Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ

Hi all,

I need some help. I have 1 whole story all thought out. I have taken the steps to do bios on all of the main characters. My problem is, how do I start the writing now? I know that sounds sort of dumb, but I son't know how to begin. I had the same problem for my senior thesis. I had the whole screenplay in my head, but it took a long time to jump start the actual writing process. I have read parts of On Writing. Please help.

Just start. It helps to give yourself a daily word count as a goal. I think King recommends 3000, but try 1000 if you're very busy.

I like the goal. I will do 1000. That is about 3 pages a day. Thank you. See, I have it in my mins, that this should be a great story/book on the first try. First time doing this you know.

I'm not a writer but I notice there are a lot of writing groups on Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ. I just went looking and this one looks like it has a couple tons of information that would be useful to you:
http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1...

There are also many groups that are an author talking to readers. Many of these authors claim they are not sure where the story is going on the first draft. I was reading one of these yesterday and the author said she spends the most time on the fourth draft. I'd be bored to death at that point but I suspect this fine tuning is what makes her successful. The point I'm getting at is that the first draft isn't your masterpiece. Don't worry about quality just get it down on paper (or bits). Also, be ready to throw away much of what you're writing.

Also, as a reader using a Sony ebook, I'd appreciate it if you published on Smashwords.

This looks like a great source of help. Thanks.

If you need a hand with the word count, you might want to check out . It's a bit lower than what Kressel recommends, but it's a great motivational tool.

Thanks.

Thanks, Kiona. I might just try that myself.

Writing is the hardest thing to do. You need to be really self disaplined. I'm awful. I havent written for over a week. So frustrating. To many distractions.

I hear you Bozz. I want to write, but I don't thunk it will be any good. :(

Well, although I don't take my own advice I do trust King when he says ALL writers worth their salt think that way. So my advice -again, I'm too lazy to do this myself. Damn you Call of Duty- is to JUST WRITE!! Write away mate, set yourself a goal, say so many words a day and then see how you go! The only way to get good is to practice EVERY day. Hey, dont forget all the writers you admire started off just like you one day, wondering if they were good enough!

Bozz, other than my book reviews here, I haven't written in MONTHS if not a WHOLE YEAR!

Writing is simular to working out. At first it is hard, but the more you do it it gets easyier. Do not pressure yourself at first, if you write 50 words or 500 it does not matter. Over time through trial and error you will find your own way to write.

Remember the story of James Joyce:

A friend walked in and saw Joyce laying on his desk and he said "James, what is the matter?"
"I only wrote eight words today," Joyce replied.
"But James, for you that is good."
"Yes, but I don't know what order they go in!"

I totally agree with Michael. As soon as you're into it, it keeps flowing at just the right pace. And starting isn't as hard as you might think. I mean, just sit down and write a sentence. Doesn't matter what kind of sentence because it's only the first draft. And then write another sentence... and you'll notice that it's flowing sooner or later.

And don't worry if you haven't written for a week or even a year. You can always make a fresh start. When I lack the motivation, I browse the internet and often find amazing articles by authors that help me keep going or start again. Pep-talks are excellent encouragement, especially when you're down.

Alice wrote: "I totally agree with Michael. As soon as you're into it, it keeps flowing at just the right pace. And starting isn't as hard as you might think. I mean, just sit down and write a sentence. Doesn't ..."

Yay me!

I agree with all of the above. The fact that you have bios for all of your characters is a great first step; you have a vision and you seem dedicated. Now, you just have to sit yourself down with no distractions and discipline yourself to write for a set amount of time each day (hour, two hours, etc.). I'm working on the discipline thing myself because I think once it's in your mind that writing will take up x amount of time every day, it will become routine, like anything else. Once you've set aside the time, I find what works for me is just to begin. Write anything that comes to mind. Let it flow. The trick is in NOT reviewing it immediately and NOT becoming overly critical of what you've written. Don't let your inner critic hold you back & make you doubt yourself. Just write it out, walk away from it, then go back and revise. I know, for me, the easiest part is beginning and the hardest part is wrapping up a story and then revising it. Good luck to you!

This book is every bit as valuable to the writer as The Elements of Style and has the advantage of being more fun to read.

My advice is: give yourself permission to play. Have fun with it. I guaratee you, no matter what you write, it'll end up getting altered or cut. So just jump in anywhere and the rest will start to flow. I always like to start scenes in the middle of a heated conversation. "Would you just shut up?" It gets the story happening immediately.

Torre DeRoche, Author of

Torre wrote: "My advice is: give yourself permission to play. Have fun with it. I guaratee you, no matter what you write, it'll end up getting altered or cut. So just jump in anywhere and the rest will start to ..."

Wow Torre, your profile says you were born in 2001, and already have a book published. Not bad for a 9 year old.

Michael wrote: "Torre wrote: "My advice is: give yourself permission to play. Have fun with it. I guaratee you, no matter what you write, it'll end up getting altered or cut. So just jump in anywhere and the rest ..."

