I've been working on my adventure series, Light in the Dark, for 2 and a half years now. I've created all of my concepts, plots, twists, characters and environments for the series. The only left to do is write it.
Great...where do I start?
In a massive series of 5 parts such as this one, where do I even BEGIN writing? And how do I begin? There's so much to write about that it is overwhelming. What do ya'll suggest I do?
Thanks, ~Chris
Posted by JeanneT (Member # 5709) on :
You sit yourself down, pull up your computer and start putting words on the page. If you've worked on it for this long, hopefully you know about where the story starts. So you start there.
You say the first thing that happens, then the next thing and then the next. You mix in bits of description and, mainly through what they do, say and how the interact, you show what your characters are like.
You'll probably change your mind about a lot of it when you edit, but that's what editing is for.
Posted by Robert Nowall (Member # 2764) on :
Make sure your fingers can touch the keys from where you've positioned yourself. Other than that, pick a place---at random if necessary---and start. You can't finish unless you start.
Posted by skadder (Member # 6757) on :
I would suggest asking a question on helpful writing website. Then spend the next few days checking to see what advice other people who should be writing think... Perhaps then start responding to questions others have posed...
Black holes distort time...before you know it years will pass.
[This message has been edited by skadder (edited December 18, 2007).]
Posted by annepin (Member # 5952) on :
As Guy de Maupassant said, "get black on white." You have the story in your head, now just sit down and start working those keys. I wouldn't worry about getting it "perfect"--the trick is to just get something down that resembles a story. Since you've already done the research, that should be fairly easy! Refer to your outlines, and type out your scenes one at a time. Start from the middle, the beginning, the end, whatever pleases you.
Posted by Zero (Member # 3619) on :
What I would do is get into a hottub and just relax. Think about it, all of it. The big picture, the individual characters, everything. And when you find yourself gravitating back to the same places, write those things down on a nearby paper pad. Just let it come to you, that's my style.
Posted by lehollis (Member # 2883) on :
"If you wish to drown, don't torture yourself with shallow water." --Bulgarian Proverb
"If a man wishes to be sure of the road he treads on, he must close his eyes and walk in the dark." --St. John of the Cross
"The only joy in the world is to begin." --Cesare Pavese
...
Which is my roundabout way of saying, just do it. There is no "how"; there is only do.
And just for fun:
"The only zen you find on the tops of mountains is the zen you bring up there." --Robert M. Pirsig
Posted by Kirona (Member # 7125) on :
And, of course, there's the standard, useless answer -
Start at the beginning.
Heh, for something a bit more useful, ask yourself this - what is the first event that absolutely has to occur for the story to happen as it does? Since you have the research and ideas all hammered out (even if they're still rough and unpolished), this shouldn't be too hard.
Oh, and if you hand-write rather than use a computer, than ignore the advice about sitting down and typing, and reaching the keys, and 'working' the keys, and all that. It'll just distract you. Trust me, I tried hand-writing a story, but I'm a computer guy, so it didn't go well. I'd imagine that it wouldn't be much easier the other way.
Posted by rcorporon (Member # 2879) on :
As mentioned above, you have to ask yourself, "What is the point that the reader HAS to start with to be able to understand the flow of the story, without having to resort to flashbacks all the time."
Once you've figured out that point, begin there.
It's what I did for my novel... however, I'm starting to think I should have started it a tad earlier... but that's what editing is for .
Posted by TaleSpinner (Member # 5638) on :
"I would suggest asking a question on helpful writing website. Then spend the next few days checking to see what advice other people who should be writing think... Perhaps then start responding to questions others have posed..."
Ouch.
Pat
Posted by skadder (Member # 6757) on :
What's wrong with that? It's what I do to ensure that I never complete a novel...
I am only kidding...this is a very useful site and everyone is very helpful...
Posted by TaleSpinner (Member # 5638) on :
I meant "Ouch" as in, "Yes, I should be writing."
Yes, Hatrack is a good site not least because it's decently moderated and the people are friendly; but the 'off' switch can be hard to locate... oh, I see, it's under the 'start' button...
Pat
Posted by TaleSpinner (Member # 5638) on :
SchamMan89's question reminds me of something Frank Muir said.
A prolific radio comedy writer, he was once asked how he avoided writer's block. His answer was that he never left himself a blank sheet of paper for the following morning. He always left something on the pad, even just rubbish, to get him going.
I think that is one answer. Don't worry about how to start, just start. At some point, if you're like me, you'll "click" and it will start flowing. Then go back and delete the initial stuff for it will have served its purpose--to get you writing.
Hope this helps, Pat
[This message has been edited by TaleSpinner (edited December 19, 2007).]
Posted by SchamMan89 (Member # 5562) on :
Thank you guys, I appreciate it. I was able to group most of my thoughts together last night, and I should start writing if all goes well today. Thanks again!
~Chris
Posted by annepin (Member # 5952) on :
To expand on TaleSpinner's thought... Hemmingway, in fact, finished each writing session midsentence, so that he could pick it up again right where he left off in the morning. This goes back to the concept of inertia--its harder to start off, but once you get going, it gets easier.
Posted by JeanneT (Member # 5709) on :
I find Hatrack enormously useful for procrastination.
Other things too, of course, as Talespinner said. But it's my best source of procratination material.
[This message has been edited by JeanneT (edited December 19, 2007).]
Posted by Zero (Member # 3619) on :
Oh excellent. So you can achieve all of your procrastination goals and deadlines. Today I have a goal of avoiding anything productive. Here goes.
Posted by Lynda (Member # 3574) on :
You guys are funny! And yeah, it's fun to waste time here, but I'm finished with two projects and "breathing" for a bit while getting a new one moving in my head (and in the computer to some extent).
To answer the original question, if you're that much of a planner, then write notes about each scene you've come up with on a notecard, one scene per card, and then start putting them in logical order. That wouldn't work for ME - I'm a seat-of-the-pants (what many call "organic") writer. I sit down, open an imaginary vein and let the words flow into the computer (this is where it's REALLY good if you can type about as quickly as you think, which is how I type). So I just start, usually with some dialogue from the person who will be the main character, or from someone talking to or about the main character - but the main character will be involved VERY soon, by name, and his voice will be heard soon as well, if he wasn't the one speaking in the beginning.
Anyway - that's how I work. I suspect the notecard system might be useful for someone as organized as you sound.
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