“I want to do something splendid…
Something heroic or wonderful that won’t be forgotten after I’m dead…
I think I shall write books.”
― Louisa May Alcott
When the famous American author Louisa May Alcott quoted the above lines, she probably meant that there is a book hidden in each one of us. One has to somehow bring forth the narratives, plots, dialogues or stories onto paper so that they evolve into writing. Below are some things you can do to starting writing a book.
1. Write daily
The best way to jump-start your writing is by devoting some time for it every day. Some authors recommend 15 minutes at least for the task. This makes writing achievable and allows you to progress. The challenge lies in committing to the routine daily. Sometimes, our minds will resist. But when you realize that your resistance to write is impeding your writing urge, then ironically this becomes a great motivator for you to write. The author of Fahrenheit 451 and other short stories, Ray Bradbury, states, “Just write every day of your life. Read intensely. Then see what happens. Most of my friends who are put on that diet have very pleasant careers.”
2. Choose images
“If something isn’t working, if you have a story that you’ve built and it’s blocked and you can’t figure it out, take your favorite scene or your very best idea or set-piece, and cut it. It’s brutal, but sometimes inevitable,” says Joss Whedon, the famous American screenwriter. If you have a writer’s block, then a great way to unblock it is by looking at photographs and paintings. Pinterest is a great source of images. Choose an image that you like, ideally figurative, and frame questions about what is happening. Or imagine a scenario, decide who and where your characters are and flesh out your story. Include some dialogues as well and read them out.
3. Use the “What if” question
A really effective technique to generate ideas is by asking “what if” questions. You could probably ask questions like the following: What if vampires invaded your city? What if your family is abducted by aliens? What if your character wakes up and finds out that he/she has transformed into a monster? Writing experts suggest that budding writers should come up with three different “what if” questions and choose one question that they feel has most potential to start writing.
4. Silence your inner demons
Stream-of-consciousness technique is the best way to liberate your creativity. When you attempt writing, there may be those demons in your head that may question the quality of your thoughts or writing style. Silence those demons by just ignoring them. Stream-of-consciousness technique is the best way to liberate your creativity. When you attempt writing, there may be those demons in your head that may question the quality of your thoughts or writing style. Silence those demons by just ignoring them. “And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt,” said Sylvia Plath, The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath.
So take your pen and ink your thoughts. Hopefully these tips should inspire you to write.
Image credit: John Liu on flickr and reproduced under Creative Commons 2.0
I’m Smitha Abraham. I love traveling in my flights of imagination and use these flights to craft short stories and poetry. I am a budding writer from India. My passions are reading, creative writing, listening to music, learning new languages, meeting new people, getting acquainted with different cultures and traveling. Authors like Isabel Allende, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Carlos Ruiz Zafón, genres like magic realism, historical romance, and writing styles that are imaginative and flow effortlessly fascinate me. I love to unwind with a book curled up on a sofa or by gazing at the stars by the sea shore. I am a nature lover and spending time admiring the sunset and sunrise is relaxing for me.