Get something down. You can edit it later, but for now, get some ink on that white page. Introduce the character and the conflict. If you need to give some depth to the character, or introduce her daily routine, do it later. Do it now and you risk the reader losing interest in her.
I usually start my stories at the first point I can think of. Then I write from there and go back to make a more interesting introduction when the story is done. Most of the time I find a better starting point as I write. Other times, the stories turn out so long that the readers will accept a slow boil. But there's no point in trying to figure that out until I know the rest of the story.
You don't have to start at the beginning. If you have one section or scene clearly in mind, write that.
@Shadowfax I've thought about introducing herself and the conflict together, however, I don't want to "ruin" the entire story in one sentence. How can I avoid that?
I'm not sure...it sounds as if you want to "save" the conflict up for a big final scene...but unless there's some conflict earlier, the reader is going to get bored and wander off. If you do need to save up the big conflict, give her a smaller one.
Here's a thought: you can't ruin the entire story in one line. The reader gives you at least three or four sentences, and at best the whole page before they make a final decision, and they will most likely read the blurb before they even look at your books contents. Just relax. This is what I do: Think about your character's personality. Give them an event, be it good or bad, and depending on how they feel about it, have them voice an opinion on it. Most of the time the story ends up going from there for me and the character take's control of themselves, with my fingers just translating what they tell me onto the keyboard. Examples: For personality: I laughed in the face of Death. And not a wimpy, childish giggle; this was a full out belly laugh. "You... you what?" He glared at me with those dark, hollow eyes. Eyes that would petrify any ordinary mortal. "I need you to leave." he repeated. (had to this scene has been in my head for ages but i have absolutely no clue about the story behind it yet.) For conflict: Blood. Flame. Smoke. The air was thick with it, choking my senses and threatening to overwhelm me with the fear that had already taken over the others. My claws scrabbled against the sleek bark of a tree, slid, then caught. In the next instant I was in the highest branches, wings spread and struggling for balance. But though I knew him, knew his nature, it was still mine to deny that he had ever done anything wrong. That he had destroyed the world I had created. (perspective of a creature similar to a griffin if anyone's confused. it's a battle between a god of creation and a god of destruction.) Overall, just sink yourself into your character's perspective. Think about the very instant they are in or the sensation, sight, smell, touch, or anything really.
What makes you think you're gonna ruin it? And introducing the character with the conflict - no one's saying start like this: "Mary was being pursued by the Mafia, because her husband owed them money, but the money could save Mary's daughter because her child really needed treatment, which was only available in Amsterdarm." If you really think you could start and finish an entire story in ONE SENTENCE, perhaps what you're looking at is micro- or flash fiction. Or perhaps you don't have enough story to write a book with. To give an example of introducing the character with the conflict, maybe I could say, "Mary was sipping coffee when her house exploded." (assuming the cause of the explosion was part of the main plot and Mary is the MC) All you need is an opening that makes people ask questions and write it in a simple enough or smooth enough way to make people keep reading. Stop asking how you can avoid "ruining" the story and get writing. And be glad when you actually have something to "ruin". But I'd have a little faith in yourself and realise that perhaps you're not going to "ruin" it. Perhaps you're actually gonna create something worth reading - and if anything doesn't come out just right, well, that's what editing and rewriting are for Go write. You'll be fine. Hugs.
Another thing you can try is writing a couple of intros. Don't go longer than a page. Contrast styles and brave a couple of critiques. What are the reader's thought in comparsion to your own? Is this method a little more work, yes, but the results can be surprising. If you use music, find pieces that fit the tone of your piece. For the first couple minutes, just listen. What story is the music telling, how is it relating to your character. What is the first thing about your story that pops into your mind? Are they alone, if not, who is with them? Actions, facial expression, their thoughts? Their emotions: angry, frightened, what? Take that first idea, seize it and run. Even if it isn't the direction you didn't intend to go. That is your intution speaking. Listen to it. Don't worry about grammar or mechanics. Just write. You are the reporter of the being's actions, you have to keep following. Example of a first thought: "She doesn't have a pulse? How can that be?" Myles demanded, confused. There was no life without a heartbeat, yet here was Angel, semiconscious and breathing. His mind flew back to past encounters with her, mining his memories for details. Always, there had been others about, the thundering of their hearts covering the stillness of hers. But he was darkkin, he saw what others overlooked. How could he have missed this? A dark scowl marred his brows. The library and its utter stillness, the icy sill where she had huddled, impervious to the bone cracking cold. What in hell was happening? Who was this girl he thought he knew? To hell with who, what was she? The first thing to pop into your head. Write and follow. If it's the beginning, great, if it's a later sequence, run with it. It is a plot point in the dot to dot that is writing. You will make the connections.
