This index holds the various pages of the ''So You Want to'' namespace. Go to SoYouWantTo/WriteAStory and SoYouWantTo/BeOriginal for basic advice that transcends genre boundaries.

'''To Get the Template:''' Head over to SoYouWantTo/SeeATemplate, open it for editing, and copy the template at the bottom of the page. Then come back here, click on the link for the page you want to create, open it for editing, paste in the template, and start filling in the sections. There you go!

Compare JustForFun/TVTropesHowToGuides. Contrast ThingsYouAreNotAllowedToDo. See also SoYouWantTo.MakeAJokeAboutTheSoYouWantToNamespace

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[[index]]
[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: The Basics ]]


This article covers advice for all writers, regardless of genre or medium; it's the stuff that would go on every page, but instead we put it on this one page and just point you over here:

* SoYouWantTo/WriteAStory
* SoYouWantTo/BeOriginal
* SoYouWantTo/MakeInterestingCharacters
* SoYouWantTo/DevelopCharacterPersonality
* SoYouWantTo/WriteDialogue
* SoYouWantTo/BuildYourOwnFictionalWorld
* SoYouWantTo/BeALongRunner
* SoYouWantTo/{{Recap}}
* SoYouWantTo/NameACharacter
* SoYouWantTo/NameAWork
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAGoodSummary
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAnEnding
* SoYouWantTo/SeeATemplate[[note]]Okay, this isn't for story writing, but we had to index the template somehow. And it ''is'' a basic if you want to add to the library here. Think of this as "So You Want To Write a So You Want To Page".[[/note]]
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAPlotTwist (under construction, please expand)

See also TheHollywoodFormula.

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Visual and Literary Genres ]]


The tropes that make the genre:

* SoYouWantTo/WriteAnAbridgedSeries
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAnActionMovie
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAnAesop
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAnAlienInvasionStory
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAnAlternateContinuity
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAnAlternateHistory
* SoYouWantTo/WriteABlackComedy (''NEEDS'' expansion)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAConspiracyTheory
* SoYouWantTo/WriteACosmicHorrorStory (Needs pitfalls and candidates for epic fails)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteACreepypasta (under construction, please expand)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteACrossover
* SoYouWantTo/WriteACyberpunkStory
* SoYouWantTo/WriteADarkFantasy
* SoYouWantTo/WriteADetectiveNovel
* SoYouWantTo/WriteADieselPunkStory
* SoYouWantTo/WriteADomCom
* SoYouWantTo/WriteADystopia
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAFilmNoir
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAFolkSong
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAFurryComic
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAGameAnime
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAGamingComic
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAGoodYaoi
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAGothicStory (needs plot ideas and candidates for epic fails)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAHardScienceFictionStoryWithSpaceTravel
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAHaremAnime
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAHeroicFantasy
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAHighFantasy
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAHorrorComedy (could use expansion)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAHorrorStory (could use expansion)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAHumongousMechaAnime
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAnIsekai (under construction, please expand)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAJungleOpera (Needs revision for grammar, storytelling, and keeping it politically neutral/objective. Struggling to properly label GreenAesop as a political matter)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAKidNovel
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAKoreanDrama (Needs expansion)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteALitRPG (Under construction)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteALoveStory
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAMagicalGirlSeries
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAMagicalGirlfriendSeries
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAMonSeries
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAPoliceProcedural
* SoYouWantTo/WriteARomanticComedy
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAScienceFictionStory
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAScrewballComedy
* SoYouWantTo/WriteASexDrugsAndRockAndRollStory
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAShonenSeries
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAShoujoSeries (Needs help. Maybe not a total rewrite, though.)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteASitcom
* SoYouWantTo/WriteASlasherHorrorStory
* SoYouWantTo/WriteASpaceOpera (''NEEDS'' expansion, more details)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteASpoofMovie (under construction, please expand)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteASteampunkStory
* SoYouWantTo/WriteASuperheroComic
* SoYouWantTo/WriteATeenDrama
* SoYouWantTo/WriteATimeTravelStory (''NEEDS'' expansion, more details)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAnUrbanFantasy
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAVampireNovel
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAVerySpecialEpisode (''NEEDS'' expansion)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAWarStory
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAWerewolfStory
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAYoungAdultFantasy (Under construction)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAYuriManga
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAZombieApocalypse
* SoYouWantTo/WriteSchemeAndScansion (needs a better description but probably not a total rewrite.)
[[/index]]

