help me with writing

[Jeronus]

I'd like to write a thriller. How do I write a good story? How do I get ideas for it?

I already have some good ideas for stories specifically in the thriller, horror, and fantasy genres. But how do I make and choose what characters should be in the story? I hear the best way to write any story is to base the characters off of people you know in real life and let them decide how the story will start and where the story will go from there. But how can they even start the story if I already know how it starts? How well do I have to know the person I want to base on a character, would I have to have known them for a couple years or can I have met them for just a minute?

usually when I try to write a story I get writers block, it turns out to be crappy, or both. I don't know what to do or how to even begin. help me please

[Alice in Eden]

I strongly recommend you don't worry too much about the character(s) for now. The writer of the fantasy novel Eragon and their counterparts, Christopher Paolini, didn't even have a name for his character when he began writing. I believe he just called him 'Tom' or 'Bill', which is unimaginative, but it clearly helped him focus more on the plot/storyline.
Just start writing, deary! Trust me, I know how hard it is when you have writers' block! The really disheartening thing for me to know is: I'm not going to have a masterpiece after a week, and of the twenty pages I write, filled with ridiculous, ineligible nonsense, I only scavenge a mere paragraph or less!
But here's some advice for you, fellow writer:
1. If you have a journal or just some simple scribbles in your notebook, don't throw any of it away! You may very well pull an amazing battle scene or silly kiss session for future use! Or maybe a word or phrase will stick out to you later on! ALWAYS SAVE YOUR WORK.
2. You don't have to necessarily start your story from the beginning. As ridiculous as this sounds, you can start from the middle or end. As you write and grow as a person, you and your story will mold and change over time. Also, don't constantly spell-check yourself! I do it, so don't be me. JUST WRITE, DARNIT!
3. As I mentioned above, don't worry too much about the character. He/She will grow into the story. Think of your story as a brick wall and your character as the ivy on it. As time passes, that ivy will start to encompass the wall. You'll have to be patient with yourself. Someone once related writing to "slicing open a vein and bleeding on paper". As scary as that sounds, it's true: a lot of writers are troubled souls (it's what makes us so sexy). Also, your character doesn't have to be based on someone you know! Well, scratch that... Your character can be YOU, and that's someone you know the best! So, if you don't have one, get a diary/journal.
4. An author I always turn to is Anne Lamott. I frequently recommend her book Bird by Bird to others struggling with writers' block. One of her chapters, Shitty First Drafts, is both hilarious and helpful. In other words, she can give you more advice than I can.
Anyway, I hope to see you on bookshelves in the future, as I love all of the genres you listed!

[Andethrea]

Jeronus

I'd like to write a thriller. How do I write a good story? How do I get ideas for it?

I already have some good ideas for stories specifically in the thriller, horror, and fantasy genres. But how do I make and choose what characters should be in the story? I hear the best way to write any story is to base the characters off of people you know in real life and let them decide how the story will start and where the story will go from there. But how can they even start the story if I already know how it starts? How well do I have to know the person I want to base on a character, would I have to have known them for a couple years or can I have met them for just a minute?

usually when I try to write a story I get writers block, it turns out to be crappy, or both. I don't know what to do or how to even begin. help me please

umm i only write for myself sorry cat_crying

[Saffron Bunny]

Whoever said you have to base characters off of people in real life is an idiot. You certainly can base characters off of people, but that can get messy if it's a close friend. You'll find the character will change as your opinion of the person does. It's easier to develop a situation, and the characters will come along with it. Don't worry about basing it off of someone.

Really, just stop listening to whoever gave you that advice. Characters do not control the story; you do. If you let your characters control the story, you might end up with a nonsensical mess of things. Why? Hopefully, at this point the characters have their own personal agendas, and if you cater to that, it'll take over, you'll have something you don't like, and it'll be no good.

Also, just pull ideas from wherever you can. Idea generators online, real life situations, what-ifs, things like those will help you immensely.

Just write. Write through the blocks, write and keep writing. Reward yourself when you do good. Edit and revise; your writing isn't set in stone.