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There are ways to organize your thoughts and your writing. Many suggest a notebook- I use a nice hardback one- do not mix books ideas- a new one for each book- some say do not write the first sentence until you have written the last sentence---many use Word, I also have a flash drive and Google Drive as back up. Some plot out the book chapter or scene one at a time, some just throw ideas on paper and sort it out as they go. My next book will be much better planned than my first one- still refining the first. Truth is- there is no wrong way as long as you finish!
There are hundreds of great videos on YouTube about the topic. Watch through a bunch of them and pick and choose what makes sense to you. There is no right or wrong way to write a book.
One method that helped me out in developing stories is called the Snowflake Method. If you Google that you will find lots of great information. Just keep in mind that all these methods and rules for writing are not set in stone. Use the parts and pieces that work for you and forget the rest.
I recommend carrying a notebook with you, wherever you go. Note down people that interest you, memorable situations or conversations. You will find that, over time, patterns emerge. These patterns maybe your preoccupations, your subliminal obsessions and a story may emerge of it's own accord. You will know, because it will obsess you. Then just write scenes or descriptions or character sketches as they occur to you . Once a basic storyline has made itself known, have a go at a draft. Don't dwell on it, write it fast, without looking back. All you want is a first impression of your story, the beating heart of it. Then you can carefully refine it, probably through many, further drafts. It may well change significantly but that's fine. Above all, just out on to paper, one word in front of the other. Don't overthink, just jump write in and know a lot of what you write will later be cut. That's fine, that's normal. A songwriter will twang away at their guitar endlessly, until a tune emerges. The tune you end up hearing will seem simple, almost inevitable but it may have taken them weeks. So . . .fill the page with words and one sentence will lead to another, until a story announces itself. Happy writing.
writing is a craft, not a talent. There are many good books on writing out there that will point you in the right direction. Read books in the genre you want to write. Write write write. I started writing fanfiction.
Write 500 words, that's a paragraph. Add another 500 words, that's a page. Add another 5 pages. That's a first chapter. Go back and read what you wrote. You will want to start over and by the time you get to the end of the chapter the story will have started writing itself. write 5 more chapters, that's half of the book done. Then you will get stuck, run out of ideas, go off on tangents. When this happens pick up something similar to what you are writing and read. Find platforms on which to share short pieces (LinkedIn articles, a blog, a Writer's Forum...) to get feedback and critiques. Do research for your book: places, historical events, the way of life in that time period, the issues of the day...By then you will have ideas for another work in progress, but by the time you finish a chapter of that piece you will hate it and want to scrap it. File everything according to Character Sketches, Scenes, Research Notes, Plot Outlines (Scrivener helps a lot with this). Go back to the beginning and get back to work on those original 5 chapters.....tis is just my process. it is different for every writer but the important tips are to write every day, no matter what and to read as much as possible
Hi Chris. When I started, I thought all writers wore smoking jackets, smoked pipes, looked totally calm all the time. I also thought their work just came out because they were "writers." In practice, I didn't really get going until I leanred that writing is 95% craft and hard work and the rest is creativity. My suggestion is to study a book called the hero's journey for a look at the craft of story structure and Dwight Swain's Techniques of the Selling writer. Luck and the three main rules to succeed: write, write, write.