Here's the key - don't let yourself get overwhelmed it's only a first draft. There's no way you can get off on the wrong foot ( so to speak ) because nobody has to see it until it's polished. It's like layers in a painting. The first looks like a muddy mess. And even if the beginning sucks you can trim it like a hangnail. I've started stories - didn't like the beginnings and chopped them off during the second draft and turned the second chapter with a few polishing tweaks into the beginning. It happens. That's why editing is wonderful. It can turn mistakes into masterpieces - When I start I always think of a scene that is going to help anchor my reader in the story. Allow him to get a vibe on what this story is about. I like to do a bit of setting ( makes a reader feel secure knowing where the hell he is ) and something hinging on something - maybe it's a problem, or a change - that could provoke a reader's interest. Your opening sentence doesn't have to be stellar it just needs to establish some facts - for my prison story I started off with - Collie got a new roomie - which if people read the 'blurb' knowing it's a prison story would know just from that sentence that this is what the conflict is going to be about this new 'roomie.' A good way to get in the mood is to surround yourself with things that provoke you into thinking about your story. Some artwork, some pictures maybe of where your story takes place, some music, maybe a favorite book that inspires you to write. I have folders on my computer filled with pictures for each story - it's quite helpful. And if all else fails start with your characters name and have her want or need something small in the first sentence. i.e. - Sheila wanted to leave New York. Sheila desperately needed a triple latte.
this sounds weird (but im weird, so this kinda cancells it out) but put some music on (hell, even put your ipod/phone on shuffle) and listen to music, close your eyes and visualise it, i use a computer and can touch type, so it makes my life a little easier. but then as soon as something starts to formulate, capture it and write it down. you can always go back and edit it at a later date.
Think about which event in your story that corrisponds to that first domino that will gonna make all the others start falling, and start as close to that event as you can. It doesn't have to be in the first sentence but there will have to be something that grab the readers interest right from the start, and preferably something that has a connection to the overall story. If it helps you can think in terms of The Day Something Happens That Changes Everything.
Sorry I came back so late! I've been ludicrously busy with so many different things over October. Since it's been calm for a while, I've been trying to track down all the other places I've stalked online. Thank you three for all of the engaging posts! I'll try to manage this thread far better in the future. Hello Shadowfax! That's a very good point. I haven't been deleting much of my computer documents lately, to be honest. I've been zipping up old documents in .zip files (with 7Zip) and uploading them to Google Drive, aaand then deleting them. My mom plays a bunch of computer games on the computer (that's a switch xD ) so I have to keep the clutter to a minimum, since her games take up so much RAM. Fair point, but I sometimes feel that I'm slightly ocd about how much 'file clutter' I have on the computer. -------------------------- Thanks for the comment Link the Writer. : ) Good points. It seems easier to salvage some parts, themes or characters from botched stories then it is to keep dragging along with the same story. I still have some older stories that I wrote in pencil and paper, still hidden away somewhere from when I was in my teens. I had no idea what I was going to do with it then, but I have a very clear idea what I might be able to do with it now. I wonder if it's easier to know when to keep something for later, and what it is exactly that makes writers keep what they keep? *shrugs* Fair point. There's definitely a lot to consider, and definitely a lot of variables that make each situation unique, so it could be hard to give very specific advice. (Other than to finish the 'damned thing.') I suppose authors could ask their fans, (if they're on that kind of level) or they could set up a poll somewhere, but I would assume It depends largely on the venue (professional for book/ebook sales, or non-profit for fanfiction or stuff posted online all willy nilly) and on the author's work load and capability. Agreed. Very nice, short and concise checklist. Although, I find both writing and filing taxes enjoyable. : 3 Any tips or extra advice? Perhaps a quick mention on some type of method that could help other writers? -------------------- Thanks for your insights, Peachalulu, this is very engaging advice. : ) I'd say the trouble can come from