Getting Started Part Two: Now What

A lot of writers seem to feel that getting started is one of the hardest things to do when trying to tackle a longer piece of work. Whether it’s pulling characters out of thin air or finally putting the pen to paper on that story, it’s no easy task,though I would argue that an equally difficult step comes directly afterword.

So this is it, you’ve done it. At long last you’ve gotten through the prompting and clustering and you’re on to writing the story itself. Everything’s all peaches and roses until it happens: you lose your way. You don’t know where to go from the beginning. All the rough ideas have exploded on to the page and you sit there crying, wondering what kind of cruel god would let this happen.

I think it’s safe to say we’ve all been there. You’ve got a bunch of wonderful rough ideas and maybe you’ve even written a few scenes down, but don’t know where to go or keep going with it. It’s key to take it slow and keep the mood.

Do not rush. It’s essential to take time with your main characters and really understand them. If you don’t your whole story will fall apart. No matter how good the plot sounds when messily jotted down in a notebook, when the time comes to really write it you’re going to realize some problems.  The missing details in the characters or the plot holes are going to bubble to the surface. Don’t let them scare you away from your story. Play with them; take the time to figure out what’s missing or what doesn’t need to be there. These decisions can be hard to make so it’s important to make sure you’re in the right mindset.  

Whether you’re continuing your work or just messing around with a new idea, make sure you have an inspiration supply. Something to get you pumped up about a certain time period or genre you want to work with. Thinking about writing a medieval fantasy? Crack open A Game of Thrones. Want to go with a classic horror feel? Why not compare adaptations of Frankenstein? Something to get you thinking and feeling the tone you’re trying to create. There’s nothing like a little inspiration to keep you passionate about your work.  The same could work with music. Pop on a soundtrack that reminds you of your piece.

Do whatever works for you, just don’t stop writing. As scary as the second step can be it’s better than falling down the stairs.