how to get started writing a book?

Ree

A few years back I sat down and wrote character descriptions and general ideas for a novel I wanted to write. I put it away and forgot about it until just now. Does anyone have any suggestions for how to get started? It is about a pack of wolves that are personified and focuses particularly one one wolf in the pack, who is the narrator. I have loads of ideas in my head but I can't figure out how to get started on it.

hostyle

You don't to start at the beginning. You can start at the middle or even at the end. The important part is to get writing and keep at it, because even stuff that you do write now you may decide to cut out at a later date.

BEAT

hostyle is right...though I would say to draw out an outline.
just write out the major events you wish to see happen in your story and then put them in a timeline. moving your characters along from here to there.
by spending time doing this you are creating the story and when you feel you have enough...it is ready to be written.

It isnt easy , I have a writers block due to the stresses of life creating obstacles that prevent creative flow, but I have the story I want ready. It is just a matter of having the time to finish it. My major problem is having more than one project started and no tknowing which to finish first. I love writing so that I have too many ideas flowing at once to sort them out. Time is not on my side as it were, it will get done eventually though.

Gove it a go, let us know how it comes along.

McGinty

Personally for me, when I wrote my book (yet unpublished) I was given the advice, to switch off the mental editor, plus also from personal experience, meditate, whilst mediating, don't think about the book, or anything for that matter, but for some reason this helps the creativity. The other thing I'd say is take it a chapter at a time, don't think about the end result and don't put pressure on yourself, it will be ready when its ready. I wrote the 1st draft in 2001, in about four months, however it was badly written and needed huge amounts of rework, but that's okay, and I've reworked nearly all of it (I've one and half chapters left, but I'm stuck at the mo, very frustating, as my work has been mega busy, but this is soon to be sorted) but basicallly take it at your own pace.

The other thing I'd say is write every day, whether its your book or whatever, but write, keep that muscle going. Good luck, ps: it sounds a good idea, thats always a start.

Irish Princess

I think like others have said, it is important to write as often as you can. It's easy to put it off, but it's only by writing will you make any progress.

Some people work with an outline-others don't. I currently have a completed first draft-but there is loads of work now to be done to put it all together. For me the hardest part is getting it all down-and now there are huge chunks i want to remove/edit/move around but at least it's down. It's easier to work with a full page-no matter how muddled it is, then to sit staring at a blank page.

So get writing-get the ideas down. Good luck! And remember-no two people are the same-so write at your own pace. What works for one person might not for someone else. I know Stephen King makes himself write 2000 words every morning before he does anything else. That might not work for everyone, though it evidently works for him!

Shad0r

Yeah the best advice is to just get on with it. You do not need to study how to write -although I would strongly suggest reading Stephen King's book 'On Writing'- because as someone said, everyone has their own method of writing. With practice the storyteller will come out in you whatever your method of getting it to the page. Stephen King, iirc, has a daily goal of ten pages of new material. I’m often lucky if I get five out in a day. I’ve heard people say that you shouldn’t over edit and revise your work but I’ve read that Dean Koontz often has more than 26 drafts of any given page by the time he’s satisfied.

If you are serious about writing the book you need to not approach it lightly. i.e. you need to write everyday or at least six out of seven days. If you do not you'll find your story much more fragmented and you will loose either interest or belief (or both) in your characters. It’s a tough habit to get into but once your there it becomes second nature; I usually wake up in the mornings now eagerly anticipating what will happen to my characters after breakfast.

Lastly I’d say the best thing to do is to forget about the book and all that other ‘stuff’. Concentrate on your story and telling it. As someone else said it doesn’t matter where you start, just keep moving forward with it. Most importantly, have fun. If your not enjoying yourself writing it, it will come through in the reading.