Ford
One of my contacts said he would like to write a book and also stated he had so much on his mind he didn't know where to start, so here is my two-cents worth which he did not ask for. I write mostly fiction (including this blog), so I can give him a pointer or two on how to begin a story. I won't be trite and tell him to start at the beginning, but I will say it is a place in the story timeline that has to be handled sooner or later, and it has always been sooner for me. If you have the basics of what you want to say either in your head or in "orderly" notes, it makes it much easier. The writers of children's stories have a great catch-all beginning; "Once upon a time ...". That phrase or some variant can be used for almost any story. "It all began when ..." is one I often use, but it seldom sticks around. As I get into the flow of the tale, other words or phrases will pop into my mind that may be used to better begin the first paragraph. Yes, the all important first paragraph. It not only introduces the reader to your story, it also sets the tone for the entire work, may it be upbeat, sad, whimsical, or whatever. Sometimes I have to allow the story to dictate the exact wording of the first sentence of the first paragraph, so I don't worry too much with it just as long as the story follows what I originally had in mind. Don't forget, everything you say and how you say it are subject to change because you are going to have to edit, edit, edit. The more you edit and get all your i's dotted and your t's crossed, the happier any publisher is going to be. They don't like to edit, and they love a good story that flows from beginning to end with all the right parts in the right places.
Did I say I wasn't going to be trite? I lied! The book with the most sales in the history of publishing starts with a simple "In the beginning ...". Whether you consider the tome as fact or as fiction or even as both doesn't matter; the first sentence has you hooked to read more. As long as you can cause the reader's mind to keep thinking "what happens next?," you have a winner.
This is another one of those subjects where every writer has an opinion, and the more a particular writer is published, the more opinionated he becomes. The best thing I can say is to begin ... somewhere, but absolutely begin.
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It has been continuously raining since early a.m. today, and is supposed to continue into Thursday night. Hopefully, the drought is over.
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Carolyn just received some very bad economic news concerning two of her accounts. Can't say more at the moment.
One of my contacts said he would like to write a book and also stated he had so much on his mind he didn't know where to start, so here is my two-cents worth which he did not ask for. I write mostly fiction (including this blog), so I can give him a pointer or two on how to begin a story. I won't be trite and tell him to start at the beginning, but I will say it is a place in the story timeline that has to be handled sooner or later, and it has always been sooner for me. If you have the basics of what you want to say either in your head or in "orderly" notes, it makes it much easier. The writers of children's stories have a great catch-all beginning; "Once upon a time ...". That phrase or some variant can be used for almost any story. "It all began when ..." is one I often use, but it seldom sticks around. As I get into the flow of the tale, other words or phrases will pop into my mind that may be used to better begin the first paragraph. Yes, the all important first paragraph. It not only introduces the reader to your story, it also sets the tone for the entire work, may it be upbeat, sad, whimsical, or whatever. Sometimes I have to allow the story to dictate the exact wording of the first sentence of the first paragraph, so I don't worry too much with it just as long as the story follows what I originally had in mind. Don't forget, everything you say and how you say it are subject to change because you are going to have to edit, edit, edit. The more you edit and get all your i's dotted and your t's crossed, the happier any publisher is going to be. They don't like to edit, and they love a good story that flows from beginning to end with all the right parts in the right places.
Did I say I wasn't going to be trite? I lied! The book with the most sales in the history of publishing starts with a simple "In the beginning ...". Whether you consider the tome as fact or as fiction or even as both doesn't matter; the first sentence has you hooked to read more. As long as you can cause the reader's mind to keep thinking "what happens next?," you have a winner.
This is another one of those subjects where every writer has an opinion, and the more a particular writer is published, the more opinionated he becomes. The best thing I can say is to begin ... somewhere, but absolutely begin.
----
It has been continuously raining since early a.m. today, and is supposed to continue into Thursday night. Hopefully, the drought is over.
----
Carolyn just received some very bad economic news concerning two of her accounts. Can't say more at the moment.
5 comments:
He always knew he was different and he knew that he needed to strike out on his own. However the fear of letting down the family kept him from revealing his true nature.
Sam always knew he was different and that soon he must strike out on his own. The fear of letting down the family was tearing at his innards (guts; mind), but the time was right to make his move. Maybe they would understand, but it was unlikely. They didn't know who the real Sam was, and at times, he wondered about it himself.
Yours is good except for the first word "He". It tells us nothing except that it is a male we are dealing with. ;-)))
Editing:
Sam always knew he was different and that very soon he must strike out on his own. The fear of letting down the family tares at his innards (guts; mind), but the time seems right to make his move. Maybe they will understand, but it is unlikely. They don't know who the real Sam is, and at times, he wonders about it himself.
Ok wordsmith. I guess I need to write a little more to shake the cobwebs out. :)
I am really looking forward to seeing your work in print.
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