Ha ha! Thanks for pointing that out. I'm clearly new here �

Torre wrote: "Michael wrote: "Torre wrote: "My advice is: give yourself permission to play. Have fun with it. I guaratee you, no matter what you write, it'll end up getting altered or cut. So just jump in anywhe..."

NP, blame it on youth

Brian, the most difficult thing in writing is starting. And not just the first time, but each day you'll be faced with that anxiety and fear - and that's okay. You are not alone (as the song goes). Put your fingers to the keys, write the first sentence, then the second; the rest will follow.

Write your first draft with your heart and the second with your head. Get the story out. Don't worry about the little things. You can go back over it once you're done and find the perfect word, or re-jig the sentiment. Just sit down and tell the story that's in your head with your own unique voice. Avoid all cliches and ideas you've heard before. If you do that, you will have something.

That feeling in the pit of your stomach that's keeping you from doing it has very little power over you once you begin. You'll be surprised how quickly it goes away. Pick a starting point in your tale - make that decision - and then you're off. There's nothing that says you can't go back and change it later.

You can give yourself goals like 1000, 3000, 10000 words a day, but that doesn't work for me. I've had days where I've completed just one paragraph, or even none at all. You'll find what works for you. Everyone has given you good advice above. Take it. And, if you've read it, read On Writing again from the middle when King begins speaking of the process.

You'll find what works for you; everyone is different. The one thing that we all have in common, though, is that we have to start somewhere. If it's something you really want, you'll find yours.

And... I'm around if you want some specific advice on how or where to do it.

Kressel wrote: "Just start. It helps to give yourself a daily word count as a goal. I think King recommends 3000, but try 1000 if you're very busy."

i think 3000 is a lot for anyone holding down a job while writing

that means 30,000 words in ten days, 90,000 in a month

thats a novel right there and i don't know anyone who writes a novel a month! :)

Kressel wrote: "Just start. It helps to give yourself a daily word count as a goal. I think King recommends 3000, but try 1000 if you're very busy."

but i do agree: just write.... get one sentence down, then you'll have a page, then a chapter, and soon, when uve become immersed, it will become that much easier

I feel ya.
I agree 100% with King's advice and follow practically none of it.

My latest attempt to write something without trashing it is to have my wife act as a "project manager", assigning me tasks and deadlines. I have more complete outlines done than ever before.

An alternative if you lack a "project manager" is to go to a meet-up group with other writers.

My thought is that support and accountability are necessary for some of us less disciplined on those things that don't bring in money.
It seems to work so far. I may be moving slower on getting to actual chapters, but I'm not abandoning outlines and bios halfway through like usual.

I wrote my first story in 1996. I rewrote it maybe a hundred times, put it away for years at a time while working on other things, then dug it up one day and sold it in 2008. My point is you shouldn't expect to hit a home run on your first at bat. Like anything, it takes practice.

So Brian. Where are you now from where you first started this question in August, 2011?
For me, I read a lot, I go to school part time, I work full time, I have a family at home and I force myself to work out and find time to write. My biggest issue is determining what genre to write about. That's going to affect everything as you write. I like to read all sorts of genres so now I find that I struggle with finding who I am as a writer. Any suggestions?

I know this is an old discussion, but I wanted to offer my thoughts. As much as anything to see if people tell me I'm a moron...

To start a story is crazy hard. And how a story begins is one of the most important elements of whether the writing will fail or succeed.

I say - do it over and over. Get an idea how to start it, and do so. Write that day, or that sitting, till you tire out out the idea loses it's momentum. Sometimes it will. Then read it later. Think about what you do and don't like about what you did. Then sit down and try again. Let the voice be different. Emphasize different things. Be more silly or more serious. Get inside the character's head more. Or even start from a whole different place or a whole different way. Those worried about word count and feel a need to crank out a story may hate this idea, but I think it's helps you know your character better, know the world you are building better, and sort of snuggle into the idea your trying to pass on to someone else.

There you have it. Agree. Disagree. I'd really like top hear.

Lee wrote: "I know this is an old discussion, but I wanted to offer my thoughts. As much as anything to see if people tell me I'm a moron...

To start a story is crazy hard. And how a story begins is one of th..."

Lee - Although I think everyone has their own style, sometimes being newer at it, we don't yet know what that style is. With that said, even if we know our style, sometimes we need to step outside of the box. I agree that sometimes a different perspective helps turn the story in another direction. Changing your perspective from one character to another to get a feel for how they would now react or handle a situaton or scene. This doesn't mean change your point of view, just getting another character perspective then see what that does to the story.
Personally, I tried word counts and although I could do it, it started to become a chore with how busy I am with school, work, family etc and I didn't want that. Now, I write when I can but I make sure it's weekly or close to it. I love to read about writing as well and can't get enough of those kinds of books because I like all the different authors styles, and routines. It helps to let me know that I'm not "doing something wrong" I'm just doing something different.

