and low self-esteem. That's the most important, because all your stories, are ultimately, a part of you.

[vongcw]

Existential crises eh?...

Hmmm... well I guess two things.

(1) Minor point: The story isn't about you. It's about your characters. You don't have to be a serial killer to write the inner thoughts of a serial killer? I actually think people who have/are undergoing an existential crisis write some of the deeper characters in the world of fiction. Your characters just have to be interesting. And I think you probably know of some interesting ideas and opinions. Whether you believe them or not doesn't REALLY matter. Your characters have to believe them.

(2) Major point: A story that's worthwhile for yourself though... now that's something I don't think an online forum would get you very far with. I know for me, having undergone some rather severe depression and quarter life crises etc., most stories seemed quite hollow to me at that point. Mine and many I read. It was only after years of putting together some pieces that gave me a foundation to start finding worth in life, I began to really appreciate the art of storytelling once more. More than appreciate. I'm a believer! I think stories are one of the most powerful forces that shape humanity. But what is yours going to be about? I don't know. And while I don't think the universe is being very nice to you right now, I look forward to when it does illuminate you. I think you'll write us a fantastic story. Maybe it'll be about love or purpose or hope. Maybe it'll be about anger, pain, dirt and the darkness of everything. Maybe it'll be about the mundane, the boring, and the meaninglessness of it all. I don't know. But I look forward to it.

And hey, if you're just needing someone to chat to about things, feel free to message me. More than happy to have a chat.

[edmourabarbosa]

In addition to others advice, I will add this: you're being too judgemental of your work. As yourself already said, you should make mistakes. Nobody's work is perfect. Nobody envisions something in their mind and manages to capture it perfectly on paper. Everyone feels exactly what you are feeling when they create. Making art is really painful. You have to shutdown those feelings of doubt and just make something!

Here's tip: if you think your work sucks, just make it better. Don't know how to do it? Then LEAVE IT THAT WAY. If you always keep throwing stuff out because you think it's bad, you'll never achieve anything.

[dojo]

A good way to come up with something "creative" is actually to just take a look at what you enjoy and love and try to emulate a little what they're doing, whether this be via characters, the world itself, etc. I know a lot of writers who really will just take their favorite character from another thing, or a person they know in real life, tweak them a little, and plop 'em in their story (and when it comes to the favorite character thing I don't mean writing fanfic, I mean changing enough of the character that it's not necessarily obvious. I mean, this is how tropes get formed, but trying to come up with something that's 100% original really isn't worth the headache because it's just not going to happen. Better to start with something you love and build from that). Those characters/people already mean something to you, so being able to build something with substance off of that should naturally come with it.

Buuuuuuuuuut then my advice from there similar to what others have said already and that's you'll need to learn to worry less about how creative you're being which like others said won't really be something we can help you with in here. The secret to creating comics is the ability to stick with them despite doubting what you're doing, and learning to stop fiddling and share it despite doubting the quality, so unless you learn not to let that stop you from creating, you're not going to get very far. You could have the best, most creative idea in the world with the most incredible art mankind has ever born witness to and I can guarantee it'll still feel, look, and smell like a steaming pile of trash to you if you're unable to push yourself past that doubt.

I agree with AnnaLandin and suggest if you can you should probably see about finding a counselor or a therapist to help you deal with that. If you live in the United States you can just call 211 and ask them to help you find one that suits your needs (like if you don't have any money at the moment they might even be able to find someone who can help you for free). I don't know about other countries, but you should be able to just use google and see what people are suggesting as "the way" to help you find one.

[technicallyevil]

I can only suggest a possible solution to half of this.

You're always going to be the most critical about yourself and your works. Don't take it to heart. It's just the way it is. However, what I have found that helps, is to do creative challenges that have nothing to do with my story. As Jake Parker has stated over and over again, you need to make deposits into your creative bank account. If you make a deposit every day, you'll be able to make a withdrawal when you need to. If you don't create anything, then your creative bank account will be empty, and you'll have a harder time coming up with something.

Personally I have had problems with depression in the past, and suffered from many similarities you seem to be going through. I sought help via therapy, and ended up going through five or six therapists before anything started to actually get better. Therapy and counseling isn't a cookie cutter solution. Every person is different, and every therapist or counselor will be too. This is one of those things that you have to put the work into as well. They can't fix you, but they can help to clear a path.

[tayo_rafferty]

Story-ing can be hard so try and simplify it. Y'know how people always talk about a story having a begging>middle>end well I think it can be even simpler than that.

