Hii…! So I want too rant about my story I am doing because I don’t know if episode is for me. I dont code yet but why it is so hard for me to plan out the start middle and ends??? I don’t want to copy anyone story because it no fair! But why was it easy for me too think of what I want to write but when thinks of doing the episodes it’s hard?? I need some help what you like too see in romance story. But I thinks I need more helps is when I do my story. Not code the whole story i means how to get my-self do it or finds a way out so I can feel happy and motivate 
That is all….thank-you and sorry for ranting 
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i struggle with the same thing l, i’ve coded about 3 stories by now and just gave up, made covers and got the plot written down and everything because coding got to frustrating i think it’s just a matter of continuing to work on it a little each day, to this day i still try to add a little bit to each story, i try to find a new advanced coding, once the basics are down it’s easy.
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Thank-you for your help…!
But when you code what help you finish may/be one episode?
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the more i replay it and the more i love it. when you get to a certain point and watch your story come to life it motivates you to finish it even if it’s just adding a little.
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This rly helps me…thank-you I think I will follow you’re advice. thank-you again …!
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ofc! when you release it let me know id love to read! just try to do it a little more and more and keep watching the more your story comes to life and the more you get used to the basics of coding the easier it becomes! good luck.
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So am I understanding correctly that you have a written story but issues with learning code has demotivated you?
Or you just don’t know how to set up an episode – as in, where to start/end it, what to put in a chapter etc for the visual side?
Or just motivation in general?
Some tips I have about coding and Motivation:
1st: Coding takes a lot of time to become “good” at it. Even the best coders struggle and ask for advice/help so definitely don’t be afraid to come to the Directing Tips & Tricks section and make a post asking for help. There are a ton of people here who will work through problems with you.
2nd: If you really want to work solely on bettering your coding skills: Pick a TV show or movie that you are VERY familiar with (an absolute favorite, this matters) and start a “Practice” story and try to re-create your favorite episode of a show or scenes from a movie. I used Grey’s Anatomy to practice on and I can 100% say that it’s helped me get better at coding. The motivation will be pre-built in because it’s a show or movie that you love and it’s also challenging to try to make an Episode episode look like scenes you already know.
3rd: www.dara-amarie.com and Joseph Evans’ playlist on youtube are AMAZING. Dara’s site is full of templates, tips, guides etc and Joseph Evans Episode playlist takes you through every aspect of Episode from code to covers and everything in between. He also has the website: www.episodelife.com which is a really nice resource for backgrounds/overlays. So they are definitely worth looking into. 
4th: Take breaks! I know what it is to want to finish so badly that you slog your way through but really, don’t. Not only can tired eyes miss big and small errors but also, it just wears you down and makes it that much harder to want to finish. So, take breaks regularly- stretch, eat, watch some TV, decompress outside the Episode bubble then come back refreshed. I code a little each day but there are times where I avoid Episode all together.
For visuals:
Try to make a bullet list of the things you want in a single episode: Opening: Intro Main Character (CC or not), show " a day in the life", meets mysterious stranger in an alleyway who tells her “you’re right on time, Suzy”, End.
^^This method can help you define your ideas and show you the flow of your thoughts. If something doesn’t fit, you’ll catch it. If you can’t think of what to do next, re-reading through older notes could spark a new idea.
If you are on a basic code level, stick to it and practice on something else. Though it sounds terribly rude to say so, what I mean is: It’s better to have basic spotting and overlay movements and such and have an AMAZING story to read than it is to have ALL the fancy coding skills in the world and a crap story. You can make a “practice” story and try out new things there until you’re good enough at it that you feel comfortable using more advanced code into your main project.
For motivation to write:
Don’t force it. You won’t come up with good ideas by driving yourself mad trying to come up with them. Keep a notebook and pen or a app on your phone at all times and when an idea pops in, just jot it down. Don’t try to figure out how to fit it in, just write it out. Even if it’s not an idea that goes into the story at that time, it might fit in later and having it written down just ensures you won’t forget it.
De-clutter your work area. When you sit down, you don’t want distractions so grab a drink, a snack and your notes,ideas,bullet lists and settle in. Work on what you can and take it slow
Pick a hobby that isn’t writing but still creative. I make backgrounds and sometimes when I’m working on one I start thinking up scenes that could play out in that setting. Ideas and motivation are random but choosing something that lets you be creative (baking, painting, hiking, dancing anything really) can help boost the creative parts in your mind.
TLDR: Take care of your self, pick a hobby that lets you be creative in a different way and keep your ideas, good and bad because sometimes a bad idea just needs a little more thought and get in some non-main project code time to help develop your skills… Coding is hard and can really suck at times but the more practice you get the less you have to even think when you’re working in the portal. And never be afraid to ask the people here for help-- everyone’s needed it at some point and are happy to lend a hand.
Good luck with your story
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Both of these
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This helps me too…thank-you .! but how longs for you thinks our story would be good? I mean if how do you like it how you create it?
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Thank-you…
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So, story length is entirely up to you. Maybe you should aim for writing a short story (under 15 episodes). My first published story was 6 episodes, I think. I wasn’t skilled at coding and didn’t know my elbow from the if/elif/else code lol
As far as liking my own work? I’m an incredibly hard person on myself when it comes to any form of art or writing. lol I’m my WORST critic. It may help to find someone willing to be your Beta. Someone who doesn’t mind watching your episodes before you publish and SS every error they notice. Will it be endlessly annoying? Probably to some. Will it help you get better at coding and recognizing those errors on your own? Yep. I made a really good friend by asking her to nit-pick my episode like it was her own and my story ended up being featured on a shelf. 
Can’t hurt, right?
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Thank-you for your help…! Btw what is beta?
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A “beta” is someone who agrees to help you by reading episodes prior to public release with the intent of finding errors, sliding characters, character who are still talking after their lines are over, layering problems (sometimes it’ll look correctly layered in portal and different on a device so I suggest previewing on your phone, too. ), etc. They’ll let you know if things don’t really make sense, re-working sentences if English isn’t a first language, etc.
It’s really very helpful to have a second set of eyes-- be it someone here, or someone you know irl that reads on the app-- just a second pair of eyes
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Take inspiration from other stories but make it different, write down all your ideas before attempting to code. Watch tutorials, look for other people who have offered help and work from there.
Coding is hard, writing the plot is the easy part! It’ll take hours of time to even add a basic structure to your chapters, youre limited on things you can do in terms of animations and have to get creative, so trial and error is the best method to find out what works. You may find something you planned wont work because you can’t animate it, youll have to think of other ideas but thats okay too!
Its a lot of time investment but if you have the time then its worth learning!
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Ohh 
oki! I gets it now. Thank-you again Cole…!
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I loves your idea too! Thank-you too :…!
No problem, hon. And happy forum-versary lol
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thenk you
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Outlining will definitely help you in terms of writing. When I decided to start outlining Deadly Nightshade, it made writing the story a lot easier since I knew what would happen. Outline the beginning and the end, then work your way up from the ending. (If your story has one ending, if not, try to determine your endings.)
Also, take breaks and do other things! When I’m not writing, I write down random ideas, create outfits or random characters, make edits and post them on Instagram (my name is @kikis.stories), or even work on another story. If I don’t wanna do anything story-related, I watch a show or read something. It helps with my motivation. And listening to music helps me a lot too.
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thenk you…! This is helpful for me and I love advice you give to me! Thenk you again I will try out this and let you know if I plan my story good 
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