How to START WRITING A BOOK according to author Blake Crouch | #shorts #writing #writingadvice
TLDRThe speaker describes their creative process for writing a novel, which involves starting with a vague idea and jotting down notes over months. They focus on developing plot ideas, character sketches, and setting details. As scenes begin to form and take shape, they arrange them in order, which eventually leads to the confidence to start writing the novel in a Word document.
Takeaways
- 📝 The speaker finds the process of starting a novel challenging each time.
- 💭 They begin with a vague idea and a rough sketch of the concept.
- 📔 The speaker uses a journal to take notes on plot ideas, characters, and settings.
- 📅 This note-taking process occurs over several months.
- 🔍 As notes accumulate, the novel's focus becomes clearer to the speaker.
- 🎨 The speaker starts to visualize individual scenes within the novel.
- 📐 Arranging these scenes and determining their order is a crucial part of the process.
- 📈 The goal is to complete enough notes to feel confident about starting the actual writing.
- 📖 The transition from notes to opening a Word document for writing signifies readiness.
- 💪 The speaker emphasizes the importance of feeling positive before beginning the writing phase.
- 📚 The process is iterative and involves constant refinement of ideas and scenes.
Q & A
What is the speaker's initial approach to starting a novel?
-The speaker begins with a general idea or a sketch of an idea.
How does the speaker organize their thoughts for the novel?
-They take notes and maintain a journal, where they jot down plot ideas, character details, and settings.
How long does it typically take for the speaker's novel ideas to come into focus?
-It takes a period of months as they continue to take notes.
What is the significance of seeing individual scenes for the speaker?
-Seeing individual scenes helps the speaker to start arranging and figuring out the order of the novel.
What is the speaker's goal while taking notes?
-Their goal is to accumulate enough material to feel positive about starting to write the novel in a Word document.
How does the speaker's process evolve from the initial idea to the actual writing?
-It evolves from a general idea to detailed notes, then to visualizing scenes, and finally to arranging them in a coherent order.
What role does the journal play in the speaker's writing process?
-The journal serves as a tool for capturing plot ideas, character sketches, and setting descriptions, which are essential for the development of the novel.
How does the speaker ensure they have a clear direction for their novel?
-By continuously taking notes and refining the ideas over time, the speaker gains clarity on the direction of the novel.
What is the speaker's attitude towards opening a Word document to start writing?
-They want to feel confident and positive about the material they have before they begin writing in a Word document.
How does the speaker's process help in maintaining a structured approach to writing a novel?
-The process of note-taking and journaling allows the speaker to systematically develop the novel's structure, ensuring a coherent and well-organized narrative.
Outlines
📝 The Creative Process
The speaker discusses the difficulty of starting a new project, sharing their personal process. They begin with a vague idea and start taking notes, maintaining a journal to capture plot ideas, character details, and settings. Over months, the novel starts to take shape as they visualize individual scenes and arrange them in order. This process gives them the confidence to start writing the actual document.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Process
💡Sketch of an Idea
Highlights
The process of idea generation is challenging and iterative.
Starting with a general idea or sketch is the initial step.
Taking notes is a crucial part of the creative process.
Maintaining a journal helps in organizing plot ideas and character settings.
The development of a novel occurs over months with continuous note-taking.
As notes accumulate, the novel begins to come into focus.
Visualizing individual scenes is a key milestone in the writing process.
Arranging scenes and figuring out their order is an essential part of novel construction.
The goal is to complete enough notes to feel confident about starting the actual writing.
Opening a Word document to write signifies a positive transition in the creative journey.
The process is about building up to a point of feeling ready to write.
Writing a novel is a gradual and evolving process.
Confidence in writing comes from the accumulation of detailed notes and scenes.
The transition from idea to writing is marked by a sense of readiness and positivity.
The creative process involves a mix of planning and spontaneous inspiration.
Maintaining a journal is a practical tool for writers to track their ideas and progress.