That one time I wrote a real post

Guys, I woke up the other night with the best idea for a novel. It came to me in a dream. I made a note of it in my phone then passed back out, and woke up many many (manymany) hours later with determination. It has been a goal of mine since I started reading, to one day write my own book. I opened up a word document. Over a 30 minute period of time I painfully typed out a paragraph. Erased. Typed. Erased. Typed. Started watching Modern Family and ignored the document for 3 days.

I think my problem is my mind takes it in a thousand different directions. If all my different ideas for it were worth a dollar each, I could fix this country's budget deficit.

My first paragraph frustrates me. I don't know how to start it. It has to be interesting enough to make you want to keep reading. Where do I explain things? Do I write it in 1st or 3rd person? How do I give background info about my character? How do I make it all tie in so it doesn't read choppy?

What do I name my characters? Oh I like that name. Wait, I hated a girl in high school with that name, need to pick something different.

(Small portion of my bookses.. my precious bookses.)


Then comes the insecurity with my writing. I have about a quarter of a billion books myself. I've read them all at least twice. Unless they sucked. Then I used them for kindling and toilet paper. How do I make my novel original? How do I come up with my own ideas that aren't influenced by the tons of other books I've read? What if my great idea is just really terrible?

Needless to say, my biggest hurdle in finally following through with writing.. will be myself.

11 comments:

febrina utami putri said...

good luck with your writing, girl! i bet your novel would be great and original :)

Ashley said...

I think starting (anything) is always the hardest part. You can do it!!

Corinne said...

I could never write an actual story. I think it's great that you have an idea but unfortunately I don't know any advice on how to make the start flow for you...maybe just go with what you're feeling and then come back and do the start?

Wynne Prasetyo said...

oh i love writers. when i was little i used to make short stories too, my aspiration was to make a novel, but i had similar obstruction as yours! i was always so inspired at the beginning but my problem always occurred after a few chapters, where the inspirations began to fade and i did not feel like i have a good way to resume the story! :( i totally know how you felt. i hope you find the answers to those questions soon. i guess the only advice i can give, as cliche as it sounds, is just to... listen to your heart!

Wynne Prasetyo said...

oh i love writers. when i was little i used to make short stories too, my aspiration was to make a novel, but i had similar obstruction as yours! i was always so inspired at the beginning but my problem always occurred after a few chapters, where the inspirations began to fade and i did not feel like i have a good way to resume the story! :( i totally know how you felt. i hope you find the answers to those questions soon. i guess the only advice i can give, as cliche as it sounds, is just to... listen to your heart!

Instant Milk said...

Can't wait to see how you write!
Come back soon <3

Unknown said...

I know a lot of writers don't start with the beginning of their books. They just start with the part that comes to them and write it while the inspiration is there and just develop the story as ideas come.

Vanessa said...

Even in college, professors always said never start with the introduction of our papers. Maybe the same carries over for books? Start where you feel the most inspiration and come back to the beginning when you are ready. 8)

Shay said...

I think you write beautifully- good luck with the book! What a fun goal!

Unknown said...

Good luck with writing, as soon as you get properly started it should be easy, for a talented writer like you :)

Rachel said...

I've had some of my best ideas for short stories come from dreams! Keep at it, girl! Writing is my dream, too! I've also decided that for me, at least at this point, short stories is what I'll focus on--I don't have the life experience yet and haven't gotten enough skills in order to write and keep writing a novel till it's finished, I think.