Samhain Publishing Ltd Weblog

And So It Begins...

Writing a book can be the most daunting of tasks. Anyone who’s ever attempted it knows what I am talking about. The absolute worst part for me? Knowing when to start a story.

If you start too early, the reader won’t bother sticking with it until it gets juicy. There are so many books out there, you have to be on top of your game to write something worth reading, and it starts at that first sentence.

If you start too late, the reader feels a bit lost, or like they are on an episode of the Twilight Zone, neither pleasant experiences. And stressing about when to start only adds to a writers anxiety.

The perennial question for authors is ‘where do you get your ideas?’ The idea part is easy. I have a million of those. The hard part is knowing of your story has enough conflict, enough emotional punch, to be worth reading. And of course knowing where to begin the story so as to maximize this.

This is what induces writers block. The only way to fix it that I’ve found is simply to start, even if it means you wind up chopping three chapters worth of writing before you find that perfect opening hook.

Once you find it, that sweet spot from which everything flows freely, writing is a blissful and freeing experience. Of course if it weren’t so great, no one would bother searching for that perfect first line.

Today I start a new story. It’s kind of like standing in line for Space Mountain. You know you’ll be thrashed about and terrified, but you can’t really see what is up ahead so you have to take it on faith that you’ll find your way out and be exhilarated because of the journey. And ready for ice cream. Lots of ice cream.

Jenna
http://www.jennabayleyburke.com/