Just getting started - just looking for advice

Moonpig16

Hi everyone. Some of you may be thinking 'another question about beginning to write, ugh' and I can understand that. So I'm going to keep it brief and let's just see what happens then.

I have, for the last 12 years, wanted to write a novel, I feel it is something I have to do.

But I lack motivation, as in, some days, I feel like the desire to lift the pen and begin is taking over my body (and if I just had a pen and paper handy, it would begin to take shape), and other days I feel as though I am useless (tell myself that I am by no means experienced enough to be any good - read books and think that I could never do that)

The few times that I have taken the time to actually put pen to paper I have become very frustrated, reading over my work can even become slightly embarrassing.

Like I said, maybe you've seen and heard all this before and are sick of responding as a result, I'm looking for advice, not help (I know it is something that I must deal with).

I hope to hear back. Thanks for taking the time.

Iron Enthusiast

If you really want something badly enough you'll just do it.

No-one else has the power to make you do anything, including write.

My advice would be to just begin and then keep going, you might be surprised where you end up..

Your the only one holding yourself back

pickarooney

If you have a bit of time to devote to it, maybe http://www.nanowrimo.org/ could be a good motivation.

EileenG

Just write. Don't read back over what you've already written, just put words on paper, and keep doing it.

You will improve as you go along, so that by the time you get to the end, you will be much better equipped to go back and fix up the embarrassing stuff at the beginning.

Selected

Well, where do I begin?

Writing is not an apologetic act.

The end.

EileenG

This may sounds obvious, but do you have a story you want to tell? Wanting to write a novel is not the same as dying to tell a story. Good writing is all about telling a great story. Get so involved in your story that you forget everything else, and you will write a novel. Set out to write a novel, without a story to tell, and you'll never manage it.

Scuid Mhór

people say, 'i shouldn't write if i have to force myself to keep going.' i know that's what kept me away from pursuing anything for the last few years but from personal experience, you can write decent stuff even when you're not in the mood and even if you don't, that's what proof-reading and editing is for.

Moonpig16

thanks for all the advice everyone, much appreciated. I suppose once I can get myself started I can find a rythm, of sorts. It's the intial frustration that I have to overcome.

An yeah I do have a story, maybe too big though, if that makes any sense, in that I'm not sure how to make it one overall story as opposed to many different scenes in my head, spans over a life time, so making it blend will be the challenge. But this all leads back to the writing it down stage.

EileenG

Just write it. There's a good chance that when it's all down on paper, you'll go back and cut out big chunks (keep them, you may need them for a different story) but you need to get them down first.

Ahbegob

Maybe you should not be trying marathons until you learn to run. Join a writers group for comradeship and tips. Work on a short story to help you develop the art of storytelling