How do you start on writing a new novel

spaze · 03-02-2011, 03:47 AM

Hello,

I am starting on writing a novel and it's been fun writing up backgrounds of all my characters and storyline. I have the basic story in my head but I really want to go through the backgrounds and backbone of the novel before actually starting to write it.

I would love to hear your stories on writing a novel. Where do you start, what have you found helpful or dreadful, some tips on writing and such.

randyflycaster · 03-02-2011, 06:28 PM

I get an idea, and then over time it evolves in my mind. Often, I have two seperate ideas that merge.

Randy

altworld · 03-03-2011, 09:40 AM

Best advice I ever got about writing is

Write and it will take care of itself.

Leaving it in your head lets it ferment, change, but rarely will it leave until you get it on paper. As human beings we are very good at second guessing and talking ourselves out of doing things, commit and go for it.

Don't worry too much about backgrounds and the size of the protangonists domains, think room of requirement and just tell your story.

Good luck and welcome to the journey.
Arigato,
Nick Davis

GeoffC · 03-03-2011, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by randyflycaster

I get an idea, and then over time it evolves in my mind. Often, I have two seperate ideas that merge.

Randy

Similar to how I did my nanowrimo.

Basic idea, and then it mushroomed all on its lonesome .... with me tagging along for the ride.

spaze · 03-03-2011, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by altworld

Best advice I ever got about writing is

Write and it will take care of itself.

Leaving it in your head lets it ferment, change, but rarely will it leave until you get it on paper. As human beings we are very good at second guessing and talking ourselves out of doing things, commit and go for it.

Don't worry too much about backgrounds and the size of the protangonists domains, think room of requirement and just tell your story.

Good luck and welcome to the journey.
Arigato,
Nick Davis

That's what seems to be happening with my short story I am currently writing. Today I just kept writing until I noticed how great job I did with the beginning of the story. And it just came out from some where without much effort.

MartinC · 03-03-2011, 05:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spaze

And it just came out from some where without much effort.

You mean there were no beads of blood on your forehead?

ellenoc · 03-03-2011, 06:29 PM

Once I have the story developed in my mind (it gets to where it's like a movie I can run), I list out the scenes then start writing.

Luke King · 03-03-2011, 06:53 PM

I usually just start with a sentence that has come to me. I don't know what the story might be about or where it's going. Sometimes I do have an idea, but I try not to think about it too much before I begin. I have tried doing this, outlining characters and a plot and trying to map the whole thing out, and then somehow, I just can't write it.

So I write organically. After a chapter or so, I usually get stuck, and then I find that if I go back and try to understand the characters, do life histories, understand what motivates them, then I am able to move on with the story. I find I need to understand two things -- what the character wants, and what the character needs.

If I plan the whole thing, I feel like I've already written it, and then I don't want to write it. It holds no interest for me.

The book in my signature was written from beginning to end, day by day, with no work on characters or plot. I simply made it up as I went.

spaze · 03-03-2011, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luke King

I usually just start with a sentence that has come to me. I don't know what the story might be about or where it's going.

So basically you know the ending to your story as well as we do?

spaze · 03-03-2011, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MartinC

You mean there were no beads of blood on your forehead?

No signs of keyboard marks.

Luke King · 03-04-2011, 02:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spaze

So basically you know the ending to your story as well as we do?

Yes, but I usually work out what the ending is by the time I'm getting into the story, maybe around the halfway mark. Other times I know earlier or later.

I really think writing is a partly subconscious process: sure, you're making it up, but there's something else going on as well, and it's quite amazing the way all the elements come together as you go. The pieces all seem to fit, though often you have to go back and change or put in things that are needed for the story to work.

Spacejock · 03-04-2011, 02:24 AM

I don't worry too much about plotting, because I know I'll go off in new and strange directions no matter what the outline says.

I use Freemind to storyboard ideas, then import the outline into my writing software and take it from there.

Don't get hung up on writing every scene in order. You can always paste in a short description if you don't feel like writing that part of the novel yet.

spaze · 03-04-2011, 02:45 AM

Really good tips here, thanks guys

altworld · 03-04-2011, 10:04 AM

No worries... Now get writing!
Arigato,
Nick Davis

spaze · 03-04-2011, 10:55 AM

I am, I am

Just about to finnish the first chapter.

03-02-2011, 03:47 AM	#1
spaze Addict Posts: 265 Karma: 512072 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Helsinki, Finland Device: Writing my first short story: Guardian Angel	How do you start on writing a new novel Hello, I am starting on writing a novel and it's been fun writing up backgrounds of all my characters and storyline. I have the basic story in my head but I really want to go through the backgrounds and backbone of the novel before actually starting to write it. I would love to hear your stories on writing a novel. Where do you start, what have you found helpful or dreadful, some tips on writing and such.

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03-02-2011, 06:28 PM	#2
randyflycaster Zealot Posts: 113 Karma: 1000858 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: New York City Device: Sony 350	I get an idea, and then over time it evolves in my mind. Often, I have two seperate ideas that merge. Randy

03-03-2011, 09:40 AM	#3
altworld Evangelist Posts: 495 Karma: 746472 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Deep in Maryland Device: Android G1	Best advice I ever got about writing is Write and it will take care of itself. Leaving it in your head lets it ferment, change, but rarely will it leave until you get it on paper. As human beings we are very good at second guessing and talking ourselves out of doing things, commit and go for it. Don't worry too much about backgrounds and the size of the protangonists domains, think room of requirement and just tell your story. Good luck and welcome to the journey. Arigato, Nick Davis

03-03-2011, 06:29 PM	#7
ellenoc Author Posts: 87 Karma: 501132 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Colorado Device: Kindle	Once I have the story developed in my mind (it gets to where it's like a movie I can run), I list out the scenes then start writing.

03-03-2011, 06:53 PM	#8
Luke King Member Retired Posts: 173 Karma: 200000 Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kindle 2	I usually just start with a sentence that has come to me. I don't know what the story might be about or where it's going. Sometimes I do have an idea, but I try not to think about it too much before I begin. I have tried doing this, outlining characters and a plot and trying to map the whole thing out, and then somehow, I just can't write it. So I write organically. After a chapter or so, I usually get stuck, and then I find that if I go back and try to understand the characters, do life histories, understand what motivates them, then I am able to move on with the story. I find I need to understand two things -- what the character wants, and what the character needs. If I plan the whole thing, I feel like I've already written it, and then I don't want to write it. It holds no interest for me. The book in my signature was written from beginning to end, day by day, with no work on characters or plot. I simply made it up as I went.

03-04-2011, 02:24 AM	#12
Spacejock Hal Spacejock & yWriter Posts: 125 Karma: 1100412 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Perth, Western Australia Device: Kindle	I don't worry too much about plotting, because I know I'll go off in new and strange directions no matter what the outline says. I use Freemind to storyboard ideas, then import the outline into my writing software and take it from there. Don't get hung up on writing every scene in order. You can always paste in a short description if you don't feel like writing that part of the novel yet.

03-04-2011, 02:45 AM	#13
spaze Addict Posts: 265 Karma: 512072 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Helsinki, Finland Device: Writing my first short story: Guardian Angel	Really good tips here, thanks guys

03-04-2011, 10:04 AM	#14
altworld Evangelist Posts: 495 Karma: 746472 Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Deep in Maryland Device: Android G1	No worries... Now get writing! Arigato, Nick Davis

03-04-2011, 10:55 AM	#15
spaze Addict Posts: 265 Karma: 512072 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Helsinki, Finland Device: Writing my first short story: Guardian Angel	I am, I am Just about to finnish the first chapter.

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