I don’t know how!
It’s never easy to begin something new.
Which is also very true for authors setting out to write their first story or novel. Many simply don’t know how.
But they put pressure on themselves, trying to come up with the next big American novel, or the next urban fantasy bestseller or the new Romance fad.
And they panic because they simple have no idea how to do it.
They don’t know HOW.
Of course, I’m not talking about how to use a word processor or even writing on a legal pad. No, what I mean, they know very little about creating characters, setting up a plot, managing tension, building a story – and that is perfectly normal!
They’ve never done it. How could they know?
Because you don’t learn how to write from Writing Guides. Those can describe the building blocks. And they can be a bit of help. (Although I don’t usually recommend any.)
Writing is very much a craft, and as a beginner, people start out as apprentices. If they are lucky, the have studied their preferred genre and read a lot. That is always my recommendation, btw. Read a LOT.
A beginner who wants to be an author has only one, simple choice:
Start writing.
In the video, I’ll talk about the most important mindset shift you need to do well with your first story.
I know authors who spent years (and some even decades) writing and rewriting their novel. The number of drafts often reaches double-digits.
Don’t do that.
Finish your novel, back it up, and let it go for a while. Start your second novel.
If you’re really brave, go back to the first one after six months, and read it again. If you still think it’s good, edit it, send it to test readers and get their feedback. (No, family doesn’t count.) Make choices about the feedback, edit again, send it to an editor – and if you’re very brave, publish it.
And keep writing. This way, you’ll get more novels under your belt, and you’ll move from apprentice to journeyman, and with luck, eventually, to your first master piece. But it’ll only happen if you actually write.
So start writing now.
If that still feels too daunting, and you still feel bad about not knowing how, try some tapping.
Tapping Phrases
Even though I don’t know how to write a story and that’s holding me back, I’m totally okay the way I am, and I now give myself permission to write that shitty first draft.
Even though I so want to write the story but I’m scared because I don’t know how, I’m totally okay the way I am, and I now choose to make it fun when I write it anyway.
Even though the story is trying to burst out of my head, but I’m too scared to be an author, after I all, I know nothing about writing – but I’m still okay the way I am, and I now choose to enjoy learning all about this writing!
Asking you:
How do you go about finding the beginning of your story?
How do you like to start your stories?
What happened while you were tapping?
And finally – are you using tapping with your writing?
Please share in a comment.
Image Source: F. Moebius
PS: My newsletter contains a full tapping round to go with my blog posts, so it’ll be easier for you to get results. Sign up through the form on the upper right hand corner, and receive an introduction to EFT as a gift, find that specific tapping round plus occasional special offers. If you’re on a mobile and can’t see the sidebar, you can sign up through this link: Newsletter Sign-up.
And no. I will never use that email to send you anything other than my newsletter.
PPS: There is a roundabout way to my newsletter that’ll give you something really neat: an email series called “30 Days Daily Writing Habit” which is free. If you sign up for that, you’re automatically added to my newsletter, as well. (And you can always unsubscribe.)
PPPS: For those of you who are curious, you can find my books here: Hannah Steenbock
