3. I don’t know where to start.
We put so much pressure on ourselves to start in the right spot. We often hear lessons and lectures about the importance of first pages and chapters, strong openings, etc. But if you listen to published authors talk about the writing process, you’ll find 99% of them will tell you the first chapters change dozens of times between first draft and publication.
Don’t get hung up on starting in the exact right spot. Just jump in somewhere—anywhere—that makes sense to you, for now.
It’s easiest to start with some kind of action starting. Are they in the middle of a crisis, like a terrible first date? Are they at their wedding and someone has just rushed in to stop it? Are they an actress on stage, whose costume has just started to malfunction? Starting in the action like this helps you show the positive traits and flaws of your main character and the people around them quickly, as well as their values. This helps HUGELY in getting to know your characters and how they’ll behave and react to things through the rest of the story.
Still stuck? Try this: don’t start on chapter one. Start with chapter two instead. Build momentum and go back when you’re ready to fill in what you now think chapter one should be.
Did you know the Essa Public Library has a whole section of writing and writing advice? Here are just a few of the gems in our collection.
Novelist Jessica Brody presents a comprehensive story-structure guide for novelists that applies the famed Save the Cat! screenwriting methodology to the world of novel writing. Revealing the 15 "beats" (plot points) that comprise a successful story--from the opening image to the finale--this book lays out the Ten Story Genres (Monster in the House; Whydunit; Dude with a Problem) alongside quirky, original insights (Save the Cat; Shard of Glass) to help novelists craft a plot that will captivate--and a novel that will sell.
Write a Novel in Ten Minutes a Day: Aquire the habit of writing fiction every day by Katherine Grubb
This book will help you sculpt a full-length piece of creative writing in just ten minutes a day. Starting with a daily practical exercise, it will help you manage your writing schedule within this time frame and help you bring your novel to life. You will be able to clarify your vision and review your time commitments, as well as understand your own abilities. Learning to observe the world around you, write quickly and tap into your unique voice will help you to create all the elements of your story and, by the time you've finished all the exercises, you'll have created something beautiful.
The craft of writing offers countless potential problems: The story is too long; the story's too short; revising presents a huge hurdle; writer's block is rearing its ugly head.
In Help! For Writers, Roy Peter Clark presents an "owner's manual" for writers, outlining the seven steps of the writing process, and addressing the 21 most urgent problems that writers face. In his trademark engaging and entertaining style, Clark offers ten short solutions to each problem. Out of ideas? Read posters, billboards, and graffiti. Can't bear to edit yourself? Watch the deleted scenes feature of a DVD, and ask yourself why those scenes were left on the cutting-room floor. Help! For Writers offers 210 strategies to guide writers to success.
Stay tooned to our Event Calendar for our upcoming Writers Group drop-in at the Angus Branch. Join other writers in the community and share your writing journey, enjoy a quiet spot to work on your craft, and connect with writing resources at the library.
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