The Beginning

[fcounago1]

To whom this may concern,
I am trying to work up the courage to begin writing my first novel. I have a rough outline for the plot along with an idea for the main and supporting characters (essentially, who they are in relation to the story). All I need to do now is actually start. As mentioned, to begin writing it. For those that have experience with story writing, and/or who have dealt with writer's block in this manner, what's your advice?

 

[Penpilot]

I never think of it as writer's block. It's not that I can't write. It's just that I'm stuck on problem with the story, and can't progress further in a satisfactory manner until I figure out the answer to the problem. For me, calling it writer's block implies that it's not under my control. That some magical barrier has just appeared in my head and is preventing me from writing, and there's nothing I can do but wait it out. Being stuck on a problem means, one, I have to identify the problem, and two, I have to find a solution to it. It's on me to find the answer.

Sometimes that problem is plot related. Sometimes it's character related. The latter tends to be more common than the former for me. Because once I start thinking about the characters and what they want within the context of where they are in the story and where I want the story to head, things start to click, and once I figure out the solution to the problem at hand, I start making progress on the story again.

 

[Mad Swede]

Write! Just sit down, picture some scene from your outline, and start writing. It doesn't matter how good or bad it is, the important thing is to start. Once you've started it gets easier, but its always those first few words which are hardest.

 

[Finchbearer]

From my perspective writing a load of rubbish is better than writing nothing at all! I find this method helpful then at least whatever’s going on in my brain is on the page.

 

[BearBear]

Have fun. Don't push yourself into making it a chore. Write it first for yourself. Write every day if even for 5 minutes, and stop every day when it's still fun and something to look forward to.

 

[FifthView]

Take it bit by bit.

You have an outline. I don't know how detailed that outline is. Do you know what Chapter 1 needs to accomplish? Do you have an idea for how many scenes you'll need in Chapter 1 and maybe what kind of scenes? If so, just sit down and begin writing it. Accomplish whatever Chapter 1 (or even Scene 1) needs to accomplish.

Maybe you are having a problem with something else. Maybe it's not the story ideas, the plot points, the structure that is causing you to pause. Do you know what narrative style you are going to use? Is it first person? If so, is it first person present tense or past tense? Is it third person? Third person limited or third person omniscient? Who is the point of view character? If these are the questions concerning you, I'd still suggest just sitting down and starting it in whatever style seems best. Write out the first scene. If it feels off, maybe start over by trying one of the other approaches.

Bit by bit means not worrying about the end product, the whole novel. Just focus on the task in front of you. The first scene or chapter. You may need to sprinkle things into this chapter that will come into play much later, but that's the extent of attention you need to pay to the later chapters at this point. Bit by bit.

 

[pmmg]

My advice, start with agreeing to write one sentence and see where it goes. How hard can that be?

 

[K.S. Crooks]

I keep the mindset of I write for myself. I try to make a story I would enjoy reading if I found it on a shelf somewhere. If others also like the story all the better, but it's not my main goal. For writer's block I go back to my outline. I give each chapter a plot development. If I'm stuck in the current chapter I go onto the next and come back when I've come up with what should happen.

 

[fcounago1]

So, since quite a few have mentioned it, I thought it prudent to include the current plotline draft I created. I'm unsure if I should do more with this or jump straight into the writing.

Novel plot outline

Sheet1 Hero's Journey,Romance,Tragedy,Horror Hook,Alastair Trulaus's army passes through Kellagh's village to recruit soldiers, but he refuses Plot Turn 1,Kellagh finds his family dead. Sigmund appears in snake form and offers Kellagh power, but is refused Pinch 1,Kellagh fights against Serina O...

docs.google.com

 

[Malik]

You can't think yourself out of writer's block. You have to write your way out of a thinking block.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

I don't believe in Writer's Block. I think giving something like that a name can be dangerous. Names have power. What you can be is stuck, and stuck always has a solution. For me, when I get stuck, nine times out of ten there's a problem with the conflict. Judging from your clip, I'd say your conflict looks fine. Now you write. One word after the other. It's hard, and it's scary, but you have it in you. Remember, pain fades, chicks dig scars, and glory is forever. Write.

And remember, if I can do it, you can do it. And my team's done it three times, now.

 

[Prince of Spires]

The first and most important thing to remember with all writing advice is that everyone is different. This means that each writer has his own process. What works for me may not work for you. For instance, Stephen King can't write a novel if he has created the outline, while I can't write a novel without an outline...

This means that the most important thing for you is to find your own process. Try a few different things. If something works for you then keep it. If it doesn't, then discard it (and maybe try it again in a few years) and try something else. All we can give you is tips on things you could try.

