Book Writing?

Question

Im writing a book but how do i start it. i have all the main ideas and i know what ill write about but i cant figure out how to start it! any help?

Answer 1

I would suggest doing a very rough outline. Not Roman numeral I, then A, then a.

Write out a sentence about what happens first. Then a sentence about what happens next.

If you like you can also put it on index cards so you can shuffle them around if you need to.

You can do it!

Answer 2

Different things work for different people. Either start with a scene somewhere in the middle of your story. Write the ending first. Start describing your characters. Write an outline. The most important thing? Sit down in front of the computer and start pushing those keys. Or, in front of your typewriter. Or put that pen in your hand and touch the tip to a pad of paper. THAT'S how you start. And before you know it, you're writing the words . . .

THE END

Answer 3

It's not easy, and bigger than you'll get out of web answer. But the answers are there, if you're willing to read a few books. Finding a critique group of fellow writers can help, and many community colleges have classes on fiction writing. I'm still working on my first novel, but have learned a lot along the way.

Here are a few books I've read that I think are helpful. See if your library can get you any of these:
"Write Away" by Elizabeth George
"Characters and Viewpoint" by Orson Scott Card
"Story" by Robert McKee (really a screen writing book, but works for novels too)
"Scene and Structure" by Jack Bickham
"Writing the Breakout Novel" by Donald Maass
"The Writer's Journey" by Christopher Vogler

Good luck!

Answer 4

Here's some advice one giving your writing a jump start while aiding with character creation:

Re-scetch the details of your main and potential characters - start with looks, mannerisms, background, etc. Write the details down - or even draw them if you are a visual person.

Then take your main character or characters and imagine them in some new odd/out of the ordinary (out of your current work's context) places or scenarios – anything goes! Write down ideas on what would have to happen to your type of character or how they would react to the scenario you placed them in.

This may seem futile, but it will help you flesh out your characters further and give you insight into what you may want to happen to this type of character in a potential story. You may even come up with multiple story lines and can see if one of them just seems to be the best or easiest to continue

Strong well-crafted main characters can inspire readers to love your story as well as drive you to write a great story for these imagined beings to be in! :-)

This should get you going. Then you may want to write an outline of you story (a kind of synopsis), including the ending. I have heard that John Irving writes his endings first, down to the last line, and works backwards. The idea of the outline is to give you goals as you proceed. Writing the ending first may give you the "spark" you seek - and also give you something to strive for.

Answer 5

Number a page from 1 to 12. That's all. Force yourself to stay within that to begin with for this part of the launch. Then, using only one sentence per number, write the synapsis of the story. Stare at that list for hours. Adjust. Then, block your story. Think about the major "movements" of your story, or "acts". Let's say, your story have five main parts from beginning to end. Make an outline with a one sentence description for each of those five main parts with lots of spaces between each sentence. Now, break each part down into three chapters. You'll adjust that later, but, this exercise establishes some kind of disciplined structure to get a handle on. For each chapter, write a one sentence description. Let that outline sit for some time and stare at it frequently. Adjust.

In the meantime, begin files on each of your characters. It does not matter how little information you eventually use to descibe your characters when you start writing. But, in each character's file, there must be an absolutely complete created person . . . birthdate, birthplace, parents names, siblings, family traditions, banking information, voting record, work record, school grades, hobbies, childhood diseases, injuries, favorite colors and fashions and places ever traveled to, etc. With full pre-characterization, your characters will speak for themselves when you begin to write and you'll basically just be jotting down everything they say and do as fast as you can like a reporter. Use cultural institutions as a guide: Courtship/Marriage/Family, Education, Politics, Economics, Military, Entertainment/Recreation, Health Care, Religion/Philosophy, Art, Science, Technology, etc.

Then, go back to your chapters and open files for everyone of them. (All of the preceding outlining is best done on paper because you need to be able to perceive everything at once, not just one page at a time like while word processing.) Then, let 'er rip and start writing. Don't get hung up on that first paragraph. Write something rough and move on. That first paragraph isn't written until the very end anyway. Stay within your chapters in natural sequence. Don't jumped back and forth between them. Write roughly from beginning to end and then start over. You'll do approximately five drafts before it starts to come together. When you think of something for another chapter up ahead, jot it down as a note in that chapter file but do NOT attempt to conduct writing there until you and your characters arrive there in natural fashion. You and your characters will undergo tremondous changes as the story progresses. You'll ripen, so to say. When you jump out of that "ripening" sequence, an element of reality and suspension of belief is lost, as you'll come to learn. The result would be a jerky unrealistic quality about the story's flow that editors and agents frown upon. Good luck.

Answer 6

Don't start out writing in chronological order, write the scenes that you're most interested in writing first, it makes it better in the end.....
-CayleeJo

Answer 7

do an outline, were do you want to come into your main character's life? go from there. after you have done a chronological outlining start writing.
God Bless!!

Answer 8

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