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Interactive Media ]]

[[index]]
* SoYouWantTo/MakeACollectibleCardGame
* SoYouWantTo/PlayAConsoleRPG
* SoYouWantTo/WriteATabletopRPG
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAVideoGame
** SoYouWantTo/WriteAnAdventureGame
** SoYouWantTo/WriteADatingSim
** SoYouWantTo/WriteASoulsLike
** SoYouWantTo/WriteAFightingGame (Needs expansion)
** SoYouWantTo/WriteAFirstPersonShooter
** SoYouWantTo/WriteAnIdleGame
** SoYouWantTo/WriteAMajorMMORPG
** SoYouWantTo/WriteAMetaGame (Needs expansion)
** SoYouWantTo/MakeAMetroidvania
** SoYouWantTo/WriteAMinorMMORPG
** SoYouWantTo/WriteARealTimeStrategy
** SoYouWantTo/WriteARoguelike (needs expansion)
** SoYouWantTo/WriteARomanceSidequest
** SoYouWantTo/WriteAnRPG
** SoYouWantTo/WriteASurvivalHorrorGame
** SoYouWantTo/MakeAVisualNovel
** SoYouWantTo/WriteAWesternRPG
* SoYouWantTo/WriteATabletopWargame
[[/index]]

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Medium ]]


This section is for certain media:

[[index]]
* SoYouWantTo/MakeAMusicVideo (needs expansion)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAFanfic
* SoYouWantTo/WriteATrailer
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAWebcomic
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAWebSerial
[[/index]]

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Settings, Location ]]


This section is for certain settings and locations in a story

[[index]]
* SoYouWantTo/MakeARunAwayHideAway
* SoYouWantTo/WriteACrapsackWorld
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAHauntedCastle (under construction)
[[/index]]

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Story Aspects, Scenes and Large Ideas ]]


This section covers things that are either not big enough to be an entire genre ''or'' too big to be only for one genre (but are still not all encompassing enough to go to the basics section).

[[index]]
* SoYouWantTo/BreakTheCutie (under construction, needs expansion)
* SoYouWantTo/BringACharacterBackToLife (under construction)
* SoYouWantTo/CreateAConlang (under construction)
* SoYouWantTo/CreateAMythopoeia (could be expanded)
* SoYouWantTo/CreateARoguesGallery
* SoYouWantTo/CreateBelievableAliens
* SoYouWantTo/DeconstructATrope ([[LogicBomb under construction]], please expand)
* SoYouWantTo/DesignAnAlienMind
* SoYouWantTo/KillACharacter
* SoYouWantTo/MakeTheNarratorACharacter
* SoYouWantTo/MakeUrbanLegendsTrue
* SoYouWantTo/MindScrewTheAudience
* [[Analysis/PlayerPunch Player Punch the Audience]]
* SoYouWantTo/ReconstructATrope (under construction, please expand)
* SoYouWantTo/UseSomePhlebotinum
* SoYouWantTo/WriteABackStory (under construction)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteABelievableMasquerade
* SoYouWantTo/WriteACharacterOfTheOppositeGender
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAnExcusePlot (under construction, please expand)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAFightScene (under construction, please expand)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAFunctionalMagicSystem
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAKidFriendlySeries
* SoYouWantTo/WriteASexScene
* SoYouWantTo/WriteTheSquad
[[/index]]

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Groundbreaking Works ]]


An overview of how these works rose to the top of the food chain, and how you might duplicate their success:

