I don't know how to write

[scuster]

I thought the same thing that you did and in school I served in the journalism staff and one of the biggest things that helped me is writing my thoughts out on scrap paper and from those few lines pointers I put together a story which in most parts times required additional thinking process and research. If you ask a published author they will probability tell you it takes practice to become a perfect author like it takes to become a pro athlete.

[Dream Catcher]

Just keep writing g no matter how bad it is. Them improve and improve and improve.

[WriterBLAlley]

You seem to write just fine. Just as you did with your inquiry, put your story ideas on paper, physical, or virtual, and begin assembling the story you want to tell.

[moderntimes]

Your posting was certainly coherent and quite well written, I agree. Maybe you're pushing yourself? Or you've set the bar too high at first?

Start small. And above all, start by reading. Try James Joyce's immortal short story collection "Dubliners" for start. Why? Because it's a starter guide to true modern fiction. Read the story "Araby" for example. See how perfectly Joyce creates the tension and frustration of the narrator, his dilemma, and how desperate he is for a resolution. And sadly, the letdown. ("Araby" is one of the saddest but greatest short stories that Joyce ever wrote).

Nevertheless, study the story and read it 2-3 times (it's short enough) and see how he works at the reader's psyche. Perfection. And the reason I'm picking Joyce's "Araby" is twofold... It's a great classic story, not too long, but perfectly illustrative. And also, it's free for download from Amazon and elsewhere if you don't already have a copy of Dubliners.

Next, don't repeat or don't try to emulate Joyce. Don't emulate ANY other writer! But just take a small personal situation. Let me suggest a couple of possibles... You (the narrator) have to make a sales appointment and your car won't start. And you knew, you knew yesterday that it was being cranky and you told yourself you'd check the battery connections as soon as you could, but then forgot, and forgot to remind yourself to not forget! So try to describe the frustration in real, honest terms, as you'd actually feel.

Or, your daughter is in a school play and the part she's got isn't a flattering one. So you have to see the play and judge her acting not on the character she's playing but on her skill in playing the character. This frustrates you and you've got a dilemma in your heart of hearts.

Or, you're in a meeting with some corporate bigwigs and your company is trying to sell them on a new advertising campaign, that your agency should be hired. But midway through the presentation, your boss gets the concept all wrong and you're stuck with trying to backpedal while in the meeting but not upbraiding you boss' well meant mistake.

Or you set your own dilemma. This is what is called a writing exercise. Use Joyce's "Araby" and its excruciating sadness, and learn from it without emulating it, and write a small, very short story. Maybe even just a small scene in that longer story. Try to depict frustration using your own emotions, using Joyce not as a copycat effort but as a guidepost. I hope I'm making sense here.

Start small. Write just a few short pages about some possible frustrating event that maybe you've had, or can imaging having (my suggestions are just that, choose your own dilemma).

[debbie smith]

I understand completely. I've had stories in my head for years. They now occupy pieces of paper that I have stashed in different notebooks throughout the house but I've not fleshed any out into full stories.

For a short time I was a reporter for a local newspaper and some say this means I am published and a professional writer (not the same as an author I think) but to me it was just a stint and I don't feel like a published author/writer. I don't know if I can flesh the unfinished stories out but one day I will try.

Up until now raising a family, working a full time job with two part-time jobs occasionally, trying to complete my college degree, and commuting from the middle of nowhere to do it all has affected my writing time but still I try. (I know-just excuses) And, I will continue to work at it so that one day soon, I will succeed with at least one of the stories if not more. I will and so can you. Just don't quit.

[Nathrad Sheare]

Three words: Gotham Writer's Workshop. They have two books out, one called "Writing Fiction" and the other "Fiction Gallery." Get them. Get them as soon as you can. Believe me, you won't regret it. One of the things they tell you is that, if you have a character and ideas for his or her story in your head, you're already a writer. You just have to master the craft, find out how to make the world and people you've invented come to life. Believe me, these books will help.

[moderntimes]

I think there are some excellent suggestions here. What is essential is that you start writing. As it became known around my circle of friends and acquaintances that my first novel had been purchased and would be published, some friends would tell me "I've always wanted to write a book..." very wistfully. And my recommendation was "Start!"

Just start! You'll make mistakes and your first efforts will fall flat, but keep at it, keep improving your skills. Accept feedback and criticism and learn from your early errors and tweak your writing so that it's better and better.

[Fran]

Personally I have no ambition to be an author but I happened to hear an interview with Jo Nesbo, the highly acclaimed & successful Norwegian thriller author, and he said what helped him most in becoming an author was writing lyrics for pop songs. He believes that the discipline involved in fitting a story into 2/3 verses and a chorus helped him enormously ...... he also said that the period of his life he spent as a taxi driver was the most useful.

[Sasquatchismycousin]

I like writing, but I am often drained and sit staring at a blank screen or page for fifteen minutes, but you know what they say: The hardest part is starting. What I'm doing write now is entering free writing contests. The prompts are that little nudge to get me writing at all. If you don't practice your craft, you can't expect to improve it.

[moderntimes]

Best way to avoid getting stuck and staring? Skip ahead to another portion of the book or story you're writing, work for a while on that section and then go back later and plug the gaps.

[Book-obsessed]

I know how you feel.

STEPS FOR GETTING ORGANIZED

First thing you want to do is get everything down on paper

Get a few notebooks and designate one for story ideas, and the others for individual stories.

In the first note book write down all the ideas for stories that you have. Then select the story that you think about the most and designate a note book for it.

In the notebook that you have just designated write down what you want the story to be about

Then write down the characters

Have a page or two bait each character; their looks, their past, their personality

Then outline the book; the big things you want to happen in the story, how it should end, and possibilities for sequels or just a solid ending

Next you want to outline some chapters; get the first five chapters outlined at least that way you don't get stuck while writing.

When you outline the chapters it's the same as outlining the book; you point out the big things you want to happen in the chapter but you also give more focus to the little things. The small things that make connections throughout the chapters to contribute to the plot.

Finally you start writing; I think the first chapter is always the hardest so maybe you might want to skip over to and write it later. It doesn't really matter what order the book is in. Or you could start the book from the middle of the story and fill in the rest of the story throughout the books.

I hope this helps!

[moderntimes]

I'd tend to agree with the list presented but on paper? I greatly prefer the computer for all my thoughts and notes. I save everything and store it in an "ideas" folder.

It's not absolutely necessary to take each of the steps listed -- understand them as suggestions only, and cherrypick the ones that help you best.

[Nathrad Sheare]

An excellent way of putting it, moderntimes. I couldn't have written it better.

[xoxoci]

I have difficulty also.

[RobertM]

My approach is this: Think of the story in your head like you're making a movie. Then put it down on paper. Do good dialogue. Create imperfect characters. Wing it when you have to on the story, but just finish it. It's easier to edit the finished product than to create the original. This may not work for everyone.