It can be as simple as tapping your finger 3 times.
Tap - Something happens
Tap - Another thing happens
Tap - A third thing happens

Just try and think of a story in a way that is simplistic, beginning>middle>end, 3 taps, 3 moments. For example:

1. Girl gets bullied.
2. Girls learns to fight from wise master (and occasionally waxes his car).
3. Girl uses skills to defend herself. She isn't bullied anymore.

That is a complete story described in three moments.

So don't stress just simplify.

[AngieVX]

Actually there's a wonderful comic without characters, it's Skies Unlimited, if you have troubles creating characters, create a comic about world, about emotions that you feel. It can be about philosophical ideas, cooking, maths, physics, whatever you like and find interesting. It can be about transformation of a molecule, or a drop of water traveling around the world. It can be a poem turned into a comic, or a comic about writing a comic. If people tell you that you are creative, I think you are creative. It's common for creative people to doubt their creativity. Start publishing something, anything, even if it's bad, you'll get some feedback, just like you're getting feedback now, only it'll be about your work, and it'll change your attitude. It'll make you feel better, it'll allow you to meet awesome people that will become your fans and friends. Just start sharing, publishing, be involved in the community. It's OK if your comic will be imperfect, it's actually more fun like this!

[NickRowler]

Mistakes are meant to be made, yes- I understand that, but what is the point of a story that has no meaning, no message, no character? No personality?

Well, start there . The first step to story writing is brainstorming. You start with a really basic idea and work off from that.

Example:
-I want to make a story about talking cows (a character)
-I want to make a story about the stresses of being a young adult (a meaning)
-I want to make a comic about respecting nature (a message)
-etc.

You then pick something from the brainstorm or combine different ideas and work off it. Then come up with a basic idea.

Plot: Linda and Bella are talking cows who live on a happy farm. One day after a storm came, they were separated from their home and were then dumped in the middle of nowhere. They then have to work together to get back home.

From that you can take time to try to figure out who these characters are and their personalities. As well as fleshing out the plot.

I know this might sound discouraging but there are people out who just have a better talent of coming up with stories and characters. And if you feel like you personally can not do it, it is OK. People who call you creative might be talking about your artwork or something else. A lot of artists will try to seek out writers to work with because there are people who are good a writing and awful at drawing. That is always an option.

[Marton]

The thing about stories, you don't just sit down and come up with a good and creative story out of no where. My first webcomics where stories from video games because using existing stories from another medium where quicker, easier, more fun and I knew people would read them.

It wasn't until I had to come up with my own story for a school assignment, in which I randomly happen to choose the zombie theme, I made my own story. The story developed as I worked, one thing led to another and suddenly I had a big plot in my head. I rebooted and started over with the new plot.

I think if you are "over thinking" a story, you need to narrow down the comic. Force yourself to make a 10 page comic with only 3 characters. If you have no idea what setting to use, write 6 random settings on a paper and roll a dice. Force yourself to make something, don't worry about making it good. It's better to make something bad than not make anything at all. And have fun with it and don't take it too seriously, maybe you'll like and want to make more, those 10 pages could turn into one epic story line, you never know if you don't try.

[Down_the_Rabbithole]

I might be late to the party here, but I can sympathize with this. I can't tell you how frustrating it can be to come up with a story. I spent over a year with mine now, sometimes frustrated to the point of crying, but there are ways to climb out of it.

1. Find what you're passionate about- I think stories flow more naturally when coming from a place of love. Just sit down, relax, and make a list of things you're passionate about and you'll come up with something.
2. Build your foundation first- The complicated, intricate parts of your world and characters are always the most fun part, but the simple stuff needs to be there first for the complex stuff to be put on. Just start with simple questions and worry about the complicated stuff later.
3. Slow down, take it easy- Don't try to force your creativity. Sometimes things will occur to you when you're doing the most mundane things like taking a shower, making a sandwich, driving, cleaning your house, lying in bed, etc. This is because you're relaxed and your mind wanders places when you're performing simple tasks.
4. Find a friend- The best thing is to have someone you can trust to give honest feedback and bounce ideas off of. Hopefully you have at least one person in your life you can do this.
5. Don't try to please everybody- When you try to please everyone, you please no one. Write what you'd want to see. Don't worry about huge audiences or fancy-pants critics. You just gotta do you.

These are the lessons I've learned in my experience. I'm not sure if someone else has said these things or if I'm just completely unhelpful and annoying, but that's what I got.