What do you do when you feel your story is missing something?

aqua03 2020-12-02 02:51:43 UTC #1

So this has been something I've been weirdly feeling as I've looked over my work for Drachenseele and even though I have a good solid set of ideas and foundation for the world and story, but I feel it's missing something and I don't know why. It feels like it needs some "secret spice" or something to fully tie it all together and I don't know what it is.

I can't tell if it's just my overthinking perfectionist side sparking up again, or maybe that possibly there is something missing that's needed to tie all the pieces together fully, or maybe some combination of both.

Have you guys ever felt that there was something "Missing" from your work but you didn't know why? If so, how'd you handle it? Was it just you overthinking it? Or were you missing something from your world? Or was it a combination of both?

Thanks in advance for the help.

WillowTree 2020-12-02 02:54:18 UTC #2

I get advice from my beta reader, but my beta reader only ever gets at a minimum, the second draft. After I've ran my finished work through a round of edits, if I think something is missing, I send it to my beta reader. If they agree then I see what they think could help it/where it's weak. If they disagree then I go through another round of edits

This said, I have a very good, trusted beta reader. I used to use 3 beta readers so I could see if I got conflicting advice, but this beta reader really clicks with my style of writing and I've found I don't really need anyone else now

domisotto 2020-12-02 02:59:43 UTC #3

I set the story against the 15 plot beats, and see if it has sufficient highs and lows and they are spaced wells.

That other characters do not muddy up the main character’s story arc.

Check out of I have sufficient villain and conflict, enough obstacles to overcome.

Check of the emotions run high and are present all the time.

Finally, that the payout is gratifying in the end.

WillowTree 2020-12-02 03:05:43 UTC #4

This is excellent advice right here!! Yes! When I write a romance, if I feel like something is missing then I often refer to Gwen Hayes' Romancing the Beat. References are a creators best friend!

nickolaidas 2020-12-02 04:18:30 UTC #5

To be honest, when I thought that my series' first and second issue were moving things too fast, I ended up making them issues 5,6, 7 and 8 instead. I added fluff because I felt that things that would occur later lacked context which I decided to put early on in order to make characterization more believable.

This is why it's a good idea to not draw/post an issue immediately and plan ahead so that you have the time and chance to change something should it prove to not fill your standards.

But if you find yourself delaying the issues over and over and over again, you're either a perfectionist (which is silly, considering we're giving out amateur work for $%its and giggles), or you lack confidence in your story.

aqua03 2020-12-02 04:26:04 UTC #6

I think that might be it. I really don't seem to have that much confidence in Drachenseele. Like ,there are a lot of great ideas, but they just seem so.... disconnected compared to other fantasy webcomics that seem to well thought out and cohesive it seems compared to all my material I have scattered around for my work.

cherrystark 2020-12-02 04:33:31 UTC #7

My first thought is to step away and clear your mind. In a week or however long you choose, come back and look at it again. My old professor called this the "20ft rule" for scenic painting but it means to get a different perspective.

Afterwards, page 1 rewrite. Keep what you like, delete what you don't. You could also pick an random moment from your series and write as much as you can without stopping as a writing exercise. I learned in theater that your "first choice" as a storyteller is often your best choice. My writing style is very organic/panting but free writing often helps me shake the cobwebs loose and find what feels right.

MeltingCORE 2020-12-02 04:33:32 UTC #8

Usually when I feel something is missing in my series, it comes down to pieces of characterization or world-building. I personally have found that doing little things goes a long way in bringing the world to life. (ex: giving my oc Stellar the tick of rubbing her sleeves when nervous and creating superstitious beliefs for one of the alien races I'm writing about! little things like that!)

nickolaidas 2020-12-02 04:34:04 UTC #9

Well it's not like your story is going to be sold in bookstores or shown on TV. Just write what you want in order to improve, and when/if you reach a level when you think you can do this professionally, worry about that then.

I've taken a look at your series and I'm pretty sure I'll never read it because it's simply not my cup of tea. Not because it's bad. It gives 'My Little Pony' vibes, which I simply have no interest in.

But fans of chibi characters and cute furry creatures will probably feel right at home there. Did you think about tweeting your episodes and putting the appropriate hashtags to gather interest from like-minded people?

aqua03 2020-12-02 04:52:45 UTC #10

WOuld you believe me that the very first iterations of those characters were created back during my Brony craze in 2011?

(WHich now honestly makes me wonder if I myself have "outgrown" my characters so to speak as well considering that phase died somewhere 2014-2015 but those characters are still around for whatever reason...)

Yeah, definitely right there. Which I guess is where I tend to "Overthink" and feel I need to have every little bit of thing in my world down to the atomic level before even putting one molecule of ink to paper so to speak if that makes sense. Which is probably where my perfectionism kicks in and I feel really overwhelmed by all the minute things.

