Starting Out
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So you got yourself all the tools you need in order to start writing, but now you're faced with a new problem: how do I start?
The answer to that?
Hell if I know.
I'm not you.
But what I can do, is tell you what I do.
It
all starts with an idea. Ideas can strike us at random times, but I
find myself particularly vulnerable when I'm in the middle of consuming
something. Whether I'm
watching a movie, listening to a song, or reading a manga, those are the
times that I find myself stricken with inspiration. So my first lesson?
1. Don't be afraid to steal.
We
live in a world of execution. The age of fresh, original, and
innovative is long gone. There's a reason why every other movie coming
out is a remake, sequel, or based on something that's already been made.
Unless you were born brimming with brilliant ideas, sadly, you're going
to have to do what the rest of us do: borrow from others.
I'm
not advocating for plagiarism, but there's no shame in borrowing an
idea. You don't even have to introduce your own "nuances." If you
can take the same idea and improve it, who's going to complain? Which
brings us to my second point:
2. If it's broke, fix it yourself.
You
ever read a story and thought to yourself, "I can do better than this!" Well then...why the hell
not? Do you know how many times I've been inspired by horrible stories?
All the time.
Don't
get me wrong, when I read something interesting, I read it, even if it
gets progressively worse the more I read. It's like watching a car crash
in slow motion for the purpose of avoiding car crashes in the
future...in slow motion. Why not start by taking an existing story and
change it for the better? Don't publish it as your own or anything, but
it's good practice.
Fanfiction, by definition, is
derivative. Don't worry about being a derivative of a derivative. Even
some of the most popular stories borrow heavily from cliches. So my
third point:
3. Use cliches.
Cliches
aren't a bad thing. They're time-tested, reliable, and easy to use,
which makes it perfect for beginners. Before you try being clever, try
being competent first. Failure to pay proper respects to tropes will
incur the wrath of writing gods. Shoot for the roof before the moon.
Which brings it us to point number four:
4. Start small.
Most
writers fail because their ambitions crush them. That's what happens
when you try to hit homeruns when you've barely just learned to hold a
bat. Experience is invaluable. You have to experience those moments of
creativity, those moments of dearth, those moments of satisfaction, and
those moments of frustration before you call yourself a writer. Work
your way up, little by little. Start with a one-shot (it's how I
jump-started my writing again), write a scene, or just write one
sentence. No matter how small it is, a start's a start.
