Post #5 - Chapter One
Well, I’ve had enough of outlining my story. I reached a point where my brain refused to participate in outlining any more. I figured that was a pretty good indication that it was time to start writing the first chapter.
Before assembling a proper outline, I had started chapter one three times. Each attempt fizzled out; something felt off. I realized I needed to make some more big-picture decisions. Seeing as how the beginning is critical to grabbing readers’ attention and laying a solid foundation on which to launch the rest of the story, there’s a great degree of anxiety about doing it “just right.” Again, as I’m learning, it’s not going to be perfect in the first draft (or final draft, for that matter). I had to take my own advice and just get started on the first chapter.
I’m delighted to admit that the writing went surprisingly well. I wrote nearly 1,000 words in one sitting.
I’m finding the amount of outlining that works for me. I noticed I was pushing myself to over-outline, which was making me frustrated as I couldn’t seem to keep at it. With so many convincing opinions out there on the best way to prepare your story, it’s easy to subscribe fully to someone else’s method. What’s true is that what works for someone else in this process may or may not work for me, or to the same degree.
This is all new to me. I have to continually check in with myself to see if my methods are actually working or if I’m trying to force myself into a mold of what I think is the “correct” way to do something. I’m deeply grateful to the many authors who share their expertise. What’s funny is that many of these authors encourage writers to find their individual fit as they share what has worked for them. I’ve hypothesized that I’ve still been trying to follow a script because this is all so new.
When learning any novel skill (see what I did there?), it’s easiest to try to emulate, as precisely as possible, someone else who knows what they’re doing. While this may be true of swinging a baseball bat, it’s not so true of art. Writing is a form of creation that ought to be unique to each individual. Given the same prompt for an essay, a classroom of students will produce a myriad of different works. This is both the beautiful and frustrating thing about writing—there’s no “right” way to do it. I was encouraged and dismayed by a writing professor who stated that “nobody can tell you how to (write a novel)”.
There’s a staggering freedom in writing fiction that elicits both fear and excitement in a new writer (e.g., me). Nobody can hold your hand to lead you exactly where to go, but, likewise, nobody can hold you back either.
It’s up to me how I approach the canvas. The first strokes have been made.
That’s all for now.
Toodles,
