How to start Writing?

TheStook

Hello everyone, Well basically I'm 17 years of age and have always been interested in literature/writing and was just wondering where/how to start creatively writing? I know my questions a bit broad but any advice would be greatly appreciated..

tbahh

They are certainly broad questions! Have you written any short stories/poems/anything before? Have you ideas that you want to put into writing?

I get my ideas organised first before writing. Write everything down in a notebook (doesn't matter if it's rubbish) and then you can go back to it later and put together something which is interesting.

Das Kitty

I usually start from a prompt, or a kernel of an idea tha occurs to me. I start writing before I get too much figured out because when I try to figure out an entire plot, I rush to the end and end up writing something I'm not totally happy with. (Not that I'm ever totally happy)

So I stop myself thinking about it until I get ot a keyboard and then set off. Make some more room in my head for branching ideas and visuals.

Have you tried working from prompts OP? You probably know the score with Leaving Cert English. It probably doesn't work for poetry.

We're going to be doing a short story contest on on this forum in the next couple of weeks, take a look a the twilight zone thread. You should take part.

TheStook

tbahh wrote: »

They are certainly broad questions! Have you written any short stories/poems/anything before? Have you ideas that you want to put into writing?

I get my ideas organised first before writing. Write everything down in a notebook (doesn't matter if it's rubbish) and then you can go back to it later and put together something which is interesting.

I've tried to write short stories a few times but kinda got lost with the direction they we're going in as I only really put thought into the beginning...As for poetry I haven't done anything on but I'm a big fan from my Leaving Cert course, particularly Adrienne Rich....
Organising my ideas before writing is a great idea and one I completely overlooked, cheers

TheStook

Das Kitty wrote: »

I usually start from a prompt, or a kernel of an idea tha occurs to me. I start writing before I get too much figured out because when I try to figure out an entire plot, I rush to the end and end up writing something I'm not totally happy with. (Not that I'm ever totally happy)

So I stop myself thinking about it until I get ot a keyboard and then set off. Make some more room in my head for branching ideas and visuals.

Have you tried working from prompts OP? You probably know the score with Leaving Cert English. It probably doesn't work for poetry.

We're going to be doing a short story contest on on this forum in the next couple of weeks, take a look a the twilight zone thread. You should take part.

Yeah, i've never heard the term prompt before but if you mean idea then yeah but I share you're problem in that my idea usually only contains the beginning of a story and/or an awesome ending haha...I will look into the competition, should be a great way to learn a few things, thanks very much

donalh087

TheStook wrote: »

Hello everyone, Well basically I'm 17 years of age and have always been interested in literature/writing and was just wondering where/how to start creatively writing? I know my questions a bit broad but any advice would be greatly appreciated..

Drink two cups of coffee, Take out a blank sheet of paper. Write CHAPTER 1 on the paper and see what happens.............


:-)




(AND I'm being serious)

Das Kitty

TheStook wrote: »

Yeah, i've never heard the term prompt before but if you mean idea then yeah but I share you're problem in that my idea usually only contains the beginning of a story and/or an awesome ending haha...I will look into the competition, should be a great way to learn a few things, thanks very much

A prompt is usually provided by someone else. A word, a sentence, an idea or even a photo.

Why don't you try writing the beginning or the end on its own and see what comes out of writing it. You could be surprised.

Suff

There is no standard approach that you can take or apply.

Writing is a mean of expressing one's self, thoughts and feelings. You can only write about what you know, about something you have experienced or of interest to you.

There are two types of writers: The Architect and the Gardener.

Architects tends to build everything, from the plot, world building, scenes progression and character learning curve. Gardeners on the other hand, like to start with an idea, or even from a single a line and follow it on an adventure to see how it ends. Of course, some of us are a little bit of both. I for one tend to write as a Gardener but from time to time, find myself organising the structure the story.

Regardless of which of the above you see yourself, the most important thing to adhere to and to use as the golden rule; is to write. If you do feel passionate about it you'll need to commit time to it, make it a daily habit.

You're not going to be a great writer from day one! just like a piano or a guitar player, it'll take you time and practise to be able to play as a pro.