Tammy

I'd suggest that you start by writing a "longhand" outline. Take your thoughts, and start typing them out, making sure you are thorough, including any important details. Walk the reader through it, making sure you don't forget anything you'll want in the story. You might end up with one page, or you might end up with thirty pages. Then, go back and read through that. Does the story seem to "work"? Any issues? Go back, and add whatever you'll need to make it work. Any twists? Figure out where you want them, and tuck those in where they belong. Do you have an opening scene? Try to put it into words. This should give you a good start. After this, you dig in, and start telling the story itself, from the beginning. I've done this, and then, as something from the outline is completed (I've left the outline there, right at the end), I remove that item from the outline. Sometimes I'll jump ahead, and push part of that outline forward, but by the time all those bits and pieces are removed, they'll be replaced with actual story. I hope this helps you get started.

Awesome J.M.
I will even try this.

Getting started seems to be a big hurdle for many folks, even though they have a story in mind, though it may still be fragmented.
There are days when you look at a book (or whatever) and don't really "feel" the story coursing through your veins, but you know you should work on it. On such days, I simply sit down, and do some editing. Once you've immersed yourself, you'll start thinking within the story, and before long, you're back into it, and you'll find yourself digging in and writing again. That's why I say I never have writer's block. I think that 'writer's block' is simply a disconnection between the writer and the story, and it can be caused by a million things. Bills are due. Wife/hubby is mad at you because the honey-do list didn't get done. The honey-do list is growing. Whatever causes it, the end result is always the same. You stare at the screen/paper, and worry about having to create RIGHT NOW. That's when you have to cut yourself some slack, let yourself off the hook. It's in there, and worrying about it probably isn't the best way to cajole that shy story out of your head and onto the paper.
Just sitting down and playing with the story, whether you do something as simple as editing, or maybe tinkering with the storyline, will help to reconnect you to your writing. I've even sat down and played with the page boundaries and margins. Anything that connects you again to that paper, that story, it's all a part of writing. Whittling down that honey-do list by taking out the garbage, running the occasional errand and doing the laundry can't hurt, either!

To cut down on my "writers block" I try to always have a couple of different projects going on. One that is the active one, the other is the one I go to when I need to put my mind on something else.

Brian wrote: "Hi all,

I need some help. I have 1 whole story all thought out. I have taken the steps to do bios on all of the main characters. My problem is, how do I start the writing now? I know that soun..."

I like to have a plan. (Many writers--like Stephen King--don't.) I have used the "Snowflake Method" from Randy Ingermanson and I like it. You can find it here:

Thanks for the link E.H. I will be sure to check that out. I am always looking for how individual writers start their process.
Although Stephen King doesn't use a plan, I feel I'm a structured person and need it to keep things straight and stay on task and focused. What works for some doesn't work for all but it's finding what works for some that will work for us. We are all different. Thanks again!
T

The snowflake method is a great method. I bought it and have it on my computer. I have yet to use it, though I've played around with it. Very impressive.
If the entire story is in your head already, it'll work to help you organize it, and show you where you're missing something. I think of it (perhaps errantly)as a puzzle-piece tracker. Once you've got all the pieces, you'll know it, because it asks you for each one. That's where the similarity ends. You still have to write that story so somebody will want to read it, using language (voice) that attracts readers and brings across each minute of the story. So, I guess the snowflake method, instead of just-add-batteries, is just-add-writing-talent. But, story-structure and organization-wise, it's an excellent aid, and something you can learn structure from.

Tammy wrote: "Thanks for the link E.H. I will be sure to check that out. I am always looking for how individual writers start their process.
Although Stephen King doesn't use a plan, I feel I'm a structured per..."
So, while we're about it--I use yWriter from SpaceJock.com for novels. It's a piece of writing software that keeps track of scenes/chapters and a lot of other stuff like time, status (outline, draft, edit), notes, characters, locations, etc. And it's FREE! Again, it may not be for everyone, but it suits the way I work.

The Snowflake thing looks very interesting. Hmm....

I think you've gotten a lot of good advice, Brian. I just know that you start writing, no matter what and go with it, but you have to start. Editing and revamping all takes place some drafts later. But, just sit down and write and give yourself enough time to do so. If you can spare an hour - great. More, is even better, but just do it.
As far as distraction, for me - there are many, so catch yourself before you allow that enemy to enter your writer's workshop. And, don't forget to have fun!!Jeralyn Lash-SandsThe Big Bad Rain Monster

Outline?

I'm going to look into that Snowflake thing as well. Thanks for the info.Jeralyn Lash-Sands

I find this book helpful

How many people bio their characters and methodically outline (in some way) their story before writing? Who considers themselves structured, in need of a plan before just writing? What is your method of writing? Does it differ between a short story and novel?