Just Start
-Joseph A. Federico
Just start. You heard me; get to it. What are you waiting for?
Most of my peers and clients have come to me over the years, and poured their hearts out. I was there, too. And at times, I still find myself with my soul up for grabs, at a crossroads with the vicious writing demons. You know, Self-Doubt, Fear, and Angst.
Have they visited you? Push through their lies, and start your journey. You’re a creative, a being of the divine. And the world needs you.
See, without your story, your dreams that come to fruition on your paper, the world won’t turn. And that’ll be a sad day.
It starts with you, and an idea. It doesn’t matter if you think the idea is being regurgitated from one of your favorite authors; that’s what editing is for. Sit down, clear your mind, and just start.
Here are some tips I follow to take the first steps of putting cold pen to hard paper:
1. An idea journal: It may sound corny, but even some of the most seasoned authors still do this. Every day, write down 5–10 ideas. Then, once you come back to them, treat them as simple writing prompts. Explore your characters a bit and write down names of cities in a world you’re writing about. This should scare you; push through it.
2. Vision board: Nobody will judge you. Finger through magazines, newspaper clippings, or start a mere ongoing list on Evernote. Take ideas you wrote down in your journal a step further. What do your characters look like? What are their characteristics? How do you feel when you think about them? How do you think your audience will connect with them? These are some questions that’ll build a solid board. Now you’re taking flight.
3. Write every day: Even if you think it’s shit, do it. Again, that’s what editing is for. Take anywhere from five to twenty minutes and explore your mind’s eye. We call this “building your chops.” The longer you write, the less scary it’ll be.
4. Test it out: Once you feel your story-line or ideas are better prepared, post them online. Share the ideas with peers. Add them to social media, or submit them in a blog format. Test the waters; I’m sure you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
“There’s nothing to writing. All you do is sit down at a typewriter and bleed.” -Ernest Hemingway
Carve out time, and just…start. If you don’t, how do you know what the outcome will be?
Just. Start.