frazzle brained writers (like me) who write down everything that comes off of the top of their head and for me personally, have notebooks full of handwritten ideas from their (embarrassing, rampantly-emotional/irrational) teenage years. It might be helpful to other newer writers to know when to set something aside, or when to just toss something out. I do like these ideas though. Salvaging bits and pieces of ditched stuff and re-shaping it into something new. I'd guess it would be up to the author to decide what to keep aside, and which parts of old stories to salvage. I get what you mean about stuff not deleting from the mind. There are plenty of good ideas buried in bad stories that I wrote, still haunting the pen. It's kind of fun to re-purpose old work. So if something is done, it's done? (At least for the time being?) Very interesting, I like the implications this could hold. New opportunities for "This is my online-author agreement, I promise to do some and such but I can't make any guarantees about so and so" or something, at least for other websites, or at least a habit other writers (like fanfiction writers) could try and do. Perhaps this could be called "Word of the author" or something. The right to set something aside if it's been exhausting them, or if they get super busy. (Kids, pets, medical stuff, etc) Writing is definitely time consuming, and It's really cool you keep up with all your ideas and story notes. Like I explained above, I've been putting most of my inactive text files onto google drive. I'm pretty awful at juggling different stories and keeping up with different ideas, with editing and scheming responsibilities, I end up being too intimidated to try and write for that day. I have to keep a general writing schedule in order to get any work done (which I'm kind of breaking now... ) Is there a method you use for keeping things organized? Any scheduling tips that could help new writers? ----- - I'll be editing the first post and adding in different sections. EDIT: It seems as though I cannot edit the first post of my thread. I shall pounce a moderator.
Writing grows with us as we develope, essentially there are pojects, that while wonderous at the time, need to be set aside because we've moved beyond. Often the echoes of the older projects can be found in the bones of newer pieces. It is a learning curve. Do you need to hang on to things you wrote in high school? Only if you want to laugh yourself silly. Going back and reading through old projects as you purge is a good way to see how you're matured as a writer. Questions need to be brutal. Have you touched the project in the last five years. Have you actually read through it, edited, or posted it anywhere? If the answer to more than one of these questions is no, chances are it would be a wise decision to toss it. Purging is something that should be done annually, just like cleaning out the closet. This will keep files neat, ideas tighter, and work spaces uncluttered. I'm a neat freak so a mess in my writing area drives me to distraction. I back up on SD cards and cloud drives with inactive projects. I'm very sparing with printing projects. Only after its completed, will I print the first draft. All little weird, I'll admit, but it does push me to actually finish my projects so I can have that real, printed page in my hands. For a project to make it into my portfolio is a journey, but seeing it, I know I have the commitment to it to finish. Those are the projects I hang onto.
Personally, if you come to a point where you have writers block I would put that idea to one side and forget about. Then every few weeks I would go back to it, re read it and see if anything new is there. If there's still no motivation or nothing to add I'd leave it again. There's nothing wrong with that. Don't force ideas. More often I find I'll leave an idea and out of nowhere; I could be out walking, chilling in the bath, at the pub, at work - something will click and spring to mind for that story that I shelved. When this happens I can enthusiastically bring it out again and continue. I don't think you should ever fully let go of something. You should always keep that idea incase somehow it gets revived. You could have an idea that like you say you haven't touched for 6 months but anything could happen. In 20 years something might happen for you to go back to that idea with a new perspective. It will come to you.
I'm terrible for not finishing things, I'm a bit of an ideas magpie (??) but I very rarely delete anything. I sometimes come back and get a second wave. I think in the odd ones I have deleted it's because I no longer like my characters. They feel flat, forced or as simply plot devices. Otherwise I can get oddly attached to them. My current laptop is actually very neat, but only because it's new and everything is still sat on a usb, except a couple I re-read and decided to revive.
