Quick Writing Tips for Beginners

Do you dream of writing your own story? The one that keeps playing in your mind to entertain you when you’re bored? Whenever you actually have this crazy thought and sit down to write it your mind becomes blank and you have no idea where to start? No worries, I got you. I get that despite being a writer for years. What can you do to improve or even start writing? It’s simple but not easy - the first step is always the most difficult. But once you keep stepping forward you might find yourself running with the flow. Don’t waste your opportunity. After all, we live only once, right?

First of all, take it easy - the first script is not gonna be the last one and it’s okay to have holes in the plot or even lots of mistakes. What matters is that you write down your thoughts. Materialize them into your world's reality. Even if they are not perfect, now they are in our world. They are real. So put the ideas you have - the characters inside your head; the story key points or summary; the settings; main theme; genre; what vibe you want it to go by and from whose point of view.

If you have trouble with your characters then try to write down what you know about them first. Then ask them why are they like that? Every human act has their reason for it, the purpose. Every behavior is the effect of some cause and you need to find it. What makes your characters tick? Try to imagine them in a certain situation then think of their past that shaped them to who they are now. That might help you understand their actions therefore make it easier to imagine/predict how they will act in the future.

Of course, while presenting your characters in the world (and also introducing the world in a subtle way) don’t make them describe things/people they already know. It’s unnatural to think in a way ‘Oh it's the mother that gave birth to me 18 years ago, named xyz, but only now I noticed she has such deep blue eyes…’ - unless you're writing a comedy or parody. If it's not the intention then refrain from making your character describe what is obvious to them.

The golden rule of writing fiction is simple - don’t describe, just show it. If your character is handsome, then make someone give them secret glances and blush. If they’re brave, put them in a situation that proves it in the flesh. The act speaks the loudest. For the plot itself. It’s fine if you don’t know how you’ll finish it at the start. It might come to you later or you can start from the end and actually think of the ending of the story then how the characters get to it. Both directions are fine depending on what you find more comfortable to write. From A to B or B to A. It doesn’t have to be a standard story, it can even start with the ending to intrigue your readers.

If it’s a fantasy story, remember to establish the world rules before writing - especially how magic works. (It’s a whole separate topic how fantasy should be written well, honestly.) Got characters, got story ideas, got the world but still don’t know where to start? Make a timeline and try to put the most important events on it. Then make an outline - break it into pieces, acts. To put it simply, act 1 should have some background and rising action (conflict(s)); act 2 climax, the peak on the mountain; act 3 falling action and resolution. If it's easier for you you can go backwards. You can start from the ending or start from creating the world then go into the details. Just experiment to find your preferred way! Oh and take notes, they will come in handy when you’ll have to remember some details or names of supporting characters! Just have some fun now! You’ll edit it later to make it shine. For now just go with the flow and try things out.

Author: Trot

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