How to begin - Writers Forum

pabs · 11-02-2007, 08:50 PM

I've gone through a good many writing projects, and I now have a really cool idea I hope to turn into a novel/long novella. My problem is, I don't know how to start!

What I mean is, how can I get my readers excited about what is going to happen, and how do I get myself to want to move on with the book?

jesterscourt · 11-02-2007, 11:34 PM

Well Pabs, you have to want to do this for yourself, not just your "readers". What interests you, what excites you? Perhaps an extension or an offshoot of a previously written work of yours?

As for starting, outlining helps a lot of people. Just remember that whatver your outline can and most likely will change as you actually get into the writing process, and probably moreso during the revision portion.

Joe Moore · 11-03-2007, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pabs

What I mean is, how can I get my readers excited about what is going to happen, and how do I get myself to want to move on with the book?

How to start is a matter of motivation. You should be dying to tell your story. Write it for yourself first. Just sit down and start writing. As Jester suggested, creating an outline will help as it serves as a general guideline to keep you focused and on track. It can be anything from a short story description or a multi-page, detailed synopsis. But the more you know about your story before you start, the easier it will be to keep going and maintain momentum.

As far as "where" to start, most agents and editors will tell you that the biggest mistake new writers make is starting their story in the wrong place. Here are a couple of thoughts to consider. Start your story at the moment your main character's life is jolted out of the norm into chaos. Whether it's mental, physical or spiritual, begin at the moment of "impact". And also keep in mind Kurt Vonnegut's rules of writing, particularly #5 which is to start your story as close to the end as possible. Here's a post I wrote on the subject over at InkSpot. Good luck.

JohnN · 11-03-2007, 09:12 AM

As said before write for yourself.

I would leave out the introduction and start with the main body if you are struggling. Once you get the middle section completed you will have a number of ideas for the beginning.

Wallmaker · 11-03-2007, 01:15 PM

I'm really in favor of outlining... in at least a rough way. Think about how many chapters, plots you need to put in each chapter. Think of really important scenes that you find intrging about your piece and where to put them. Make sure you have a damn good scene about the opening... one that can tell us about the characters. I'm a fan of "in medias res" type story telling where things are already in action... the ball is already rolling. If you need a band of shoplifting kids as your heros, show 'em shoplifting in the first scene. If you have a protag who is a space adventurer... show him landed on a planet where things have gone wrong and we can see how clever he is, battling green Amazonian Women type aliens with 16 razor shart teeth per a square inch.
OR... don't start at the beginning at all. I know lots of people who write out their fav scenes and go back to piece it all together. Lots of organization will help with this though, so every scene has a home in the work.

Cheers,
Kay

HarryG · 11-03-2007, 04:33 PM

Joe Moore’s advice is spot on. The only thing I can usefully add, is that you don’t struggle too long on the start, but start anyway. Once your entire story is in your head, the beginning will set the tone anyway, because you will have the ending in mind while you’re writing the first paragraphs.

Taxiday · 11-05-2007, 12:03 PM

I don't know how others do it, but I have a "what next" folder that I fill with ideas and tidbits. I may doodle a bit about one idea, then set it aside and let it grow.
I wrote one piece about visiting a wine cafe in Austria during the fall harvest festival season. I worked on something else, then came back to it.
Before I knew it, the idea became a prologue to a book that has completely consumed me to the point of 160,000 plus words and, because of coments about prologues has been placed in its proper position in the story.

I have a tidbit about a Horned Toad and a Roadrunner .........