If by "letting a story go" you mean permanently abandoning the idea, I only do that if/when I become convinced that the idea was not a good one after all, or if I decide that I can't and will never do it justice. When it loses forward momentum (as Michener put it in his book, My Lost Mexico). That can happen for any number of reasons - a roadblock in research, a story you just can't get to flow, loss of confidence in the idea (or the emergence of a more exciting or viable idea), not to mention the garden variety real world events that sometimes overtake us. Not sure what you mean by "stay dedicated". I don't see that anything meaningful can be done about a story once it's been published, other than deciding not to promote it. And that's a personal choice. What difference would that make? Please remember that there is nothing magical about genre. It's simply a classification, a marketing tool. The answer is in the question. Depends on the writer. Depends on the story. Depends on his/her disk capacity. No checklist for me, just a simple question - do I think this idea has a future? There really isn't a need to make it any more complicated than that. Perhaps, but there is an idea that I began back in my 30s but set aside because of life's flow. I've written other things, but I will at some point go back to it. As I said before, if an idea is viable, there's no reason to let it go. But these are the choices we make as writers that no one can make for us.
i would say this. let yourself get ideas and take notes. then maybe after at least a year of note taking you will see that there is one story which you have to tell. if it can be something dealing with a pain you are feeling or something you are going through in some way, even if only metaphorical then pick that. worked for me.
Thanks everyone for their input and insights! The edit thing is still missing from my original post for some reason, so I can't really clean up or fix my first post. ---- Thanks for this answer Ed. This could definitely help in the future. I'm a neat freak too, Darkkin. This is sound advice as well. : ) Keeping things neat and tidy is very important on my computer, but I haven't tried printing anything yet. Maybe printing something will give it a special 'something.' I'll try it out. --- Lots of different and dynamic answers. It seems to depend a lot on the writer. Cool.
I tend to have between 0 and 2 "active and serious" writing projects going at a time. Then there are some ancillary ones, which is the other projects that stick in my mind enough even if I don't purposefully think about them that I sometimes slip into working a little bit on them in my free time or whatever. These number about 4. I tend to think of about one new project that gets any sort of "traction" about once a month, and at any point in time have about 30 projects that are either active or on hold. To keep this number down I make sure to routinely go through my project folders on my computer and ask myself questions like "Is this different enough from the other projects?", "Could I combine it with another project?", "Is this something I would have liked to read?" and "Will I be able to write this?". I also have a dream of narrowing the number of projects I have at any given time to somewhere between 5 and 10, and, regardless, as I can at best hope to finish one project a year, I still have to make sure to get rid of almost as many projects as the new ones I take on. I'm that kind of author who likes to do a little bit of everything when it comes to genres, so several of my projects are placeholders that are basically just defined as "my take on genre X", which could be space opera, children's literature, high fantasy, poetry etc. The rest are story and/or character driven in their creation. If I get an idea for what could be the core plot of a novel and can convince myself I like it it will stay on my to-do list as long as I still believe there might be at least some chance it would at some point be worth doing.
Right now, I'm having a hard time creating a form and just telling the story. Lately actually, I've been writing but end up deleting it and starting over then deleting it again and now I'm starting fresh again. It seems like I'm having trouble being creative. Or maybe it's this certain plot I came up with because I want this story to be good. I don't want to just write anything. Any tips on what I should do?
should be a million posts & threads on here and the internet about writers block. I'm not so sure it exists but not being able to come up with something to start you off is a common problem. I worked around my problem by reading the stuff that inspires me, that gave me some ideas and a feeling for how it should flow then it just snowballed from there. It's easier once you start. Also try not to put pressure on yourself by trying to get it perfect first time, that's just not going to happen. Get it on paper first then rework.
Research and/or plot development often help me. I like to develop my plot until I intricately know what will happen in each chapter, I can then jump around my piece and expand the parts that grab my attention at that moment. This is made easier by virtue of the fact I generally jump between several protagonists/ antagonists (well three usually) from chapter to chapter. I find when I become bored that there is usually something lacking in my plot or my characters that requires further development.
Maybe give it some time and let it marinate. Also maybe stop deleting stuff you think is bad. Give yourself permission to write badly - your readers may disagree with you on quality - and if you advance the plot badly, at least you've advanced it and can move on to the next scene. If you write a bad scene, keep moving and come back to it later. If you still think it sucks, you can revise it AFTER you've finished the rest of the story.
Stop deleting - stop stopping. Finish the project, no matter how bad it is. Then finish the next one, no matter how bad it is. Get feedback on them. Go back later and study them. Do critiques for others. Nobody writes the perfect story, and nobody (except the one in a million prodigy) writes a good the first time - or second, or third. Becoming a good writer is a process, and a lengthy one.
