Struggling to get past chapter one, even with a solid outline and a great idea?
In this episode, we unpack why starting your novel or memoir feels so hard, what’s really behind the block, and how to take the first imperfect steps toward moving forward and bringing your story to life.
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Episode at a glance:
[05:27] Common Reasons Writers Get Stuck
The urge to write perfectly from the outset, too much attachment to the outline, or the fear of writing badly can stop many writers in their tracks. They either keep refining their outline (which is safe) or keep starting their first chapter over and over, trying to get it right.
[08:03] The Throwaway First Chapter
Give yourself permission to get it wrong. Write a first chapter without the pressure to use it. Let it be your warm up, or just dive in without putting so much pressure on yourself to write it perfectly, or according to outline. Often, all you need to free yourself up is to write without any attachment to how you think it should be.
[10:54] Enter The Story Later
Start at the first scene that excites you. Forget about your outline for now. Start where there’s action, emotion or tension. You can always come back and decide where to launch your story, but your first point of entry doesn’t need to be page one. It just needs to be something that fascinates you.
[11:35] Write Deeper, Not Longer
Zoom in on a single significant moment – an image, a conversation, a decision. Don’t write any backstory for now. Frame the moment. Go for depth, not breadth. The deeper you go into a single significant moment, the more the story reveals itself to you, and the better and easier writing your story will become.
Link Mentioned In This Episode:
Episode 233: 3 Essential Elements That Make A Scene
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