Keep in mind that writing a novel is very similar to learning an instrument. It takes time and practise to become good at it. Which is fine. You can still have lots of fun doing it. And you'll learn a lot about writing while you're writing your first novel. So don't worry about being perfect, just worry about practising.

As others have said, the best thing you can do is to simply start. You have an outline. Now you can either start at chapter 1 and go through it from beginning to end, or you can just pick a scene you like most and write that and take it from there. Keep in mind that there are a lot of words in a novel. You're not going to write all of them in a day. Cut it into smaller and more manageable chunks. If you write 5 days a week, and 500 words a day, then that's 2500 words a week. Or about 12.500 words in a month, or 50.000 words (which counts as a novel) in 20 weeks. Think of it like that would be my advice. Don't sit down to write a novel. Sit down to write a few hundred words. That's a lot more manageable and a lot less daunting.

 

[Finchbearer]

So, since quite a few have mentioned it, I thought it prudent to include the current plotline draft I created. I'm unsure if I should do more with this or jump straight into the writing.

Novel plot outline

Sheet1 Hero's Journey,Romance,Tragedy,Horror Hook,Alastair Trulaus's army passes through Kellagh's village to recruit soldiers, but he refuses Plot Turn 1,Kellagh finds his family dead. Sigmund appears in snake form and offers Kellagh power, but is refused Pinch 1,Kellagh fights against Serina O...

docs.google.com

I feel like there’s a lot of detail left out of your outline that you have floating around your head, not that that’s either a good of bad thing, but I’m now curious. Is our hero the love interest for the protagonist? Why do they battle? Is this a simple good vs evil fantasy or are there some twists and turns along the way? Sharing something like that will raise more questions than answers

As with any creative pursuit, experimentation is key. Do you have to keep to your outline or are you willing to go of piste. Would it bother you if you felt compelled to? Sometimes restrictions can allow us to get more creative, in other cases they can just restrict.

 

[fcounago1]

I feel like there’s a lot of detail left out of your outline that you have floating around your head, not that that’s either a good of bad thing, but I’m now curious. Is our hero the love interest for the protagonist? Why do they battle? Is this a simple good vs evil fantasy or are there some twists and turns along the way? Sharing something like that will raise more questions than answers

As with any creative pursuit, experimentation is key. Do you have to keep to your outline or are you willing to go of piste. Would it bother you if you felt compelled to? Sometimes restrictions can allow us to get more creative, in other cases they can just restrict.

So, the main idea I had for this story was: what if the "chosen one," the hero, wasn't the one who actually defeated the bad guy? In my head, you have the "main story" that's more typical. Luke against the Empire, Harry Potter against Voldemort, so on and so forth. But then as that is happening (Harry looking for the other horcruxes, Luke training as a Jedi between IV and V) a totally unrelated character comes in and saves the day. Totally pulling the rug from under the hero. That's why I have "the protagonist" and "the hero" as different characters. Hope this clarifies the outline a bit.

 

[Finchbearer]

Okay, I see why you have them as separate. To me however, there’s rug pulling, then there’s your anti-hero. Frodo Baggins for example, he doesn’t do everything himself does he? He needs help from those who are more skilled than he is. Although side note, I think Sauron is one of the most limited evil characters in all of fantasy storytelling.

 

[Devor]

From a blank page? You've just got to start. You can edit a mess, but you can't fix a blank page. It might take a dozen false starts before you you can figure out what you do and don't want to do with it, so do that, give it a dozen false starts, if that's what it takes.

Someone on TikTok suggested that you start by typing a few sentences of random nonsense to get the angst out, then start. An English teacher I had once suggested you try: "The beginning of my story is that _______________," then cut that first part out. You can try that kind of thing, it helps the nerves and gets you started, but it ultimately comes down to working up the courage, then sucking it up until you figure it out.

Or the phrase they like to use nowadays: You're scared to write? Do it scared. Write while scared. Get used to that feeling, it's not debilitating as you let yourself believe it is.

 

[Lynea]

Have you tried any pre-writing exercises? Like outlining certain parts, simple (or complex) worldbuilding, lore creation, etc.? Sometimes that's a good way to get the words flowing, even if it's not actual narrative. Just have something to look at instead of only picturing it in your mind.

 

[coeurdevrai]

Pretend for a moment that your main character is your BFF. What would that person be doing on a typical Tuesday? Would it be shopping or laundry or milking a goat... See if you can get much on a page.

 

[Prince of Spires]

From a blank page? You've just got to start. You can edit a mess, but you can't fix a blank page.

While this is great advice for many people it doesn't work for everyone. Some people actually do fix a blank page, and they can only write it when it's fully in their head. I'm not saying fcounago1 is one of those, I don't know. I'm not even sure he knows himself. Of course, the only way to find out is to write.