If you’ve ever seen a movie featuring a writer, you probably got the impression that the authors sit down at their typewriter (if it’s an old movie) or computer, frown for a moment, and then start typing.
Slow dissolve to a few weeks later and they pull the last page out of their typewriter (much more dramatic than printing it out…) and it’s done.
Next stop: book signings, instant fame, and money, money, money!
If only.
One fallacy in that version is that it’s easy, another is that you have to start on page one, and the third is that it’s all one smooth process.
Let's focus on that starting on page one bit, because that's what trips up a lot of aspiring writers. They stare at the blank first page, it stares back at them...they stare at it...it stares back.
The blank page usually wins.
Here's the solution: You don't have to start on page one.
You can start anywhere.
If you don’t know yet what your opening scene will be, but you know that at some point there’s going to be a showdown between two characters, write that. Then figure out what would have to happen just before that, or what will happen just after that, and write that scene.
I call that Jigsaw Puzzle Writing. You start with any piece and add on.
When you run out of adjoining scenes, pick another part of the story that you know you want to include and repeat the process.
Eventually you'll have enough pieces that the whole thing fits into one beautiful complete story. Probably you will need to do some rewriting to smooth out the bits where they fit together, and that's fine.
Then you can prepare for the book signings and the money (we hope).
So--where to start?
Anywhere.
Just start.
(A great way to start is to get my book, "Your Writing Coach," from Amazon or your other favorite online or offline retailer. A great way to continue is to be inspired by my free monthly Brainstorm creativity and productivity e-bulletin--just send an email request to [email protected]. And if you want more support than that, check out the two versions of my online coaching program (one group, one one-to-one)--details at jurgenwolff.com.)