PapaDom 2020-12-02 10:46:04 UTC #11

Aqua, let's be real here: What is it that you actually want?
How many threads are you going to make until you find your "answer"?
Because to me, it seems you just want to avoid working on Drachenseele all together.
I don't know how many people told you to keep working on your project or tell you to try something different, and you going "Yeah, I will try this out. Thanks." just to make a different thread again.
Don't get me wrong, asking for advice is never a bad thing. But the way you approach things, you will never start working on your comic. And that's sad.
I get it you have your "perfectionism" standing in your way, but that's actually no excuse. Perfectionism means to me, you've done something and then rework it over and over again until it's perfect. The time you spend worrying if you succeed or fail miserably, you could have already finished a chapter or two. There are people out there who have the same problems as you, but the difference between you and them is:
They are actually putting their stuff out to the world.
Listen. I approach the third option most of the time between doing it and not doing it, but you don't have the luxury for it. So you have to face it:
Clenching your buttcheeks together and finishing Drachenseele or Abandoning the whole project and start from scratch again.
That includes the characters too. You can't just say: "Okay, that didn't work. I'll start over again with the same old stuff." That's just putting new paint on the old building. And that's another reason you suffer over and over again if you don't move on. You'll never achieve something that way. I don't know if you'll listen to this (or other advice in general), but there are people here who care for you and want to see you succeed by doing something other than just avoid working on it.
Either you go and fight the dragon, lose one-two times and then win the third time. Or avoid fighting the dragon at all. And not spending your time in the pub and tell how you are going to do it to everyone.

WOSTR 2020-12-02 10:54:08 UTC #12

I'm always missing something.
I used to be on wattpad a lot and they have a draft feature, which is great as I could keep going back to to yet it's right there ready to go.
Here, I'm quite fond of the schedule feature as I can give myself plenty of time to fill in the gaps, add and edit, yet set myself a timeframe to do so too.

DasIstWunderblyat 2020-12-02 10:54:47 UTC #13

As a fellow Aqua. . .

Aqua, please type "I will join the Axis Cult" if you're being held against your will with a tormentor pointing a gun at you and demands you to love and do his project called Drachenscheele, because all your constant posting asking for help sounds like it.

Legendofgenii 2020-12-02 11:00:20 UTC #14

Oh! I totally did this too. Had to start again.

ble 2020-12-02 15:43:54 UTC #15

Accept that everything you do will always be missing something in your eyes, and move on.

I'm not writing some masterpiece that will stand the flow of time and it will be seen as a groundbreaking work. I'm making some weird comic about lesbians in space.

I'll have to agree with @PapaDom

Most of your threads feel like you keep asking people if you should continue, or are still looking for a perfect answer that will solve everything. But, the answer will probably come from yourself eventually, not from someone else.

Like, i understand the desire of perfectionism or watching creators you like and feeling your stuff will never be at that level (happens to me every time i see artists on Instagram, my art looks like total shit compared to them).

But at the end of the day, is just another comic on the internet.

I think the real question is
"It's a webcomic worth all these problems and doubts it seems to be causing you?"

At the end of the day, It's not the cure of a disease or something that may stand centuries like the painting of the Sistine Chappel and i haven't heard of anyone gaining the Nobel prize of webcomics.

When people take webcomics too seriously, always remember this: WE SHARE THE SAME MEDIUM AS SONICHU lol.

Prometheus 2020-12-02 15:50:41 UTC #16

Thinking about outgrowing characters, I've been working on my comic since I was 7 or 8. Well, not really my comic, but that's when I created my characters, and I only just started feeling confident in myself to try and create a comic by the year 2017 or 2018. Throughout the time that I was creating the story for my characters, I went through 1, 2, 3 revisions. I think the original story that the characters were in, and how those characters acted, changed quite a bit. I'm just now finding that the present story progresses well, and sits well with me, as I add different ideas from each iteration of the story throughout the years to frankenstein the present story. Although, I guess I've mentioned it before - but I work by viewing my stories as puzzles, and I discover if a piece fits if I get a calming, satisfied feeling out of the content that I add to the story.

In terms of what @PapaDom said, I agree with him. There's definitely nothing wrong with asking for advice, and I actually encourage asking questions. However, you seem to be stuck in a rut of getting answers and then setting them on the shelf of advice, and staying stuck where you have been for a while. I think it may just help to start working on the project. I know that, in the past, you've had to scrap some things, and your launches haven't been as successful as you'd like, and I know that you are working on the story - so that is a step in the right direction to getting things done. But I do think that you should also trust yourself as a storyteller. I tend to add a plot idea to my stories, and then I just double check them by running them by a friend who is also a creator, and make sure that the story idea makes sense. I think someone mentioned trusting your instincts. I think that will be vital in creation.

aqua03 2020-12-02 16:09:19 UTC #17

YEah, that might be the case unfortunately. How'd you start over in that regard?

I think I might be holding myself hostage in regards to this project....

