A lot of fanfic writers, especially ones just starting out, seem to have a preference for script format writing.
By script format, I mean something like this:
Right then. First, I'd like to make something clear. I am not pointing fingers at any specific writers here. This is more of a general message for those who enjoy writing.One fine summer day, I, Alice, ran into Bob on the street.
Alice: "Boy, this sure is an example of script format!"
Bob: "Wow, it sure is. Clearly this means we should have sex."
And then we did it. Like, ten times. Damn.
In this community in particular, I can understand why the format is appealing. It mimics the style of a visual novel, which is what KS is. Plus, it's a lot easier to write than prose, which is why you sometimes see it elsewhere among less-experienced writers.
However, unless you're writing something that's actually designed to be a script (such as Goldilurks' excellent Katawa Haha), there's no real reason to do so. Written prose is not the same as a visual novel.
I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that most of you do not have a lot of writing experience. Hey, that's fine! Budding writers should be encouraged and nurtured, and that is what I hope to achieve with this post. But in order to grow as a writer, you need to be willing to learn, and furthermore, you need to challenge yourself.
Yeah, writing isn't easy, and the script format simplifies things a bit. But it also looks lazy, and when it's mixed in with narrative, it rather breaks up the flow of the story. People do things when they talk. They pace, they fidget, sometimes they mumble or change their tone or other such things. Is something like this happening here? Describe it. Writing dialogue can take some getting used to, but it also makes for much better reading.
(A brief sidebar: There's a mistake a lot of new writers make when make writing dialogue that I'm just going to point out here, while we're on the subject.
"I like apples." said Alice. (Wrong.)
"I like apples," said Bob. (Right.)
If you would use a period to end some dialogue that is followed by more narration that's connected to it, use a comma instead. In addition, whenever you start or end some new dialogue, there should be a new paragraph.)
Anyway. If you want to keep writing in script format, then I obviously can't stop you. You may be comfortable with it, which is understandable. But if you really want to improve as a writer, you need to break out of your comfort zone a little. This is not a large community (relatively speaking), and the people here are pretty cool. So don't worry if your first attempts are less than perfect. You won't get laughed at. If anything, you might get some constructive feedback.
If you want some advice on how to improve your writing, The Turkey City Lexicon is a good piece to familiarize yourself with. It's mainly geared towards scifi writing, but there's some good all-purpose advice therein.
In conclusion: Writing is not easy. But it's not as hard as you probably think it is either. Prose format allows you to be a lot more descriptive, and furthermore, it makes your story easier to read. So even if you're unsure of yourself, give it a try. I think you'll be pleased with the results.
