So, you have always loved to write, and you want to try your hand at writing your own book. You sit down at your computer or pick up a pen and paper and think. Now what? What do you write about? You rack your brains, looking around the room, hoping to get ideas, but nothing comes.
Now, you are staring at a blank page and you want to give up before you even get started. ‘This was a stupid idea’, you tell yourself. ‘Nobody wants to read what I have to say, and it’s probably already been talked about by somebody else.’
Well, none of that is true. We are all filled with loads of ideas we can write about and you may have a different twist on your story than another. Your story can be hidden in your thoughts. What do I mean? Well, the human brain has millions of thoughts a day. We just have to grab some of those thoughts and put them on paper, or the computer, and then a book.
Maybe you want to share your knowledge with the world. Maybe you have an idea on how to improve on something else, or maybe you have something to talk about that would make people laugh or better their lives. Either way, make it a habit of bringing an empty book with you so that when you do get a thought for a story or something strikes you in that ‘Aha’ moment, you can jot it down. Then, brainstorm. Start writing down all the ideas around what you jotted down that you can write about. Sometimes your story idea can come to you when you are waiting in line at the grocery store or waiting for your ride. Keep a book by your bed as well because you never know when an idea will come to you. That way you never lose the story hidden in your thoughts.
Those thoughts can easily and quickly be shared with the world so make sure you know what you are talking about. There can also be benefits to writing with pen and paper instead of using your phone or computer. You can break down your ideas better on paper when you are brainstorming. You can use the entire page and put different colour boxes around ideas to separate this or that or connect something with arrows and different colour markers. You can also tape a few pages together if you need more space. Just fold it all neatly away when you are done.
It also helps to minimize distractions if you are not using your phone or computer to write, because let’s face it, there are many distractions and many rabbit holes to lose yourself in. For me, I notice if I write by hand, I can really feel the emotion of what I am writing and so the words that come out on the paper may be more descriptive, helping to take the reader along with me emotionally. Think of the books you read or the movies you watch. The best ones are those that you can really feel like you are right there with the characters, right?
So, pull up your sleeves, pick up that pen and paper and if you must, open that computer and start jotting down all those ideas you’ve had in the past and then the new ones that come to you as you go about your day. You never know which one of those may turn out to be the best story you have ever written.
S R John
Author of Ghost Detective The Magic Ruby
and Bipolar Love Caring For The Caregiver
8 Simple Steps To Self-Care
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