Kind of hard to write beginnings when you just want to get to the point already... I hate introducing characters to the reader or each other. This is why I loved writing fanfic, everyone is already given and you can pick up anywhere. (I'm impatient. I'm the type of person who skips tutorials in games.) How to force myself to actually do the start instead of jumping right at Act 3?
What makes you think you have to write the story linearly? Just write act 3. Edited to add: And then go back and write the rest of the story, of course.
Well.. No one will care about Act 3's big emotional finish if there is no build up, so there's that. If it's just for yourself, write it as it won't matter outside of you. Do the characters need introduction? I mean, can't some of them just know each other? And when you say introduce, do you mean "hello, I am..." dialogue? If the journey before Act 3 doesn't interest you, how will it interest anyone else?
I could write the big dramatic parts first, I guess. And just make cliff notes of what's supposed to happen before. Some characters already know each other (they come in twos and threes), but the party needs to gather. I roughly know how, I'm just impatient.
Write Act 3. Then write Act 2. Then discover that you don't even need Act 1. I think that "introducing characters" is often unnecessary; they can make themselves known while the story is happening.
I never really wrote backwards before, but I have to try. Maybe I should try to murder mystery one day to practice this.
Do you have an idea of who the characters are? What are they doing before they meet? You don't have to (and you really shouldn't) have your character(s) say "Hello, I'm xxx." Drop us straight into their lives - imagine you're a camera floating above them, filming them as they go about their business. Just pick a point in time, and start from there. Let us get to know them by watching what they do, how they act, and who they talk to. Eventually, they'll meet each other, and then you can get on to the dramatic parts.
I guess it depends if you want to write a complete story. The start doesn't have to be boring, in fact it shouldn't be. And although the climax is the big set piece, introducing characters to your readers should be fun and when done with action and conflict, it's even better.
How much time you spend on the "boring" bits is up to your style. What kind of story are you telling? Doesn't sound like it wants to be slower, seeing as you don't want it to be. So only do enough as you need. But don't just do them, begrudingly, feeling bored. If it's boring to you it will be boring to some others to, and might well come out bad in general because you didn't care about it. You have to care about it. So why are you doing these bits? What's interesting about them? What's important? Add some life. Add some feeling. Add some passion.
I'll second the suggestion to start at the end. Write what excites you; chances are, you'll learn a lot about your characters writing it, and then you might have a better idea of what to put earlier in the book. Additionally, character introduction doesn't have to be boring. In fact, you can make character introductions a great source of drama and interest to the reader: when introducing your characters, add them to the story in scenarios that really show the reader your characters' personalities, strengths, weaknesses, motivations, etc., more than just telling the reader would. You want the reader to be invested in your characters. And you should be invested in your characters, too, as the writer - if you feel like introducing your characters is boring, then maybe you should spend a little more time on character development. I'm of the mind that even plot-driven stories need well fleshed out characters. If your characters are well developed and individual, then it shouldn't be boring to write. As they say, if you're bored, your reader probably will be too. So re-evaluate: are your characters well fleshed out individuals? Do their personalities and motivations tie into the story? Make sure to spend ample time getting to know your characters if you haven't already, and in the meantime, feel free to write absolutely out of sequence.
So, you want a mindless action fest or something? It's not like the "cake" in this metaphor isn't interesting.
Unless you don't find cake interesting. In which case write all the action you want. If you feel like baking a cake latter, who fucking cares. Write what seems interesting to you.
Well, they say, don't they, this ominous 'they', nameless mass vaguely referred to as a knowledgeable, educated mass whose words are taken as law, that you should start as close as possible to the end. I was just having a laugh with the way I wrote that. People do generally say you should start your novel as close as possible to the end So maybe Act 3, as you say, is really where your novel should start? just a thought. And what makes you think you can't introduce the character and do character development and all that jazz through the exciting action you refer to? Also, not every genre requires major character development - perhaps you just have to find out what kind of story you're into writing? Which books interest and excite you when you read them? I assure you those include some form of character introduction and development, yet they are not dull to you - perhaps learn from how they do it.
Begin with the action, if that is what keeps you going. When you written that, the introuduction and such might come more naturally! As long as you know where you're going nothing says you need to start on chapter one and go chapter by chapter to the end. (It might just be easier to keep track of )
Yeah, but when you look at slices of cake, most often you'll go for the one with the cherry on it. It's the cherry that you want, but you bought it because of the cake. Edit: I'm agreeing with you by the by. I think. Metaphors are confusing.
No. I'm saying the lack of cake is a lie. Because even the cherriest action-fest still needs to have cake. Just hidden, mostly. You still need to be able to write cake. And the cake should be tasty. And to honest, I don't like cake with too many cherries. It feels cheap. Not enough of the more complicated and difficult cake. The cherries you just stick on top, easy. Sure it's not effortless, but it's not as clever... Is this metaphor too weird yet?
"And I would've gotten away with it too, if it weren't for you meddling kids." - Every Scooby Doo villain, ever.
Well, nothing stops you from writing act 3 first if that's what gets you motivated. But honestly, I find this a hard question to answer because I'm not exactly sure where you have problems. I personally love character introductions. I look for setting a scene that will tell the reader the most about the character, in the least amount of time. First off, it avoids long narratives about that particular character's back story because it's honestly not like the reader actually cares at this point anyway. Since they don't care to read it, I don't care to write it, and it all works out great. Secondly, it helps me focus on a scene with motion and action that people are going to remember a little better than a long blurb. It's universal. Focusing on a brief and memorable introduction helped me transition into short stories, where originally I was writing long novels. And speaking of which, maybe you want to consider writing short stories since that fits your style a bit better.