How do you plan/start a book?!
- CheekyAless
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How do you plan/start a book?!
I noted ideas for writing a book but I have no idea where to start! It's not as easy as picking up a pen and scribbling away!

Can anybody recommend where to start?
- emberwood
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Really, it depends on what kind of writer you are. All writers are different and they go about things different ways. I've written two full-length novels, but I'm a planner. So, I'd take up months of time for prewriting and about a month, maybe two, on drafting the novel. Before I dive in, I make a basic sketch of what my novel will look like. The point of the novel, what my main idea is. Then, the first month I focus on the characters (I'm a bottom-up type of writer). I keep a journal of different people I want in my story: their names, what they look like, their quirks, their strengths, their flaws, who they hang out with, what their hobbies are, what their habits are. I flesh out each of my characters as much as I can. Next, I work on my plot and setting. I flesh out my plot--give it plot points and conflict. Now that I know my characters, I can make internal, social conflict between them, as well as the external conflict coming from the main plot to give the story depth. After my plot I can focus on setting. Making their homes realistic, and the park across the street as detailed as possible. Every place my characters encounter, I want the reader to see it! You may need a thesaurus for this part.

Now that I have my main elements done, I can start my drafting. Since I do such an in-depth prewrite, my drafting time is really short, which I love! I usually get my drafting done during NaNoWriMo (look it up if you don't know what it is; it's worth it).
I hope I helped!

- Carla Hurst-Chandler
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- CheekyAless
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I am still trying to discover my way of writing at the moment ! And I do try to jot down ideas its just the piecing together and sitting down to pre-write etc. I would like to write a fictional book but thinking of something new that hasn't been done can be a tough one!
- Carla Hurst-Chandler
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- emberwood
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I also second how everything's been done, you just have to take it your own way. That can be a lot of fun, too. There was an exercise that my creative writing teacher had us do where we take a cliched plot and twist it. Everybody had the same cliche, but wound up with completely different stories. It was an awesome exercise
- CheekyAless
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I shall start some planning soon!!!

emberwood, This may sound silly but how do you start the exercise? Do I simply pick a plot from a book and twist it to how I want it? Or Is this supposed to be done in large groups to compare etc.
- Drpinkrose1
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-- 02 Sep 2013, 13:53 --
Best way to plan a book would be to see what you are best at and unlock your hidden potential. Then chose the content and chapters of your book. Make sure your content is unique and engaging so you can generate interest and revolutionise writing.
- Zain
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Then I usually notice two kinds of ideas; the ones that your fingers itch to write out immediately, and the ones you feel aren't quite ready yet. I often collect material for future projects while working on something. These aren't big details, often they are quite small, like an addition to a character's past, a shift in theme, finding names for characters.
When I get the feeling that a work is complete, that yes, it is time to write it "out", I make one big document in which everything I collected is summed up in a logical order - for me to know while writing the scenes, as well as every scene's "main goal". I don't go about researching much or planning out the setting. Often I keep it very simple, it's enough to know the point of time when a scene occurs, who's present and why that scene is essential to the story. Many details such as surroundings I develop when writing, then note them down so that I won't get confused later on. I call that my storyline, it's like a script but only consists essential information. That makes it easier for me not to lose sight of the story.
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