Blank Pages, Titles, Writing And Grammar

I read recently on Twitter an entry by a female novelist about how she begins writing, how she overcomes the fear of a blank page. She says that, rather than planning how to start, she simply sits down and writes whatever comes into her mind for the first ten minutes. This removes the fearsome blank page which, more often than not, baffles many would-be writers unaccustomed to simply planning, ordering their thoughts, thinking up the first lines away from the writing desk, and those with writer’s block. I’ve never tried this method, and I’m not so sure that it would be one which works for me.

Rather, I enjoy planning. I make copious notes throughout the day – and the night – until a set idea for the start of a work comes to mind. This is what I then set down on paper. How it goes from there all depends on my mood: I often do not have a set idea about exactly where a story should go, but let the words lead me, let the ideas come as I write.

Photo Credit: Florian RathckeCreative Commons

This has its good and its bad points. It is possible to sit down and write a really good draft over several hours – or days – just as easily as to write yourself into a corner; surrounded by fresh words and with no way out.

Another method I saw recently, again on Twitter, was the opening paragraph method. The writer – or someone else – writes a series of opening paragraphs for a story or book with a lead in of suspense. The idea is that this opening will draw the writer further in to the story and, hopefully, a future reader. An opening paragraph might just be fifty words, but it introduces an idea, perhaps a character too, and some form of scenario. Whoever takes over the writing after that merely needs to expand upon the idea. This actually quite appeals to me, mainly because I have a whole mess of opening paragraphs amongst my notes as well as conclusions, bits and pieces which can be included anywhere and a wealth of wonderful words which I would love to be able to use some time.

Even so, the one method that I have found to work the best is still working with notes and ideas before coming to my desk, before I set pen to paper to really form the ideas into a product. I may well try a few of the other methods sometime, just to see if it brings anything but, for now, I’m happy with what I have and, a moment of joy, it’s working well enough with my new creation.

Love & Kisses, Viki.

The post Blank Pages, Titles, Writing And Grammar appeared first on Viktoria Michaelis.

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