Starting a Story

The start of a story is the start of a dream. Anything can set off the gears in my head and then I can expand upon it. In this case, it was a comment that somebody said combined with the current state of American government today. Those two factors happened to be the two things to get everything started for me, leaving me in awe at my random sources of inspiration.

 Of course, it can be argued that a story doesn't really start until its first word is written down. At that point, it becomes something of a novel instead of just another idea. After all, I have come across many ideas that haven't amounted to anything for whatever reason (usually major plot holes or an inability to figure out some part of the plot). Recently, I have finally started to write the story that was swimming in my head for so long.

The start of the writing of a story's first draft really is quite an interesting thing. As I'm writing this particular story, it's going by in a breeze. Right now, this story still has that new story glow so I find myself just wanting to write and write and write. Of course, considering the complex nature of this particular story, I had to stop and refigure things and see how they would work. It was nothing that I couldn't get over, though, so those particular stumbling blocks just felt like nothing to me. I know that it won't be until later that the story will lose its shine that gives me the motivation to keep going and that I won't feel like writing it sometimes. Or I'll have writer's block or be distracted or... Whatever. For now, however, those times seem so far away and a part of me almost feels like that won't happen this time.

When I wrote my first word this time, the rest came out in a gush. Experiencing that rush reminded me of why I love to write and why I even do it in the first place. Writing the first words of a story is writing at its best for me.

It's so thrilling, wondering where everything will work and how it will all work out. Part of the new story glow comes with the mystery of everything. Will it turn like crap? Get going and never stop? Of course, revision is enough to smooth things out but... Still, I usually wonder if I will be able to stay on course with the story. There’s a fear with that of course but… There’s also a sort of fun danger with it.

Luckily, most of my stories start in summertime. Summertime is perfect for me for many reasons. I have no homework, my stress is halved, I have all the time in the world… It’s the plan for perfection. Summertime is also perfect because, since I have more time, I won’t be super upset if a story doesn’t work out and I won’t beat myself up over wasted and lost time.

And if the story really doesn’t work out? There’s always that risk, too. However, I’ve found that the more I plan a story, the more likely it is to succeed. Mostly, I get in trouble when I jump in head first without a clear plan. Because of the complexity of certain subjects and the fact that I have to work so hard to make this better than a regular old dystopian, it would be easy for me to give up on this particular novel. 

Overall, writing a new story is crazy and exhilarating but ultimately something worthwhile. My only problem is doing it too frequently!   

Me in the zone xD