If you've already been to my blog and already looked at all the articles you might think,
NVM about that stuff, how should I even frickin start writing this ish? (iiSuperwomanii reference)
So, let me give you some tips so you can write your ish.
These tips will be very very VERY helpful IF you have a basic plot line. I'll show you one of my NaNoWriMo plot lines later in the blog label "Editorial Details". Keep in mind, as long as you get everything in that is important to your story, then it is okay to drive completely off your plot line road.
Okay now that we've established that,
Tip 1: Just write. Even if it sounds stupid just write. I mentioned this same tip in "How to: Start Writing Again" and I think it's a pretty good start. You'll start writing and then you'll be "AH! I know how this should go."
Tip 2: If that doesn't work,
(and if you have a plot line), write the climax scene first, the one where your MC is fighting the bad guy and it looks like MC is losing; the one where MC feels like no one will love her anymore and sees no sunshine; the one where nothing looks like it's gonna get better; or the one where everything is at its height and suddenly crashes down FOOMP! Make that your "Prolog". I'm putting that in quotes because you can ALWAYS switch stuff around.
Garth Nix even talks about doing similar things. If you don't know Garth Nix, read the "Abhorsen" trilogy or "The Seventh Towers" series. Great stories :) If you want to know how he writes GO HERE and read Planning to see proof for Tip 2.
Tip 3: Use the cliche, it is okay. Rhyming intended. So writers are often told NOT to use cliches. But what if it never ends up on the finished version? Yep, go ahead and go crazy with cliches. Don't try so hard not to write a cliche opening and end up getting Writersblockitis before you even start getting into the grit.
EXAMPLE: He woke up to a sunny day. There were birds chirping outside but something didn't seem quite right. Was it all the alcohol in his system or something else? He got up from bed and went to the bathroom to wash his face. "Ahh!" he sighed as the cool water splashed all over him, even getting his hair wet.
Tip 4: Are your gears being stubborn? Still need some tips? Here's another then. READ BOOKS in your genre. Not the whole thing of course. Pick up a book that you love and read the first chapter, or the Prolog if it has one, or just a few pages of the first chapter. Study it. How do these successful authors start their books?
Tip 4.5: I put ".5" because it's related to Tip 4. Imagine where or what you want to throw your reader into. A way I do it, and no, I don't think it is conceited, is to imagine if my story was a movie. The opening scene. Do we see the world first? From whose perspective? OR, do we hear talking?
EXAMPLE: "Did you go see it after all?" "The new Spider Man? Heck yeah! Went with my Dad he's such a maniac with Spider Man." "Ha," laughed Steve, "Just like you." Dave pushed Steve and he bumped into a lady walking with her poodle, "Watch it!" she shouted and sniffed in disgust. Steve muttered a "sorry" but he really wanted to do something to her. Like kidnap her dog...or would that be dog-napping?
Tip 5: Still not working? Another way to start writing is to go do other things. The more you think about it you fret. The more you stare at the blank page and see nothing written there you start to focus on that blank page and it begins to bug you like an annoying mosquito. "Hey, hey, hey, are you listening? You are? You don't have any words down. When are you gonna get 'em down? You DO want to write a novel, right? C'mon, fill this page with words. C'mon, what are you waiting for? Write some words, get this story going! Hey, hey, hey!"
Sheesh! :0 Those things can sure be annoying can't they? So swat them away and go do something else creative. Read a book, listen to music, rock out in your room, call your friend, do something else. Then you might have an idea!
There. There are your 5 Tips. Hope they help! :D
Happy Writing! And don't fret, you'll get there :)
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