How to Write the Story that's in Your Head
A killer book idea has been teasing your mind for some time. You know it'll be a bestseller, you can feel it- it has everything the readers want- drama, action, wit, intrigue-- everything except...
It’s not on paper yet.
If it’s still in your head and not on paper how will it ever get read?
The first thing you must do is write the story. Get your first draft down. This is the most important step.
Writing a book seems daunting. It feels like a lot of work and you don’t know where to start. You are thinking about marketing, advertising, synopsis, reader demographics, cover art, editors, and a hundred other things.
But remember- if you want to write a book you need to write it. Right now.
Write every day. Even if you are busy you can write one or two hundred words. Even if you're not in the mood.
All the rest will come later. Get your story down on paper first and everything else will fall into place like steps.
Get the main idea and plat points down so you do not write yourself into a corner later. It also keeps you from staring at blank pages with the dreaded writers block gnawing away at your sanity.
Summary
The first step is to write a summary of your story. One sentence, preferably 15 words or less. It tells what the book is about, painting the picture with a hint of what the main character will go through.
A one sentence summary of the Hunger Games might be, "A teen volunteers to take her sister’s place in an arena battle to the death."
Notice how the characters name, Catniss, is not in the sentence. Names are not necessary in the summary.
The goal is to tell the idea of the story in as few words as possible, and the purpose is for the reader to know if it’s something they may be interested in at all.
If you need ideas for summary structure, check out the New York Times Bestseller list.
Characters
Next you will want to write a character description for each of your main characters. I wrote a detailed piece on character description here.
Your characters must feel real and make sense. And remember- nobody's perfect! Your characters need flaws, too :)
Plot
Beginning.
Middle.
End.
Also known as:
Setup.
Conflict.
Resolution.
In order to not wander as you are putting the words on paper during your first draft, you want to have a clear outline of the plotline of your book. Who, What, Where, When, and Why.
Write this down before you start writing and you’ll never draw a blank as to which way the story should go.
An outline of your characters including who they are and what drives them, as well as the direction they will go in the story, will eliminate any questionable motives. And a clear outline of the plot will ensure there are no plot holes or misdirection, and keep your words flowing onto the paper where they belong.
Get those words out! Write down your story. The most important, and sometimes most daunting task is to get your first draft written. Once that part is finished, then you can edit and polish, and the rest comes in turn.
Take it one step at a time.
But the most important step is to get your story down on paper.
Write on my friends!
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I agree and wish I had written my novel down before attempting to place it on Steem. I ran into a roadblock on it and have yet to finish the remaining chapters. I may just finish on paper and do some editing on previous chapters, then repost a newer version.
Forgot to say that I used your plot breakdown. Boy does that help. That got me through the past few chapters and wish I had known those from the beginning. :-)
Oh my, that's wonderful! So happy to have helped <3
I think that's a great idea :)
This post has received a 50.00 % upvote from @sharkbank thanks to: @sammosk.
Actually interesting topic for posting by @arbitrarykitten mam...
If you are starting your story in the right place, and you have yanked your reader into the story with a great opening line, the next thing you need to pay attention to in your opening chapter is whether or not you are actually putting the story on the page.
Many writers don’t. The story stays locked in their head – a rich tapestry of depth and meaning – and what ends up on the page is just a shadow of the real thing.
Writers don’t mean to do this. The problem is that they know their story, inside and out, and they can’t un-know it. We, the reader, on the other hand, don’t know anything about their story or their philosophy or the world they are building, and we are desperate for inside intelligence. Inside intelligence is, in fact, exactly what we read for, and if the writer doesn’t give it to us, we will feel left out, and we will read something else instead – or nap.
Wel done mam....
Very good point. The reader needs the behind the scenes view.
And if you can show it rather than tell, you're golden :)
@arbitrarykitten mam..
How do I STOP writing stories in my head, and start writing on PAPER?
The blank white sheet of paper (or word processor screen) can be one of the scariest things in the world. It's very intimidating. Once you set words down on it, they're fixed, at least for the moment. And they're vulnerable. Other people can, at least theoretically, see them. It feels much "safer" to keep them in your head.
The only way to break that spell is...well, write something. It doesn't matter if you think it's terrible. You don't ever have to show it to anyone. You just need to write anything. Start the flow of words onto paper. It doesn't even have to be in the form of a proper story; you can go back and revise and fill that in later. The last paragraph of your question description is a good start. You may want to write down an outline and then come back and fill in later, or just write extemporaneously. Whatever works for you.
Writing is kind of like siphoning liquid. You know, where you put one end of a hose into a container, then suck on the other end until fluid comes out, then put that other end into a container lower than the first one, and the fluid just flows from the one container to the other thanks to suction and gravity with no pump required.
Writing is just like that. You've got to prime the pump and just start writing whatever comes to mind. The more you write, the easier it will be and the better it will be. Just as with siphoning, you may suck a little at first, but before you know it you won't be able to stop. :)
Happy writing....happy posting....happy commenting...happy steeming...
Cheers~~~
Well said!
Good to see you back hun! - How are you feeling? Better i hope.
You must be feeling on track again... you're cracking the writing whip to lazy sods like me!
😂😂
I took a turn, but I'm almost back to where I was ;)
It's a dirty job, Patriot, but, well, you know the rest... :P
Here' s something that might make you smile on a Sunday morning.....
https://steemit.com/blog/@lucylin/felix-is-becoming-tame-er
Lovely words. I am a very lazy writer and I simply refuse to do any pre-writing writing 😂 I will not do a plot or do research. I also will not do character development and as a result I have half finished stories all over the place.
My reason is I get distracted by the preparation and by the time I want to write the actual book, I have lost the interest. I forgot I have a short attention span also. I do not know what to do for I have great stories in my head.
Thanks for the post @arbitrarykitten. It's been a while since I came here. I wonder why? 🤔 Stay safe.
Even if you don't pre write, even just writing something every day, a little of your story, is a large achievement :)
I will try. I just tend to leave stories half finished and it's troubling. Thanks for your kindness. Peace
Yeah, that is what I do. I write like a series
Some great advice, I'm glad that you're feeling motivated again to continue to do what makes your soul sing. From one writer to another, It's always refreshing to be informed of each person's creative technique, as I feel it makes you a more clear individual in meeting your objective, as your mind is clear and you're able to focus on the task you set for yourself, once you have a structure set. Thanks for explaining your process, I look forward to reading more of your material. You're a great writer :)
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i have some bestseller stories in my mind .
but when it comes to writing these stories ,
i fail to express my thoughts into words
Just start. That's the best thing to do. Write something, anything, every day. It will get better and easier :)
definitely
i need to make some regular efforts in writing
so that i can fully express my thoughts
Very good topic @arbitrarykitten. Thank you for the good idea.