McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft

How do I start a first novel?

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Beefstew:
I'm sure there have been threads about this in the past, but I couldn't find any using the search function.  I skimmed through a few of the old pages as well and couldn't find anything.

I have no trouble coming up with new ideas for books.  I've got one in particular that has been bouncing around my head for a couple of years.  In my head it's actually a pretty well developed world, but every time I sit down to write it, my brain *giggles* and runs away, and I'm stuck staring at a white screen.  If I force something out, I'm literally cringing as I write it.

I don't have any problems with short, nonfiction stuff.  Every paper I write gets an A, and usually a comment about me being an excellent writer.  And it only takes me a couple of hours to bang out a 10 page paper with minimal revisions.  But man, when I sit down to write a novel, I can't seem to do a thing.

So how do I get started?  Or better yet, how did you get started?  What do you do when developing a new idea into a full sized novel?

Enjorous:
Word vomit! Just type anything that has to do with the idea, it's kind of like priming the pump, get the crap out first then you can get something good.

Lanodantheon:
First piece of advice, eliminate self-destructive, reductionist and denying language from your vocabulary. Every human being uses language like, 'No" "Don't" "Won't" or "Can't". The first thing to do is just to suck it up and say to yourself, "I can do this, dang it!" Even if you add a proviso like, "It may take a year.... but I'll do it." it's better than the negative language. If you use negative language and keep saying that stuff all the time, you will never get started, let alone finish.  You will hit a brick wall every single time you say you can't do something.

After that, find your writing method by trying the following:

1. Make yourself a writing ritual like sharpening a lot of pencils or brushing your teeth or whatever. Do that every time before you write.

2. Set aside some time in your schedule as few as 5 minutes or as long as several hours as, "Writing Time". Set multiple alarms for it. You'd be surprised how much this helps.

3. One of the following:

A. If you follow the advise of Stephen King then lock yourself up and just start writing without anything but the gobaly guck in your head. Just write until the story is told and step away from the keyboard. Don't think, just write. 

But I personally don't like that method because it's like driving to a major city without looking at the map before hand or any kind of street signs. You might know where your destination is, but you may just take a header off the cliff instead.

I prefer
B. Start simple: Pre-writing.

1. Start with everything you know about the novel. Just open up a new word file called, "Idea Sheet" and write down everything. It might take a while. If you're like me and have a random imagination, most of the stuff in the idea sheet will be incoherent babble that makes no sense out of context. But it needs to get out.

2. Describe your story in 1-3 sentences. Keep it simple. How would you describe it to someone in TV Guide?

(It's called a logline)

3. Describe your story in a few sentences. just a paragraph. Maybe name the 2 main characters. 

4. Describe your story again in a few paragraphs. Name the major players.

5. Make a bullet-point outline of the novel from beginning to end. Start simple, then get more complicated.

This bulleted outline will start as "Beginning event" "Mid-point" and "Ending" but will eventually turn into a chapter by chapter, line by line list of the events in the novel.

6. Look over the outline and do necessary research and revise the outline. This long thing is basically the novel...in event form.

7. Write a first draft or what my Screenwriting Professor called, "A Vomit Draft". It's just meant to get the story on paper. I mentioned before that King recommends starting with this draft, but if you pre-write it becomes a heck of a lot easier. 

8. Take a breather, step away from the book.

9. Come back after the breather and do a revision.

10. Find people whose opinions you can trust. Someone who will give you honest criticism without repercussions.

11. Get said friends to read it your current draft.

12. Take the notes and comment from your readers and revise again.

13. Rinse and repeat.

14. Decide when to stop revising. Just decide, "It's as done as it's going to be. " And you have a novel.

I hope that helps.

Beefstew:
yeah that does help.  It's just so opposite of what I normally do that it may take a while.  Typically I do the necessary research, then write most of it in my head until I sit down and type it out.  But that's only for 10-25 page papers.  I've never written anything longer.  Thanks for the input. 

Of course, alternate methods are welcome to post.

RodimusGT:
Beef I'm right there with you! I like to think I have an expansive imagination. I have ideas for 3 different book series, and two of the series I have ideas for multiple sequels. The problem is when I go to sit down I just don't feel like typing. I'd rather hook some device up to my head through a USB port and have the computer translate the novel from my brain. It doesn't help that I have a one year old who just doesn't think writing a novel is worth daddys time.

It definately helps me to plan the book out. Have you checked out Jim Butchers blog? It has his own set up with how to create a story idea and get it started. I agree with Lano that once you have your overall plot, write a short paragraph about it. I think Jim said try to do it in one sentence, but if you can't project your plot in less than a paragraph then it's too polluted. It has to be simple enough that your mind doesn't find it impossible to write from start to finish.

If I'm not typing my story then I at least always keep my mind on it, and come up with new ideas and try to fill in chapter gaps.

You should also figure out how detailed you want your first draft to be. My friend is a sucker for details of the scene, place, and character, so he adds that all in right from the get go. I personally get bored with the details, so I choose to skip them so I can at least get my story on paper. Once I finish my first draft I will go back and insert details of buildings and scenes. I call my first draft my story skeleton. You could also choose to skip any subplots you have, and just punch out the main story first and foremost.

Lastly I would say don’t let yourself get stuck by writers block. If you are typing out a scene and get completely stuck with where to go or how to describe it, then just make a note of it, highlight it, and move on. I personally have trouble skipping entire chapters, but if I’m having an issue with naming something or describing something important I can move over it just fine.

Some of this may work for you, some may not. This is just steps I take when I’m trying to write. I wish you lots of luck!

PS – You could always find a friend who loves to write and just double team the story out. There are times I wouldn’t mind this option but the only friend I have who is a writing fan is working on his own projects at the moment.
 :P ;D

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