Everything I try to start with sounds very cliche and the stereotypical "too basic story beginnings"

[Guest]

Hey guys, I just joined this Community because I’m in need of some advice! I've been working on a story project for a couple years now. I started it in high school and I've kind of just been evolving my ideas. I'm the kind of person where I need to have a solid plan of how my story will go before I start writing. I know how I want my story to go, but I'm having trouble starting the actual writing.

How should I start? Everything I try to start with sounds very cliche and the stereotypical "too basic story beginnings"

For context I want my story to start with a character on the run. they got kicked out of their home because of a curse and they're trying to get as far away as possible. I know I want to include flashbacks to the time of the curse and relevant past instances to give context as well. I'm not sure what kind of narrative to use when starting. Should it be first person inner dialogue? Descriptive? I'm stuck. I'm welcome to all opinions on this

Also, how do some of you come up with titles? I've thought about it a lot and I still have no idea what to call this story. And where are good places to publish it online? Is Wattpad still a good up to date writing platform?

[Lissy]

Write a shitty first chapter and then continue with the story. For me, the first chapter or first scene was always the hardest. You can come back to it after you've written the book. Once I deleted the first chapter and made the 2nd chapter the first. As for a title, you don't need to worry about that yet. Leave it for the end. Just give your story any title for now.

[Susan]

Given everything I know about your book so far, I'd call it Man on the Run. (Woman?).

[Dwain]

Try putting yourself in your character"s skin and talk about what they are feeling, thinking as they are on the run. That might be a good place to start the story. You'll need to make a decision as to whether you want to do first or third person. If the story is really about the main character and you want to get into their head in depth, you might try first person point of view. Third person pov the to be easier to write, so if this is your first book you may want to stick with that.

[Shirley]

Kaius, since you know how you want your story to go, write a sentence outline for the first four chapters with three or less scenes per chapter.

Chapter one belongs to your protagonist. Chapter two belongs to your antagonist, there must be a bad guy. Maybe that proponent of the curse.

Give your protagonist a sidekick, because you need dialog with a cohort.

Title: you only need a working title; yours is "The Curse".

Start line one when your protagonist's life is about to change...for the worse.

Give us setting...both time and place and hook our interest in your first two lines.

[Gary]

I have a thing I call R.E.D. 'reader experience design'. I might plot it or just have it in my head, but it sometimes helps inspire me. Imagine yourself as the reader and what you want to see happen next. Also, write like it isn't important. However much you plan (I do, a lot) when it comes to writing it, if you have all the bits and bobs floating around in your head clearly enough, then just play and let it flow. Deleting is easy.

[Rebecca]

Sit down and start writing. Let go the control of the exact and enjoy the freedom of being able to change something or leave it as it is. Don’t overthink it. Your story may head in a direction you never intended at first but is part of their evolution.

[John]

Maybe something like this could get you writing…

"Smoke from a hastily extinguished fire curled into the midnight sky, the wind carrying whispers of its warmth to places unseen. Beneath the canopy of a makeshift shelter, a figure trembled, not from the cold, but from the relentless shadows that haunted his every step. A curse, much like the smoke, followed him, a relentless pursuer determined to reclaim what was stolen."

[Anne]

First of all, know that your first draft is going to be shit. Its part of the process. Take it all out, imagine the scene in your head like a movie and just write what you see. Once thats done, its easier to go ahead and work on whats there. You can start by checking if the chain of event is the best it could be. If its not, rearrange it until youre satisfied, then do a first reading of it, and correct everything you think can be better, without focussing too much on the literary rules. Once the chapter is in a better shape, not perfect but just readable, you can start by enhancing the text with the following rules:

Show don tell

Active writing vs passive writing

Pacing

Lenght of sentences, order of paragraphs

Using strong verbs

Using strong adjectives

Removing unecessary informations

Removing adverbs

Concise and straight to the point dialogue

Adding subtext

Making sure every sentence is told in the character's perspective. Ex: if the character is a teenager who is kind of blunt, the world isnt going to be described through a pink and flower lens. He's not going to notice the beautiful sky and bird song when going out

Etc

Also, dont forget that every sentence should push the plot or character progression

[Dexter]

I would say that you are over thinking it all. Don't worry about titles or if your early drafts aren't as good as you want them to be. Get the whole thing written. Then the real work starts editing, editing, editing, rewrite rewrite rewrite. As for the POV, try a chapter in various different points of view and see which one you find flows best for you. Best of Luck..