this is just a little random rant but also if u relate, feel free to talk with me about this because i need to just complain with someone LMAO
anyways, i’m like, partly participating in NaNoWriMo this year and it’s currently 3 AM and i decided that still counts as the first day, so i am now attempting to actually start the story. but oh boy am i thinking way too hard about it it does not help that i completely forgot to outline my scenes. so i am just snatching an idea and running with it.
i’ve been pretty into roleplaying since i was younger and noticed that i’m the most carefree and casual when i write in roleplay format, so i decided why not try to write my first draft as if i were roleplaying? but i’ve suddenly forgotten how to do that knowing this story is for myself and that i’m not writing for another person.
i am trying so hard not to get discouraged because i really want to write one of my stories and i’m using this as an excuse to practice some self discipline, so i am still pumped full of optimism !! but this feels like it’s about to be pure and utter chaos. i expected that, though. my adhd is too messy for complete structure. though if anyone has any tips…
but i know i’ll get it out eventually and that i gotta get over the whole performing for an invisible audience thing, but until then… we rant about how starting a story is just so unnecessarily difficult… while also somehow managing to not rant about that at the same time? i don’t know y’all i swear i tried to stay on topic
Omg this used to be me! Up until about a year ago I never knew where to start a book because I was so focused on making it perfect right out of the gate.
Then I read War and Peace, which starts with literally 20 chapters of absolute utter crap that added nothing to the story. It all should’ve been cut out, and a good editor today would’ve done that. But back then they had no TV, so they could afford to waste time slogging through miles of garbage before getting to the actual story. The inciting incident doesn’t happen until chapter 22/23 or so! But you can see Tolstoy’s mindset as he wrote it. He needed to write all that crap to set up the story for himself. Problem is, a good editor would’ve removed all that since it does nothing for the reader. Don’t get me wrong; W&P is a page-turning novel once you get to the inciting incident, and I do recommend that every writer should read it.
It taught me an important lesson, though. It really doesn’t matter where you start a book as long as you cut out all that garbage before you publish. In fact, it may actually help you to set up the world in your own mind and establish the characters and their voices for you. Just be sure to chop out all that unnecessary stuff once you finish the first draft so you’re starting closer to the inciting incident and don’t bore the reader to tears with a whole lot of unnecessary normal world stuff.
Just tell yourself that whatever you’re writing is going to be removed later, and start the story a month or so before the actual plot begins. Hope it helps! ( ˆ◡ˆ)۶ ٩(˘◡˘ )
Wait, did you mean that you just have trouble motivating yourself to write at all? If so, I misunderstood, and I recommend reading The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. I just finished this and it’s a really good book about overcoming writer’s block. You might want to see if they have this at your local library. Good luck with the struggle either way! (੭ˊᵕˋ)੭‧˚₊･*̥✧
oh i love this, thank you i love that authors are able to enjoy/find use of each others crafts, which is just a fancy way of saying we’re readers but in my personal experience i always dissect books in a specific way due to being a writer myself, and it’s just really neat. we’re really just learning from each others successes and mistakes and then passing said knowledge on to make it as easy as possible for others.
but i think i just needed some sleep i won’t lie, i’m really bad at recognizing when i’m tired and when i definitely shouldn’t be attempting to write and earlier was a classic example of it LMAO i’m absolutely using this though
i think i more so meant that i couldn’t get a solid enough start out so your initial advice was perfect and very helpful, but i also really appreciate this, thank you!
Exactly! I’ve been writing on and off for years and it is still a hassle!
I LOVE, LOVE writing as a craft, hobby, and a career goal, but yeah it is hard.
I should cherish those days when starting a novel is easier than most days.
Because it really is a gift when the story flows naturally.
it does not help that i completely forgot to outline my scenes. so i am just snatching an idea and running with it.
