Getting Started Even When You
Don't Know Where to Begin
Don’t be afraid to write garbage. Every successful writer writes mounds of garbage. Give your work time to percolate. Play the What If game. In the world of the imagination, anything can happen.
From Emily's Ten Tips on Creativity
Many writers have the misconception that words drive the writing and, in order to begin a story you must have the perfect first sentence or first paragraph. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Although as writers we love words and language, words are the vehicles through which our characters and stories can take form on the page. If you begin thinking words, the chances are you will end up fiddling and futzing with that first sentence or paragraph until, in desperation, you give up in despair.
There is a reason for this. Words reside in the left side of the brain, which is the home of the intellect, of judgment, evaluation and the Inner Critic. Ah, the Inner Critic, that voice inside your head that’s full of admonitions about what your have to write or should or shouldn’t write.
Inner Critic is a spokesman of the status quo. It fears the unknown and risk-taking, which are integral to the creative process. So it is no wonder that the Inner Critic voice says things such as:
Here is an exercise to open the imagination. Answer the questions quickly, and don't think! Thought will take you into your left brain and the domain of the Inner Critic who might think this is a really dumb exercise and this person, Emily Hanlon, doesn't know what she's talking about and you'd do better by cleaning up the kitchen. Instead, ask your Inner Writer to step forth. She’s open to the flow and the unexpected, cosmic realm of the creative unconscious.
Here is the exercise:
Think of someone you really hate or strongly dislike, someone who drives you nuts. Write down his or her name here:
If the person who's name you wrote down were an animal, what kind of animal would he or she be?
If the person were a color, what color would he or she be?
List as many adjectives as you can think of to describe this person. Don't worry if you put down nouns too. Just begin to list:
If this person were an object in nature, what would her or she be? ie, a tidal wave, a black rose... whatever.
List some verbs to describe how the person moves:
Give your person a new name.
Imagine that person doing something terrible. Don't hold back. The doing is the action or the dramatic tension. Remember, it's easier to write big than small. Try to write something you wouldn't normally try. A fight, for example. Make it a big fight--maybe even a murder! Nobody has to see it except you and your Inner Writer. Begin with ideas and images from your answers above. Write without thinking. Don't judge. Just write. Fast. In the world of the imagination, there is no right or wrong. Go for it. Have fun!
Don't Know Where to Begin
Don’t be afraid to write garbage. Every successful writer writes mounds of garbage. Give your work time to percolate. Play the What If game. In the world of the imagination, anything can happen.
From Emily's Ten Tips on Creativity
Many writers have the misconception that words drive the writing and, in order to begin a story you must have the perfect first sentence or first paragraph. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Although as writers we love words and language, words are the vehicles through which our characters and stories can take form on the page. If you begin thinking words, the chances are you will end up fiddling and futzing with that first sentence or paragraph until, in desperation, you give up in despair.
There is a reason for this. Words reside in the left side of the brain, which is the home of the intellect, of judgment, evaluation and the Inner Critic. Ah, the Inner Critic, that voice inside your head that’s full of admonitions about what your have to write or should or shouldn’t write.
Inner Critic is a spokesman of the status quo. It fears the unknown and risk-taking, which are integral to the creative process. So it is no wonder that the Inner Critic voice says things such as:
- If you're going to be a writer than you have to write a nice story, not too much sex or violence.
- You have to write what you know. Forget the imagination, you really have no imagination anyway.
- What you should write is a page turner. And if it’s not on the best seller’s list… well, you’ll never make the best seller list anyway, so you might as well give up now.
- And remember, don’t write anything that will won't embarrass the family...
- And for goodness sakes, don’t ever sound melodramatic!
Here is an exercise to open the imagination. Answer the questions quickly, and don't think! Thought will take you into your left brain and the domain of the Inner Critic who might think this is a really dumb exercise and this person, Emily Hanlon, doesn't know what she's talking about and you'd do better by cleaning up the kitchen. Instead, ask your Inner Writer to step forth. She’s open to the flow and the unexpected, cosmic realm of the creative unconscious.
Here is the exercise:
Think of someone you really hate or strongly dislike, someone who drives you nuts. Write down his or her name here:
If the person who's name you wrote down were an animal, what kind of animal would he or she be?
If the person were a color, what color would he or she be?
List as many adjectives as you can think of to describe this person. Don't worry if you put down nouns too. Just begin to list:
If this person were an object in nature, what would her or she be? ie, a tidal wave, a black rose... whatever.
List some verbs to describe how the person moves:
Give your person a new name.
Imagine that person doing something terrible. Don't hold back. The doing is the action or the dramatic tension. Remember, it's easier to write big than small. Try to write something you wouldn't normally try. A fight, for example. Make it a big fight--maybe even a murder! Nobody has to see it except you and your Inner Writer. Begin with ideas and images from your answers above. Write without thinking. Don't judge. Just write. Fast. In the world of the imagination, there is no right or wrong. Go for it. Have fun!