Plot Issues in Writing

Creativity
1

I am on my third book as a writer. For about ten years I have tried repeatedly to write a story with schizophrenia as a subplot but never for the life of me could I come up with a solid plot. The two books I have already written do not address mental illness as much as I would like them to, other than slight PTSD. I struggled for many years to finish my original schizophrenia book, now I’m thinking if I were to write anything regarding the mental disorder, I should make it more like a biography or write about my own experiences. I have more than enough experience. I just don’t know if anyone would ever want to read it and I have no idea how to get started. My other books kind of came to me in an instant. I just knew what I was going to write, and I did just that. I wrote two books in just a year. (they need lots of editing and fluffing but they are solid dystopian stories)

I just wish sometimes that I had been able to finish my original idea since I’ve been struggling with it for so long. I love the idea of it taking place inside a mental hospital, but like I said there really is no substantial plot.
If anything I think it may be more harmful to write it as a novel instead of anything informative.

So conflicted. Oh well.
If anyone is interested, you can read the prologue to my first book here:
http://write-short-stories.quora.com/Elsewhere-The-Prologue

2

Just a word of caution: twice now I’ve tried to write a novel based on my own paranoid delusions and the process triggered a psychotic episode both times.

1 Like
3

I’ll keep that in mind.

4

I had an idea once for a story where the protagonist was mentally ill but, like so many other ideas for writing, it died. I do not have a firm enough grasp of the English language to confidently write anything of substance. It bums me out. :weary:

5

It’s just that I’ve read a few books on schizophrenia written by people who don’t have the illness, and I don’t think it’s fair! But it makes sense. It’s hard for me to actually write coherently sometimes, with the whole disorganized thing. Everything ends up out of order, and it would just be impossible to read.

6

the problem with it being based in a mental hospital is that anything can happen, and if you’ve been in one, does happen. makes it more like fiction than anything.

7

I developed, but defeated, a panic disorder from chronicling my delusions. I finished the book and it’s available online but it was hard to revisit my delusions. I wish you luck. I think if you spend at least 15 minutes a day writing on something you can finish writing a lengthy book in just a year.