PapaDom:

Aqua, let's be real here: What is it that you actually want?How many threads are you going to make until you find your "answer"?Because to me, it seems you just want to avoid working on Drachenseele all together.I don't know how many people told you to keep working on your project or tell you to try something different, and you going "Yeah, I will try this out. Thanks." just to make a different thread again.Don't get me wrong, asking for advice is never a bad thing. But the way you approach things, you will never start working on your comic. And that's sad.I get it you have your "perfectionism" standing in your way, but that's actually no excuse. Perfectionism means to me, you've done something and then rework it over and over again until it's perfect. The time you spend worrying if you succeed or fail miserably, you could have already finished a chapter or two. There are people out there who have the same problems as you, but the difference between you and them is: They are actually putting their stuff out to the world.Listen. I approach the third option most of the time between doing it and not doing it, but you don't have the luxury for it. So you have to face it:Clenching your buttcheeks together and finishing Drachenseele or Abandoning the whole project and start from scratch again. That includes the characters too. You can't just say: "Okay, that didn't work. I'll start over again with the same old stuff." That's just putting new paint on the old building. And that's another reason you suffer over and over again if you don't move on. You'll never achieve something that way. I don't know if you'll listen to this (or other advice in general), but there are people here who care for you and want to see you succeed by doing something other than just avoid working on it.Either you go and fight the dragon, lose one-two times and then win the third time. Or avoid fighting the dragon at all. And not spending your time in the pub and tell how you are going to do it to everyone.

That's the thing: I'm not really entirely sure I know what I want anymore with my stuff. I recently realized that my driving motivation for Drachenseele was to be super famous and successful with them right out of the gate, but after I realized that wasn't healthy, I've been trying to find a better goal and motivation for my stuff. One I'm not quite sure of yet.....

Prometheus:

Thinking about outgrowing characters, I've been working on my comic since I was 7 or 8. Well, not really my comic, but that's when I created my characters, and I only just started feeling confident in myself to try and create a comic by the year 2017 or 2018. Throughout the time that I was creating the story for my characters, I went through 1, 2, 3 revisions. I think the original story that the characters were in, and how those characters acted, changed quite a bit. I'm just now finding that the present story progresses well, and sits well with me, as I add different ideas from each iteration of the story throughout the years to frankenstein the present story. Although, I guess I've mentioned it before - but I work by viewing my stories as puzzles, and I discover if a piece fits if I get a calming, satisfied feeling out of the content that I add to the story.

In terms of what @PapaDom said, I agree with him. There's definitely nothing wrong with asking for advice, and I actually encourage asking questions. However, you seem to be stuck in a rut of getting answers and then setting them on the shelf of advice, and staying stuck where you have been for a while. I think it may just help to start working on the project. I know that, in the past, you've had to scrap some things, and your launches haven't been as successful as you'd like, and I know that you are working on the story - so that is a step in the right direction to getting things done. But I do think that you should also trust yourself as a storyteller. I tend to add a plot idea to my stories, and then I just double check them by running them by a friend who is also a creator, and make sure that the story idea makes sense. I think someone mentioned trusting your instincts. I think that will be vital in creation.

Yeah, I think that's something I should do more as well. Learn to trust myself more as a story teller and creative person as well. Because I think I might be in a rut by relying too much on what other people say as opposed to what I want with my my story.

aqua03 2020-12-02 16:48:56 UTC #18

maybe I'm tying too much of my self worth to my characters and whether or not i can produce a comic at all. especially with Drachenseele and the Dragoons...

Legendofgenii 2020-12-02 16:48:58 UTC #19

Luckily I’d only drawn a few pages, so it wasn’t too painful. I was trying to make something really colourful and loud because at the time I was watching things like Naruto etc. It was popular so I thought making my comic like that too would make it cool. Complete with headbands and face markings lol!

It just didn’t fit my story at all - so I went back to the drawing board as they say.

I redesigned all the characters and threw out all the crazy hair styles, face markings and colours etc. I did keep Genii’s blue wings (I didn’t want him looking Angelic) but made them navy instead to suit my new saturated colour pallet.

None of this was easy. I’d only ever drawn cute characters (animals, monsters, furries) so to suddenly switch to a semi-realism style was (and still is) a HUGE challenge for me.

Hopefully it was a good choice. It’s closer to what I see in my head anyways.

An early attempt from 2007...

AmazementComics 2020-12-02 16:56:17 UTC #20

I was just thinking the same thing.

There's only so many ways the same question can be answered over and over again. At a point in time, someone either has to realize soon whether doing a project was something they were tenacious about or not. The thought process with this project kind of feels like one big "exotic dream" that is dwindling to the backburner.

If you don't know if Drachenseele is something you want to do. I would say walk away from it. For a long time. Or maybe forever. Nobody here is discouraging you, but these threads are becoming a tad bit excessive.