Gearing Up For National Novel Writing Month

In the weeks that follow I am going to be sharing what I have learned about writing a novel.  Today I want to leave you with a piece of advice that I tell aspiring writers and that is to write.   Practice is good advice for whatever you want to do in life.  It's especially true in writing.  You don't have to start out knowing how to craft a story, all you need to do is begin.  It helps to find a writers group or a critique group, who will help you learn to write better.  Remember that it's only advice and you may choose not to follow it.  However, you will learn the more you write.  Don't take critiques personally, rather take them as what they are... Advice from more experienced people.  Don't discount advise from less experienced writers either or readers.

So, where do you begin?  With an idea.  Where do ideas come from?  All around you...  In what you read, hear, experience... Ideas are on t.v., in movies and books.  They are in the air that you breathe, the sky, the earth...  How about that strange dream you had?  Conversations often inspire writers.  Find prompts online when you feel stuck.  Don't worry about trends write what you know... I know this sounds funny coming from a woman, who writes about vampires, shapeshifters and witches....  But this is what I grew up with, so it is what I know.

So, today find your idea.  Write it down, along with any other thoughts that you associate with your idea. This can be a list and it doesn't have to be perfect.  Now is the time to do any research on things of which you have little knowledge...  Remember, the more reality you infuse into the story, the better your readers will like.

Next time we work on character development.