Note: This is one of the first posts I have ever written about writing on blogspot, before my book was published.
A lot of us want to start writing but never really know how to approach this daunting task. The number 1 tip to start writing is to just do it. It’s silly but it’s true!
My brother is now into taking fitness seriously, like really seriously. So he got some motivation videos off the internet to keep him motivated. He showed me a few, but I can’t remember them all.
And, one of the phrases that really stuck in my mind was this one: “You say you’re not good at math? That’s because you’ve never studied! You say you can’t write? That’s because you’ve never written before!”
And, that is so true! Which reminded me of something I read on Veronica Roth’s blog, which wasn’t really her that said it but Macklemore:
“The greats weren’t great because at birth they could paint
The greats were great ’cause they painted a lot”
And it’s the same with writing. You’ll never know if you’re good at writing if you never try.
I started out like this: when I was nine, I wanted my primary school teacher to tell us to write an essay about islands so I could write that story I had in my head.
She had already given us that assignment once, but I chose to write about two siblings and a pirate ship. But now, I had a new idea that involved seven princesses lost on an island who had been raised by mermaids and dolphins.
Eventually, I finished fourth grade and I never had the opportunity to write about islands again. But my 10-year-old self couldn’t let that story go. I picked up a pencil and paper and wrote my first story.
I started writing when I was 10 and continued from then on.
For the project I’m writing now, the idea just popped into my head… but then again, lots of ideas pop up and don’t mean I should waste time on them, but that one caught my attention…
I grabbed a notebook and started writing down the ideas.
- Where would this action take place?
- Who and what would the characters be like?
- What kind of emotional environment would the main character have?
- How many mini-actions did I want there to be until I reached the climax of the story? And so on.
Then I wrote the first chapter, because for me that was the one that unravelled the whole story. Then I stopped. I stopped writing, but I didn’t stop thinking about it.
I spent ages doing research until I had the material I wanted to use in my story. The whole supernatural world (Thank God for the Internet! Because without it I would never have done anything. How did people write in the old days?).
And when I had that part done, I continued.
What is the number 1 tip to writing?
Create the habit of writing…
I don’t know how many replies I’ve gotten, after I told them that I’m writing a book that say: “Really? I’d like to write a book too. Maybe one day.”
No! If you say maybe one day, there’s a good chance you’ll never do it. You have to start now.
Before I started this book I’m writing now, I wrote at least 4 short stories (that I can remember), a book (which I never attempted to publish and never will), and started two manuscripts (which I never finished). And I’m only 21 years old. There is no perfect age to start, but the ideal time will never be tomorrow.
You need to build up experience for when that awesome idea comes along. So start writing. Write ideas, loose scenes, the beginning or the end of the story. The important thing is to start and start creating the habit.
Patricia Morais is a Portuguese writer and author of the World of Shadows series. She believes she doesn’t spend enough time in front of her laptop, so she occasionally publishes writing advice as well.