[[index]]
* SoYouWantTo/AvoidWritingTheNextFiftyShadesOfGrey (Under construction)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteTheNextBloodborne (under construction, please expand)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteTheNextDanganRonpa (under construction, please expand)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteTheNextDoctorWho
* SoYouWantTo/WriteTheNextFateStayNight
* SoYouWantTo/WriteTheNextGundam (under construction, please expand)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteTheNextHarryPotter
** SoYouWantTo/WriteTheNextHarryPotterAndTheMethodsOfRationality (under construction, please expand)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteTheNextKamenRider (expansion needed)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteTheNextLifeIsStrange
* SoYouWantTo/WriteTheNextMyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic
* SoYouWantTo/WriteTheNextSonicTheHedgehog (under construction, please expand)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteTheNextStarTrek
* SoYouWantTo/WriteTheNextSuperRobotWars (under construction, please expand)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteTheNextSuperSentai
* SoYouWantTo/WriteTheNextTheSimpsons (under construction, please expand)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteTheNextTMNT
* SoYouWantTo/WriteTheNextUltraman (under construction, please expand)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteTheNextX1999
* SoYouWantTo/WriteTheNextXFiles
* SoYouWantTo/WriteTheNextYuGiOh (expansion needed)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteTheNextZeroEscape (under construction, please expand)

[[/index]]

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Major Authors ]]


These are for advice on what to study to improve your craft, given your target genres, demographics, and mediums:
[[index]]
* SoYouWantTo/BeTheNextLarryDavid (Needs expansion)
* SoYouWantTo/BeTheNextStephenKing
* SoYouWantTo/BeTheNextStanLee
* SoYouWantTo/BeTheNextHPLovecraft
* SoYouWantTo/BeTheNextGrantMorrison
* SoYouWantTo/BeTheNextWilliamShakespeare
* SoYouWantTo/BeTheNextJRRTolkien
* SoYouWantTo/BeTheNextShinichiroWatanabe (under construction, please expand)
[[/index]]

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Individual Characters ]]


Writing a story is hard but writing believable characters, the core of any good story, is even harder at times.

We need tropers to create new pages of these standard characters, and start giving advice on how to craft them! In the meantime, you can visit ''Literature/FortyFiveMasterCharacters'' and ''Literature/TheCompleteWritersGuideToHeroesAndHeroines'' for some basic character templates.

[[index]]
* SoYouWantTo/AvoidWritingAMarySue -- also a Troublesome Trope
* SoYouWantTo/PortrayAutismAccurately
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAnActionGirl
* SoYouWantTo/WriteABadass (could use expansion)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteACloudCuckooLander
* SoYouWantTo/WriteACompleteMonster
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAnExpy
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAFourTemperamentEnsemble
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAHaremHero
* SoYouWantTo/WriteALawyerFriendlyCameo
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAMagnificentBastard
* SoYouWantTo/WriteATrickster (needs expansion)
* SoYouWantTo/WriteTheSquad
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAVillain
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAVillainousBreakdown (could use expansion)
* [[Analysis/TheWoobie Write a Woobie]]
* SoYouWantTo/WriteAYandere (needs expansion)
[[/index]]

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Creator Jobs ]]


Writing a story is important, but writers aren't the only ones doing work. Most creative mediums are collaborative, and many people help to make a quality product. This section is for those who want a specific job in any of the creative industries or want to do a specific creative aspect for a work. Pages should detail some of the finer points about such jobs and if possible give proven ways to get into such careers.

[[index]]
* SoYouWantTo/BeAnAnimator (Needs expansion)
* SoYouWantTo/BeABooker
* SoYouWantTo/BeACausticCritic
* SoYouWantTo/BeAVoiceActor (Needs expansion)
* SoYouWantTo/BecomeAVisualKeiMusician
* SoYouWantTo/DesignAFilmPoster
[[/index]]

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Troublesome Tropes ]]


We all know that Administrivia/TropesAreTools. But some of them tend to be useful only in the hands of a Master Craftsman. So here are some pages to help you avoid those tropes... at least until you know what the heck you're doing.

[[index]]
* SoYouWantTo/AvoidBreakingYourAesops
* SoYouWantTo/AvoidFillerInYourWriting
* SoYouWantTo/AvoidTheThemeParkVersion
* SoYouWantTo/AvoidUnfortunateImplications
* SoYouWantTo/AvoidWritingADesignatedHeroOrVillain
* SoYouWantTo/AvoidWritingAMarySue
[[/index]]

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