I would like to propose an idea to you: write a story. Not just any story, though. What do I mean by that? I mean write a story that is driven by your dreams and visions, something that you are passionate about. Something that you have cared about for a long time, perhaps even your whole life. Something that you believe in with all your heart. Something that you believe will make a difference in this world. Something that makes you proud to be a human being. Something that will stay with you for the rest of your life. Something that will continue to give you chills now, as you read these very words. Something that will keep you up at night, wondering what would happen next. Something that you feel strongly enough about that it affects how you write. Something that you know the world needs to know.
Why should you only write about what you know? What if you write something that you have never experienced, something that you believe could exist? You may ask: isn’t that the beauty of fiction? Yes, but so is the frustration of not being able to share your work with the world. Now, you may feel nervous about sharing your work, but you should definitely do it. Publishing a book may not seem like the easiest thing to do, but it is definitely possible. The world of publishing may seem scary at first, but so does the world of inventing. You may have dreamed of being able to write a book since you were a child, and now you have the chance to do it, you should definitely take it. Never forget that everyone, even if they have never published a book, has something to say. Everyone has an opinion. Even the most unlikely person can put their thoughts in writing and express them powerfully. You should take advantage of this fact and share your story, your dream, your novel—whatever you’ve named it—with the world. The key is to believe in yourself and your work. To believe that you are talented enough to write something meaningful, something that will stay with others long after the book is gone. To believe that your story will touch the lives of others in a positive way. To believe that you are contributing to something greater than yourself. To believe that you are a part of something greater than yourself. You are greater than yourself. Believe it.
Take Some Time
One of the most important things for you to do before you start writing, is to take your time. You don’t need to rush into it. This will only cause you pain in the long run. Take the time to do whatever you need to do to make yourself ready to write. Whether that’s going for a walk, riding your bike, taking a bath, or getting some coffee with a friend. Just take the time to do what makes you ready to write. You can start by setting a time each day, either early in the morning or at night, to write for a set amount of time. It’s important for you to find the time to do this. You can’t force writing, it needs to come from within you. So, find the time in your day that makes you the most relaxed and feels the best for writing, and use it. During this time, you should not be bothered by anything. No phone calls, no interruptions, nothing. If somebody knocks on the door or comes to the door, tell them you are busy and you will call them back later. You should make this a routine. Once you get into a routine, it will be easy to continue with this. This will also help you with the flow of the story. You won’t be plagued by worries about getting interrupted or distracted. You will be able to focus on the task at hand and continue from where you left off. This is very important if you want the story to flow smoothly. There should not be any abrupt changes in the story, it should all come together organically. It should not be like you are jumping from one chapter to another, the reader should not notice this.
Choose The Right Place
Another important thing to do before you start writing is to choose the right place. This is where you will write. You may want to set aside a specific room in your house, or you may want to find a quiet corner in your office. It doesn’t matter where you write as much as that you write in a space that is comfortable for you. There are times when I will write without any particular place, just using whatever space I find myself in at the moment. This can be really useful, as you can always move somewhere else if you need to. Ideally, you should find a quiet place where you will not be disturbed by any noises. This is especially important if you want to write at night, when no one else is around. If you do not have a quiet place, then find one. Make sure it is far away from any noises, and from any distractions. Distractions can be anything that could bring you out of the writing state of mind. It could be something as simple as turning on a TV, or as complicated as having a fight with your spouse. You should not be married or live with anyone else in your household, for obvious reasons. This is also the place where you will read your work, so make sure there is enough light. You do not want to keep searching for your laptop or cell phone in the dark. Especially if you have a hard time focusing in the dark; it could be that your eyes are playing tricks on you, or it could be that you are merely too distracted to write. So, make sure there is always enough light around to see what you are writing. You should be able to see the words, the sentences, and the entire story line. There should not be any shadows, or else it could be that you are indeed too distracted to write. In this case, you should stop what you are doing and try again at a later time, when you have settled down.
Make Sure Your Mic Is On
Another important thing to do before you start writing is to make sure your microphone is on. You may want to purchase a voice recorder app for your phone, or you may want to use a laptop microphone. It does not matter which one you use, as long as you have one. This is important for various reasons. First of all, it means you will be able to use your voice, instead of typing out your thoughts on a keyboard. Secondly, if you use a voice recorder, you can edit what you have recorded, and upload it to a website or send it as an email. This is also a good way to get thoughts out of your head onto the page or screen, without having to worry about spelling errors or grammar mistakes. Thirdly, if your mic is on, you can always turn it off if there are noises that you do not want recorded, like sirens or airplanes or breaking glass or dogs barking. This will help you get a truly pristine recording, free from any disturbances or interference. Once you have the perfect recording, you can go back and listen to it, word for word, as you originally spoke it. This will help you with the flow of the story, as well as giving you the option to correct any errors that you may have made in your original speech. This will also help you find the right tones for certain words and phrases, as opposed to your usual vocal inflections, which can be difficult to imitate.
Try Out Different Styles
One of the most important things for you to do before you start writing, is to try out different styles. This is how you will find your voice. You should not be scared to try out new things. You should not be limited by what you know, or think you know. Instead, you should look for inspiration in whatever places you can. When you find it, you should use it. You may find that some styles of writing suit you better than others; you may find that some fit the situation you are writing about better than others. You do not need to be limited by what you know about writing. Instead, you should experiment, try new things, and see what happens. Hopefully, this will lead you to somewhere good.