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[Z.R.Murray]

Ok, so I've spent the last year now researching and planning a book idea I've had for awhile. I've got a basic outline of the plot done, I've mapped out the more important scenes and points in the story, I've got character lists, Place names, and literally hundreds of pages of notes. I've written several short stories based in the same world as sort of primer for myself, and slowly I'm developing the tone I want to set for the novel.

My problem is, now as I sit down to actually start writing it and I just sit their. The words come out slowly, my prose stubmles all over the place, and I just can't seem to get things rolling. I can sit here all day and go through the entire story in my head like I'm watching a movie, but then it just stops when I go to write. The worst part is I'm really excited about the story, I day dream about it all the time, and I look forward to it just like I would to some book I've been dieing to read.

So, any tips from the pros on how to get past this little road block of mine?

[Ryan A. Span]

Ok, so I've spent the last year now researching and planning a book idea I've had for awhile. I've got a basic outline of the plot done, I've mapped out the more important scenes and points in the story, I've got character lists, Place names, and literally hundreds of pages of notes. I've written several short stories based in the same world as sort of primer for myself, and slowly I'm developing the tone I want to set for the novel.

My problem is, now as I sit down to actually start writing it and I just sit their. The words come out slowly, my prose stubmles all over the place, and I just can't seem to get things rolling. I can sit here all day and go through the entire story in my head like I'm watching a movie, but then it just stops when I go to write. The worst part is I'm really excited about the story, I day dream about it all the time, and I look forward to it just like I would to some book I've been dieing to read.

So, any tips from the pros on how to get past this little road block of mine?

For some people, myself included, that never actually goes away. The only thing I've found that really works is to actually force out a few sentences and then start thinking about them with a critical eye. If they're good, keep it going and observe results! If they suck, just chuck them -- you now have a baseline of material that you know doesn't work, you just have to find something better, by elimination if you have to. The point is that by that point you've kick-started your brain into writing mode and you're already halfway to getting into the groove.

Your mileage may vary, of course, but it works for me most of the time!

Regards,
Ryan

[JimB]

Good luck on getting started.  There's a free program out there on www.spacejock.com (from the guy who does the Hal Spacejock series) called Y Writer.  It may help you get started writing your novel by organizing the scenes and the chapters.

[David Wood]

I find that I have to force myself to write for ten minutes without stopping. What comes out at first is usually stiff and in need of later editing, but if I can go for ten minutes, I get into the flow and things get much easier. If I allow myself to be distracted, or I am interrupted before ten minutes has passed, I  have to start over. I also find that if I overplan, and chart the story out too far ahead, I lose my enthusiasm. I like to let the characters guide and surprise me.

[THETony]

I am not a pro by any means, but here's my $.02...


I've always wanted to write.  I can remember writing a 20 page story, by hand, when I was in the fifth grade.  It was even illustrated (lol).  However, only in the last year have I actually dedicated myself to writing.  I am a chaotic person by nature.  I don't follow order very well and have very little structure in my life...but I needed something...


I was in the same boat as you, really.  I'd pump myself up to write, think about it all day, but when I sat down to *actually* write?  Blargh, nothing. 


What I ended up doing was going to Office Max and buying a huge calendar.  I gave myself a daily writing goal and tried to reach that goal 5 days a week, with 2 left off, cuz lets face, sometimes we all get burnt out.



Fast forward a year and six months into the future...to the NOW...


...and I am still doing fairly well.  Sold 3 short stories, finished nearly 24 others, two novelettes, and one 35,000 word short novel/long novella.



Not saying I've gotten that far, and I don't know if that would work for you, but it's done all right for me thus far.



Good luck my man!

[Ryan A. Span]

Selling shorts is always a win. I've not actually sold any apart from the one in the upcoming anthology, mostly 'cause I don't really write any.

Regards,
Ryan

[Z.R.Murray]

Thank you everyone!!

I'm very happy to say these last few weeks have been going awesome and I've been writting everyday!

In the end it just came down to doing it. I'm not setting a schedual because thats my problem, I over plan and analyze, so I just write everday for as long as I can and so far its working good. Sure some days are better then others, and a few days are down-right horrible, but even if I only write a few hundred words or end up scrapping everything, I'm still sticking to it at least!

I just passed the 10,000 word mark and going strong, but I've still got a long ways to go! I'm hoping to have finished a rough rough draft by the end of the year, so wish me luck!

-Zach

P.S. Thanks for the heads up on ywritter JimB. I actualy have been using that for awhile now to setup the different scenes and to keep track of the different plot points. I figure as soon as I'm done with the rough draft I'll copy it into ywritter and then using that really fine-tune the plot structure and foreshadowing.

[bravebluemice]

Better late than never, right?

I think Nike put it best.  Just do it.  Once you've done that, the hard part's over.  Then it's just time for endless editing.

~BraveBlueMice

[TWERvin]

Yep, getting the words down. Then the editing/revision. It's inevitable so the first draft doesn't need to consist of perfect prose.

Writing short fiction as opposed to novel length is a bit different, but there's a decent bit of crossover.

Terry

[TWERvin]

Z.R. Murray,

I've written several short stories based in the same world as sort of primer for myself, and slowly I'm developing the tone I want to set for the novel.

So, any tips from the pros on how to get past this little road block of mine?

Did you ever polish and submit those short stories for publication?

Terry