Inspiration rarely works to a schedule, but when it shows its beautiful face, whether it’s the middle of the day or night, I rarely pass up the opportunity to write it down. There’s nothing worse than thinking you’ll remember it later, only for later to arrive and the idea you thought you remembered has in fact been forgotten.
Having a new idea for a storyline is exciting! Everyone’s writing journey is different, but here are a couple of pointers that I’ve found helpful when beginning a new story.
Write it down!
Have you ever had a “this could be something!” brainwave? In those moments, I always scribble it down. On your hand, on a napkin, on your phone – wherever works best for you. Could be a quote, dialogue, a plot development, whatever! When you jot it down, you can relax knowing you’ve got the idea while it’s hot, instead of microwaved and partially remembered in a couple of hours. You might not need it now, but in years to come, you might look back on it and find it’s the hidden gem you’ve been searching for. Just write it down and thank your future self later.
Do a rough draft
Nothing fancy, just have a go at writing the story or a plot outline. You don’t have to have all your metaphors, character names and descriptions figured out now. You don’t have to have all plot holes sorted. Remember, this is the bare bones. We’re simply free writing our way through the story, meandering towards the climax and meeting new characters and workshopping what could happen. We’re going: “cool, maybe this could happen … and then this … what about this? … hmm, maybe this works better …”
Your first draft of anything will not be the final product. Don’t stress about it being perfect right now. So long as you’ve got the idea down and you’ve had a go fleshing it out, that’s all that matters. It’s a stepping stone. Trust the process!
“It was a dark and stormy night” by Charles M. Schulz (July 12, 1965)
Take a break
It’s ok if your story poses many unanswered questions and gaps at the moment. You might have a section where you know what’s going on, a big gap in the middle and a non-existent ending. Or maybe you know exactly how it’ll end but you’re still figuring out how to get there. Or you might be completely stumped.
Writing is a process – it happens! This is where it can be good to take time away from it and come back to your story with fresh eyes. Like I said, inspiration usually strikes when we aren’t writing. You might come across the answer to your plot conundrum when you’re out for a walk or going shopping! So, don’t stress if your story is feeling a bit like a patchwork quilt right now. Or a piece of Swiss cheese.
Hopefully this helps you as you write your story! Give it a go, and if you’ve got any other tips or tricks, let me know! Happy writing folks!
rebekah writes stuff. 