I've had a story idea in my head for more than a year now and I definatly want to write it. I've only actually started writing it in the past month or so... It's a two part story (first and second generation) and it's really complex. I'm starting to wonder if I should do a simpler story first, I do have one in mind, it's an early reader fantasy. I've heard before it's better to start with a simpler story, do you agree? Or should you be ok with something more complex?
I would suggest you start small and complete the smaller project, then when you accumulated enough "writer miles" start working on the bigger project.
In addition to your story writing ability, your dedication counts. A question to consider: How much will the 'simplier' book actually prepare you to write the more complicated one? Terry
How about you write whatever it is that you want to write? Don't you hate it when somebody tells you that you have to do something because they know it will help you? Yeah, it might help you, but what if it doesn't? What if you spend the next year of your life writing something you don't really care about and when you're done you've realized it was a complete waste of your time? The truth is that if you write an easier project then you will learn from it. I often like comparing my newest work with my first few pseudo novels I tried to pass off as decent. It's absolutely hilarious how terrible they were. Each time I wrote something new I gained something from it, but often times I found myself writing about topics I did not care about. So yes, I did learn, but it was and still continues to be a very hard road to traverse. How about you listen to your mind - not your gut, your fears, or that annoying little imp who lives to whisper insults in your ear... that is normal, right? Whatever it is that you want to write, go out and write it. Remember, your job as a writer is to write whatever it is that makes you happy. If all those great writers only wrote what their fans or the fads of their day begged for then nothing would ever change.
Writer miles. . . I like that. I think you should do whatever you're comfortable with. Taking on a huge challenge can be discouraging, or maybe you're the kind of person who lives to conquer. Whatever suits you; none of us can say. I faced a similar situation and decided to put my major project on hold; my skills are inadequate, as yet. . so I'm working on lighter stuff to hone my writing ability. At the same time, I continue to expand and tweak the various elements of my "epic" as I learn. Some day, I'll be able to do it justice. But not today.
I think you should write your epic, Kas. When it's done, write another epic with what you learned from the first. Your current epic doesn't have to be the ultimate masterpiece epic. If you expect it to be, you'll just never write it!
dedication and commitment is right. I managed to plan my career- studied and landed a stable job/career before I devoted myself to writing. I'm almost done my first book. 1 more month to go!
I'd say go for the story that's in your heart, it'll be easier to stick with that than to something you decide to do "just for practice". Your writing will improve as you go, just from the process of writing lots and thinking about writing lots - you can rewrite later to improve it.
Starting out with a simpler story might be a better place to start, but a children's book isn't necessarily going to be easier just because the story is less complex. Early readers, unless you have a particular talent for that kind of writing, can be much harder to get right than an adult novel because you have to keep in mind the average reading skills of your age group without sacrificing any of the things you have in a higher reading level where you can use more complex language and more detailed narrative.
