You Want to Write Fiction. So Where Do You Start?

By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy
 
This week's Refresher Friday takes a heavily updated look at places to start when you're just starting out as a writer. Enjoy!

It's probably no surprise to anyone visiting this site that a lot of people want to write fiction. Some know exactly where to start and even have detailed story ideas in their heads, but others are a bit lost as to where to begin. With all the information about writing out there, it can be pretty overwhelming (and confusing) for someone who wants to write, but hasn't taken those first steps on their writing journey yet. If you want to write, what do you do?

That first step is easy. Just start writing.

Why Refreshing What Your Know About Writing is a Good Thing

By Janice Hardy, @Janice_Hardy

I love reading about writing. There's something about an article that looks at -- say dialogue -- in a new way and makes me realize I could improve it if I did X, that gets me all aflutter. It's one of the reasons I love reading writing blogs so much. They're a wonderful way to grow as a writer.

I often point these out to writer pals, and I've had some mention (and I'm paraphrasing here), "Yeah, that's a great blog, but it's all basic stuff. We're way past that." In a way it's true, but in a way, it's not.

It's easy to forget about the fundamentals when they're old hat to you. When you don't sweat over structure, worry over dialogue, fret over setting, you don't always look at them as closely as you once did. Sometimes, they suffer because of it. Or if not, they might not be as stunning as they could be, because they're good enough. It's all stuff you know. You're past all that.