Writing fiction can seem intimidating, especially if you’re just starting out with aspirations to write for a living. The hardest step is often the first; knowing how to start and plotting a realistic career path. It’s important to remember that even the most successful authors started somewhere.
It’s important to focus on the process of writing and building your skills rather than getting too caught up in the end goal. With hard work, dedication, and a willingness to learn and grow as a writer, you can achieve your goals and become the writer you’ve always dreamed of being. With a little guidance and inspiration, anyone can start their journey to becoming a master storyteller.
Find your inspiration
The first step to writing any piece of fiction is finding inspiration. Writing without motivation can become a chore, and maybe as a ‘writer for hire,’ you may find yourself taking on work where money is the inspiring factor. But when setting out to write your first pieces of fiction, you need to find that initial spark or something which kickstarts your passion and drives you obsessively to get the story onto the page.
You never know where a great idea will come from – it could be a dream, a conversation with a friend, a piece of art, or a story in the news. Make a habit of writing down your ideas and keeping them for later. Not every story idea will be ready to write immediately, but it’s important to record all the ideas as they come. Eventually, inspiration will hit you, and you’ll be ready to start writing.
Read great works
Whether you want to become a playwright, a prose writer, or even a songwriter, the greatest lessons can be learned through reading great fiction. Through reading great works, you will learn how to structure stories, discover new ways to use language and entangle subplots, and uncover techniques for crafting characters and dialogue.
It’s important not to stick to one genre, regardless of your aspirations. Read as widely as possible and expose yourself to different styles and perspectives. Start your career with an open mind, and don’t limit your creative avenues. Make reading stories and great works a daily habit.
Start small
When starting your first pieces of work, lower your expectations and start small. If you want to write a novel, start with a short story. If you want to be a playwright, first write a short play or a scene. You must start and finish your first pieces of writing. This is another huge and important step. So many writers set out on their first piece of fiction, aiming to write a novel. They are soon overwhelmed, their motivation fades, and the work goes unfinished.
You need to have finished pieces of work to hone your craft and develop your voice. Writing a short story or a scene allows you to get into character development and story shaping quickly. It helps you spot your flaws and sticking points and build confidence and momentum, preparing you to take on bigger projects in the future.
Create a writing routine
Once you begin your first pieces of work, you must make writing a regular habit. Whether it’s several hours every day, or 3-4 hours per week, you must write and write regularly. Creating a writing routine is about making commitments, and without writing constantly and consistently, you have little chance of becoming an accomplished writer.
Very few people are born great writers; most become so through discipline, commitment, and focus. Writing is a skill, and like any other, it develops through practice. You may sometimes sit ready to write but can’t find the motivation for your story, or feel writer’s block. When these moments hit, it’s even more important to write! If you aren’t feeling motivated for your story, select a new writing exercise, or write a letter to a friend, the important thing is to keep writing.
Set goals
Once you write regularly, you must set deadlines, with weekly/monthly targets and longer-term goals. It’s easy to just write without purpose or direction, and as long as you keep writing, that’s not a bad thing. But to forge a career and progress, you need solid plans and goals.
It’s a good idea to set out short-term deadlines to finish scenes or chapters to progress your stories. It’s equally important to have longer-term ambitions, which may include sending your work to publishers, producers, or agents and getting constant feedback. Having goals can keep you motivated and on track to develop your career. Don’t be too hard on yourself or unrealistic with your targets, but push and challenge yourself to improve and progress.
Find a writing community
Writing is often considered a solitary activity, but that doesn’t mean you must go totally solo. While spending much of your time alone in front of your work, being part of a writing community can be an invaluable experience and help you develop much faster. Having writer friends, or being part of a writer’s group, can give you help and support, being able to discuss problems and challenges with others who understand. It can also give you a way of getting and giving vital feedback as you write and develop your stories.
There are many writing groups, forums, workshops, etc. These can be online or in person, or a mix of both. Experiment in finding the group and format best effective for you. Remember, being part of a writing community isn’t just about developing your skills and ability; make sure to offer feedback and support others.
Write badly
When you begin your new career as a writer, it’s easy to get caught up in the idea of writing amazing stories and getting lots of positive feedback. But the truth is, even the greatest writers have to write a lot of ‘not so good’ material to find their best work and produce masterpieces. You’ll have to accept, very early on, that some of your writing will be bad.
But that really isn’t a negative thing. You need to allow yourself to write badly and make some silly mistakes. You’re also going to have to accept negative feedback. This is how you learn and progress. We cannot develop without confronting our flaws and errors. So don’t be afraid to write badly – it’s part of the process. Just keep writing and know that with each story, you’re getting better.
It’s all in the edit
Following on from that, you also need to realise very few first drafts are any good. A lot of great works came from bad first drafts; The Great Gatsby, To Kill a Mocking Bird, and The Catcher in the Rye were also famously re-written many times and went through drastic changes before becoming the classics they are now.
When we try to get our stories from our heads to the screen, a lot can be lost, and sometimes it can be overwhelming. Look at the first drafts as just getting all the info you can out onto the page, don’t judge yourself or the story too harshly after the early drafts. Editing is where the real magic happens, and there are no limits on the number of edits you can make.
Believe in yourself
More than anything, the skill you’ll need the most to become a successful writer is belief. Writing fiction can be a challenging process, requiring discipline, creativity, and patience. However, the rewards of writing, such as the satisfaction of creating something original and the potential to connect with readers, make the effort worth it.
Cultivating a strong belief in one’s writing abilities is essential to overcoming self-doubt and persisting through the ups and downs of the writing journey. By embracing the belief that you have what it takes to be a great writer and continually striving to improve your craft, you can unlock your full potential and achieve your writing goals.
Writing fiction is a challenging but fulfilling pursuit. It takes time, practice, and dedication, but the rewards are worth it. Plot your writing route, be patient, and approach it step by step. Don’t expect too much too soon, but if you put in the time and passion, the rewards will come, I promise you.