Are beginnings hard? They are for me. That blank screen and its blinking cursor can be mighty intimidating. So how do you get started?
When you are faced with your writing goal and your muse is out back smoking a cigarette before she comes on shift, you may despair of ever getting any words down. Here are a few tricks that I’ve used.
Okay, let’s get started. It goes like this…
This story is about a guy who…
So if I were to write about that idea I had on my way in to work, even though it’s clearly stupid, it would be something like…
Any of those should bring your muse in on a run (or a saunter, if your muse is like mine). Basically these tricks unjam things and get the words flowing. After a while you will get into the swing of things. I promise, you will not reach The End telling your story this way, although if you do, that might be kind of neat. Tricky, but neat.
Later, when you go back and edit, you will find your true beginning. It might be three-quarters in, and it could be a scrap of dialog or something else that signifies where your writing got underway.
Just get the words down, however they fall, and you will be fine.
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