There are tons of writing tips from published authors, amateurs, literary majors, and readers. Some seem useful, others not so much. Some seem absolute, others are hotly debated. And now I also want to give my opinion on it?
The answer is yes. I know what it's like to rummage through this mess. To be entitled to panic because the 'must-do' things don't help me. And only a few months ago did I really understand that tips can only be seen as possibilities. Not every tip works for everyone, not every rule can be applied to my writing habits. And that's why the only tip I'll give is:
Try it out! And don't feel bad if it doesn't work.
Just as there are different ways for people to achieve their goals in learning, writing and preparing also depend on our character. But mostly we first have to learn what will bring the best result for us. However, it takes a long time to come up with all the different variants that might be helpful for us. So what can we do?
The simplest answer is that we don't have to come up with ideas on our own. If you see a tip that appeals to you, try to establish it in your writing habits. Maybe it will work, but maybe only part of it works or not at all. Talk to other writers and share your habits. Test things for yourself that you initially think won't help you. I am sure that some results will surprise you. And the more you try, the more design options you have.
Since I cannot give any general tips, I will only describe a few examples of how I personally approach writing a book.
Working on an idea:
When I have an idea, I write everything I can think of in my notebook. If I get stuck at one point, I let the ideas work in me for a while. I have found that at some point there will come a moment where something will give me an idea that will remove this blockage. If I find that I'm still stuck, I'll talk the idea over with someone to hear what that person is thinking. (mostly my husband) These two methods always help me to work out an idea completely.
Character concepts:
After I have written down the first idea, the first characters begin to emerge. I create a file in my writing program and start writing profiles. It helps me to find an image for the character that reflects its nature for me. Sometimes I start with a picture and develop the character from there.
I try to at least write down the absolute basic information before I start writing. I also work out the relationships at least roughly. But it has also happened to me that while I was writing I realized that although I had worked out my protagonist, I never gave their parents names. That cost me a lot of time.
The only important thing for me is that not everything is set in stone yet. Sometimes I have ideas for a character later, which I then add. I then write a note to make sure that while editing, I make sure that the idea really fits into what came before it.
Plot:
The plot usually develops together with the idea and is a chaotic writing down processes that I do over and over again. I have the most important points in my head and don't always write everything down. I know that it is not the best option, because when I write it happens again and again that I run into a blockage that I caused myself because I did not think the idea through to the end. Then it means back to ideas and working that plot point out. I have adapted this way of working because otherwise I tend to concentrate too much on preparation and use it as an excuse never to start. It is a way for me to face my anxiety attacks, which unfortunately sometimes go hand in hand with writing for me. In return, I also accept that I will run into a blockage, because at that moment it is easier for me to rush into this problem and solve it than to deal with it in preparation.
What I do when I have completed a chapter is to list the scenes that occurred in it and to write a short summary down in a history. As a result, I don't lose sight of what has happened in which chapter and can quickly go back after breaks to read what happened before.
How I motivate myself to write:
Personally, I've found that I work better when I have a plan. And a little pressure behind it. That's why I set myself my own writing challenges, in which I want to write a certain number of words in a certain period of time. E.g. I try to finish my NaNo project from this month on. I plan to write 60,000 words by the end of March. This encourages me to keep checking how much time I actually spend on writing and to overcome the inhibition threshold to even start writing (one of my biggest problems). This helps me especially in situations in which I don't actually feel like writing, but force myself to write. Even if it's just a few words. I've found that this helps me a lot in the long run (and what I write in these situations is mostly no better or worse than what I write when I am motivated).
That was a little insight into my writing process. If you are interested, I can go into the details, but I think these are sufficient as an example. Be creative and find your own way to make it as easy as possible to get your story down on paper.
I wish you much fun
Your Vivien
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