Getting story ideas from my head onto paper?

Question

I have wanted to be a writer since I can remember. It's just always been a passion of mine. Except, lately, I've been having trouble. I have so many ideas but when I try to get the ideas from my head onto paper, I freeze up or something. Can someone help me try to stop this so I can write and actually complete a story?

i've taken to keeping a little pocket notebook with me but many times whenever i get an idea in my head, im at work and can't jot it down.

Answer 1

if i were you i would get a voice activated tape recorder and use it when you are in the thrall of generating ideas, then you can put it on paper later in a more orderly fashion

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Carry a little notebook along with a pen with you everywhere you go and if a phrase or idea hits write it down. Then have another note book where you outline the ideas like this
Car crashes into Mexican food restaurant
driver is a priest who was in love with one of the waitress \when you start doing this ideas will began to fill out for you
also do writing exercises to warm up. Musicians do scales dancers stretch writers need to do the same type of thing. Look at a picture anyone will do and write a brief story about it tell yourself that it is just a page long exercise and you can not get up from where you are working until you finish. Go some where public with a notebook and tell yourself that you will write a page long story about he next person who walks or write down everything you can recall about them after they pass. I too am a writer I have a rule I have to write every day its only way you get better. Sometimes I will get out books written by writers I admire and try and copy their style as an exercise I make self do something every day when I am blocked I do those exercises real gold sometimes emerges form them sometimes. Get a dictionary open and point to the first word you see then write ten sentences with that word in it. Hope this helps you sorry it was so long. Good Luck fellow wordsmith

Answer 4

There is software that you can train with a microphone to type for you. When you get these ideas, you can speak to your computer and it will type the ideas down. Then you can go back at leisure and fill in the details from the mental notes you have dictated.

When you begin to write, try to start at the beginning of the story and write it as if you are talking to a friend, telling them the story. Write it through, chronologically, and end at the end. Try to tie the ending back to some statement you made at the beginning of the story so that it feels satisfying to the reader - as if you have completed a cycle and finished, otherwise you will leaving them hanging, wanting to know more, and nowhere to find the answers. If you are an accomplished novelist, you will then be able to work in flashbacks, multiple points of view, and other interesting details. But as a new writer, it is always better to tell a story in the straightest possible way, from beginning to end.

(At least that is my perspective)

Answer 5

I used to be interested in writing, too, and what I used to do was sit and just write. It didn't matter if it was nonsensical, I just wrote - colours and shapes in the room, what was happening around me, noises I could here - Anything. A little everyday, I would keep it in a notebook. To begin with it was just random thoughts, then as time went on, I was able to actually write comprehensive paragraphs. From there I graduated to being able to just start and stop things from any thought. Just don't try too hard. Just get main points down, and fill in anything you remember later. I agree with some of these other people. Usually the hard part is finishing.
Another thing to do is when you first wake up, write down everything you can remember from your dreams. Most dreams (or at least mine, anyway) have a story-like quality to them, and you can build story lines around it. Try that as well.

Answer 6

Get up early and just start writing. Write for thirty minutes. Let your subconscious do the writing. Don't worry about choosing. Put as many ideas into the piece as you can. Then have yourself a cup of coffee. Put the piece away for a week.
Next morning do the same. Do this for a week. Then pick a time you're clear headed. Pull out the first piece and read it straight through. Make notes at the end about what you liked and what you didn't. Underline anything that really struck your fancy. Then rewrite it from scratch. Once you've finished the piece and got it dressed up in its Sunday best, send it out and go on to the next piece.

Answer 7

My guess is that you're worried about writing (or even finishing) your idea the moment you get it. Don't. Just write down the basic idea, in sentence fragments or bullet lists or any way to remind you later. You can do this in less than 2 minutes so it's ok to do while at work or in the car or where ever.

Sounds like you're putting too much pressure on yourself to actually complete the story/chapter/paragraph when all you want to do is write down quick ideas and do the actual writing later.

Answer 8

You write it once. It's crap. You write it again, taking sentences and ideas from the first draft (which may be vastly incomplete and downright horrible) and incorporating them into this second draft. It's slightly better. You write it again, and continue this process until you find a "niche" that you like. Speed away with the rest of the story and edit it once you finish. People say that it helps to get the opinions of friends and family members. You can do this, but don't listen to a word they say unless you feel exactly the same way. Writing is an art, and nobody should be told how to express their art.

Answer 9

You are sooo not going to like this answer.

Coming up with ideas is fun.

Finishing a story is work.

Your mind is bombarding you with the fun of ideas to avoid the work of genuine writing, which you have managed to associated with a sense of painful effort or tedium.

If you repeatedly go into a meditative state where you 'method act' the pain of not completing a story, say the contempt of your friends & teachers. Then imagine the pleasure of working & finishing, say the acolades of friends and value of making a meaningful contribution....

This will reprogram you mind to enjoy the process bringing ideas to fulfillment.

Good Luck. Book Suggestion. Awaken the Giant by Tony Robbins.

Answer 10

What you should do is when you think of something immediatly write the WHOLE idea down really briefly then when you write it down you will remmember all the details and be able to complete the story.