So, you have an idea…
So, you have an idea for a book… but where do you start?
Well, you may try consulting our lord and savior, Google, or her close friend YouTube for advice on writing a story.
And you will be met, swiftly and overwhelmingly, with about five hundred different ways to write a book:
Plotters Vs Pantsers - Which Are You?!
Outlining a Novel For Dummies!
Three Billion Ways to Structure Your Story!
Buy Stock in Sticky Notes and Outline Your Novel Like a Pro!
Okay, those last ones may be hyperbole, but you get my point. There are dozens of ways to start getting ideas onto paper, and it can be intimidating to figure out what works best for you.
I have found that, while helpful once you have more substance and depth to an idea, resources on outlining plots, following story arcs, writing perfect dialogue, etc., aren’t overly helpful when you’re brand new to the craft or working from an idea still in its infancy. We’re more likely to give up before we even start when the starting feels like climbing a fourteen thousand foot mountain instead of a nice stroll through the woods.
But here is the good news: there are ways to start building out an idea without jumping straight into writing and outlining your entire novel. Let’s give those ideas some wings before expecting them to fly, shall we?
Character Creation
Typically, there isn’t much of a story without at least one character, and it’s likely that your idea already revolves around a character of some kind. It is easier to start picturing scenes, dialogue, conflicts, and development if you breathe life into a character. Here are some easy (and fun!) ways to start shaping a character.
Create a Sim:
You don’t literally need to play The Sims and make a character (or, like, do because it’s fun af), but the general idea remains. When you make a new character in a Sims game, you start with their physical features: hair, eye, and skin color; height and weight; facial features like nose and eye shape, jaw structure, etc. Then you move on to their fashion preferences, and then to their personality and aspirations. Here, you choose what makes them the happiest and how they interact with the world around them. Are they sloppy or neat, shy or outgoing, lazy or active? Do they value family, romance, knowledge, popularity, or wealth? These are all really great things to know about your character and can spark ideas for what kind of life they lead and where potential conflicts might arise for them. Whether you want to make your character in the game itself, or find a screenshot of the game options and jot down your selections in your phone notes, this can be a great way to visualize your character.
Personality Profile:
My personal favorite for this exercise is the Enneagram, but you could make a personality profile using any personality assessment guide you want (Meyers-Briggs, DISC, 16P, Zodiac signs, etc.). Personality guides typically give a rundown of what people desire, fear, and value most in life, and often provide various traits and behaviors that are common for each type. This is a tool I genuinely love for character creation. It doesn’t mean your character has to be boxed into any particular type, but it is a great way to start thinking about the inner workings of a character and can help guide you in keeping their personality consistent and unique, as well as provide further inspiration for conflicts and development.
Pinterest Boards:
Man, I love a good mood board on Pinterest and will spend so much time making character and story boards on there. But it truly can be so helpful in collecting your thoughts on a character in a more visual way. Pin people that look how you imagine your character; pin their favorite colors, foods, activities, and general vibes and aesthetics. I’ve found that as I do this, my ideas around my characters tend to grow and start taking on a life of their own, adding dimension to my characters.
Outlining before Outlining
Are you staring at an outline guide and wondering what the hell to even write in box A because you only have about two sentences to sum the entirety of your story idea? Been there. Before jumping into worksheets, sticky notes, binders, and documents for a more formal outlining process, try taking some fun baby steps that can help ideas grow enough to start plucking out beats to put into an outline.
Your Notes App is Your Friend:
This is a common piece of advice among writers, but, dear god, WRITE DOWN EVERY IDEA. I don’t care if it is a single conversation, a vague idea for a scene, or just the number of freckles a character has on their nose, write it down. The smallest ideas can be used later or end up contributing to major plot beats. Nothing is worse than having a great idea while you are brushing your teeth and then forgetting what it was when you sit down to write later. Pause what you are doing and jot down the idea. Your notes may end up being filled with mostly nonsense, but you may also come to find you have half an outline just from piecing together random notes.
Musical Outlines:
Similar to Pinterest, I dump hours into curating playlists for my stories on Spotify. Finding songs that match the emotional energy of the beginning, middle, and end of my story—even if I don’t know exactly what is happening in the plot yet—can help add some gas to those ideas and kickstart plot beats. Stumbling across songs that just scream a certain character or conflict and finding the perfect spot for it on a playlist can help you start creating a musical outline of your story. As your ideas grow and the plot starts to take shape, you can even reorder, add, or delete songs to fit the timeline and events of the story.
Watch a Movie:
If you are struggling to figure out how to actually structure your story into a completed beginning, middle, and end, try conducting a story study on your favorite movie (bonus points if it is a similar genre to your own story). You could also do this with a TV series or book, but if you are looking for a quicker exercise, a movie will be the easiest way to get a whole story wrapped up into a couple hours. As you watch the movie, pay attention to your own emotions to see where you grow most emotional and why. Make note of what happens in the beginning, middle, and end of the story. Here are some other good things to track during your study:
Who is the protagonist? When are they introduced?
What does the opening scene tell us about the characters?
Why do we feel sympathetic for the characters?
What does the protagonist want, and why do they think it will make them happy?
When is their goal revealed?
What is their misbelief?
What is the event in their past that sparked this misbelief?
What are they afraid of?
Why do they struggle to accomplish their goal?
Take note of the climaxes:
- When the inciting incident happens (the moment that kick starts the adventure/first call to action for the protagonist)
- When the plot twist happens (something unexpected, or something that throws a wrench in the protagonist’s plans)
- When the final climax happens (when the protagonist must overcome their biggest challenge)
Studying other stories is the best way to understand when certain events typically happen, why characters behave the way they do, and how to keep a story moving forward when challenges in the plot are actively trying to push characters back.
Creating a story is exciting, and I wholly believe we should have as much fun as we can with the process because writing is HARD. And there are so many natural roadblocks and challenges that come with crafting a story—why get in our own way and make things harder than they need to be? If you are starting out with a simple idea and want to get the ball rolling without sending yourself down an Outlining Black Hole of Doom, try out some of these exercises. See if you can get more substance to your ideas and set yourself up for success when it comes time to outline and start writing! Remember, there is no “right” way to write a story. If it works for you, run with it and enjoy the process.
