Hey guys, I'm just some random female teenager trying to finish her first novel before school starts.

I'm kinda struggling with how to continue, oddly enough I've written twenty pages in like three days... (I started on Sunday)

Any advice?

Anyway, if you need more details as to what exactly is going on with my story or you're just genuinely interested, ping me and I'd gladly get back to you as soon as I can.

This may not be much help but I find Stephen King very helpful in writing. His book On Writing is a great read for those who want to write, although he can be very blunt.

So here are some quotes and advice from the book. If the meaning of one confuses you I should be able to explain it in more detail. ^^ Sorry if this ends up pointless and not very helpful. You are also free to message me with info of your story and what it is exactly you need advice on.

“The road to hell is paved with adverbs.” “Description begins in the writer’s imagination, but should finish in the reader’s.” “Write with the door closed, rewrite with the door open.”

“If you expect to succeed as a writer, rudeness should be the second-to-least of your concerns. The least of all should be polite society and what it expects. If you intend to write as truthfully as you can, your days as a member of polite society are numbered, anyway.”

“Kill your darlings, kill your darlings, even when it breaks your egocentric little scribbler’s heart, kill your darlings.”

“Good description is a learned skill, one of the prime reasons why you cannot succeed unless you read a lot and write a lot. It’s not just a question of how-to, you see; it’s also a question of how much to. Reading will help you answer how much, and only reams of writing will help you with the how. You can learn only by doing.”

“Bad writing is more than a matter of shit syntax and faulty observation; bad writing usually arises from a stubborn refusal to tell stories about what people actually do― to face the fact, let us say, that murderers sometimes help old ladies cross the street.”

“It starts with this: put your desk in the corner, and every time you sit down there to write, remind yourself why it isn't in the middle of the room. Life isn't a support system for art. It's the other way around.” “I think the best stories always end up being about the people rather than the event, which is to say character-driven.”

“Writing is a lonely job. Having someone who believes in you makes a lot if difference. They don't have to makes speeches. Just believing is usually enough.”

“If you're just starting out as a writer, you could do worse than strip your television's electric plug-wire, wrap a spike around it, and then stick it back into the wall. See what blows, and how far. Just an idea.” “So okay― there you are in your room with the shade down and the door shut and the plug pulled out of the base of the telephone. You've blown up your TV and committed yourself to a thousand words a day, come hell or high water. Now comes the big question: What are you going to write about? And the equally big answer: Anything you damn well want.”

And my favorite.. “Writing isn't about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, or making friends. In the end, it's about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life, as well. It's about getting up, getting well, and getting over. Getting happy, okay? Getting happy.”

My creative writing professor and new thesis adviser has only one motto: "Get your ass in the chair and write."

The statement and premises are fairly simple. Basically, stop overthinking about what your writing hangups are just go for it. Even if you have to put down simple notes because you can't quite figure out what should happen, then do that and go on. You want to try and complete a draft first because at least you get your story out - regardless of the shape it's in. It's the revising process that allows you to go back and catch and fix mistakes, hammer out and fill in the details, and overall make a far more coherent piece of work then what was originally written. Revising can be a grueling process, but it can do wonders to improve a story.

I will say that while you're working on your early drafts, it does help to have someone (or more people) to bounce ideas off just to get your thoughts going. Sometimes short little exercises (whether it's prompts, characters sketches, etc.) can help get you into the groove of writing and might even spark an idea or two for your novel.

Final tip, and this is just something I remember from one of the writing books I'm reading for my thesis, but either keeping a journal with snippets of notes for your work or doing a daily free write can also help. Essentially, doing an exercise such as journal or free writing daily can make a writer more disciplined versus only writing when inspiration strikes.

1. Write down what you know. Don't worry about order or organization. Just get it out of your head so you don't have to try to remember it all.

2. Start building the big picture. Figure out the basics of your plot, using your preferred outlining method. You can even use actual pictures. Some people use pintrest and other such sites to create story boards. The goal is to make a map to follow so you don't get lost. (You can even think of the outline as your first draft, if you want. Your first draft will probably end up looking more like a rough outline for your final draft anyway.) Also, don't be afraid to edit your outline. Sometimes once you get started, you will realize you have the wrong map, so you have to stop and find the right one.

3. Do scene sketches. Before you work on a scene, take a moment to figure out where you are going. Use bullet points, flow chart/train-of-thought, whatever. Just get the basic idea down, so you can start elaborating.

4. Don't force it. If you are struggling with a scene or a plot point or a chapter, then you should take a step back and figure out why. a. Maybe it's just because you need a break from writing. You should take regular breaks to give your mind and body a chance to relax and re-focus.
b. Maybe it is because there is a lull in the action and you want to work on another scene that is more exciting. Instead of stifling your muse and toiling through a dull scene, make a big note to yourself to come back to it later (my preferred method is BIG RED CAPITAL LETTERS IN FONT SIZE 48... XD) and write the scene you want to be writing. c. Or maybe it's because there is something intrinsically wrong with the scene. Every scene should move the story forward, even if it is ever so slowly, so try to make sure that you are not just trying to shove an idea in where it doesn't fit.

5. Don't look back. My internal editor struggles with this one, but giving yourself leave to keep moving forward makes it quicker. Again, you can use the "make a big note" method to let your future self know that your current self is aware that the scene you just wrote isn't perfect and needs work.

6. Do what works. The most important thing is to write. Outlining typically makes things faster because you already know where you are going and you don't have to spend time back-tracking or asking for directions (i.e. sitting there staring at a blank page trying to figure out what to do next)... But if you can't bring yourself to outline, that's fine! Just be aware that, in all likelihood, you will to be taking the long way 'round instead of the direct route.

i'm also a female teenager who loves to write. what i do is before i start writing i always go back and read through what I've already written. another thing you can do is add something you love to the story. tweaks and adjustments aren't something to push away. finnaly just write. follow your heart and your mind