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Too many people stall when it comes to their writing because they need it to be perfect. The perfect idea, the perfect time, the perfect scene. They psych themselves out of writing at all because they are waiting for something that will never come. Perfection Doesn't Exist. And when you accept that, you will learn that there is no right time to create, there Is only now. Write and stop worrying about what it looks like. It can be fixed later. The truth of the matter is your first draft is going to suck. Everyone's does. But the next one will be a little better and the next one after that will be better again. It's a practice, a craft and you are always learning. And you learn by doing. So get writing and stop making excuses"
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Research is one of those writing necessities where you will either love it or hate it. Most writers love it, especially if they are writing a historical genre or sub genre, they love getting into the nitty guilty of a particular era. They love researching the clothes of that time, the etiquette, the names for certain household Items.
For other authors, research is seen as tedious. they want to let the story flow, not bog themselves down with detail. But that detail can really help sell your story. For fans of historical genres, they often know this in formation themselves, so to see an author using the wrong name for something can be jarring and pull them out of the story. No one expects you to know every single thing about a time period, but you should know enough to sell it. Not to mention, rabbit holes can be fun. You can learn all sorts of things that could even spark future ideas. Of course you don't need to use every single detail, but you never know what will come up. It can also be helpful when plotting your story. You may plan for things to go a certain way for your hero, but quickly learn it impossible because something didn't exist in that time period. When it does come to doing research, remember-
Happy writing When it comes to creating a character for your book, it is important to know them inside and out. While you will not include all this information in your story, it will help you understand their motivations and how to move the story along.
What happens to us in our childhood, for example, will have an impact on us well into adulthood. This can be abuse, trauma, abandonment, etc. It is important to understand how these things can manifest and how it could shape your character. If someone has abandonment issues for example, they may have a lot of failed relationships or they find it difficult to get close to people. Before you start writing, create a short outline for your character and the main events in their life. Remember their life doesn't start on the first page. It is also important to note that you do not need to include pages of backstory in the opening chapter - a mistake many new writers make. Trust that your readers want to know more and it is more enjoyable to have it unfold over the course of the story. You can include hints or snippets of information, but you should always be looking to move your story forward. When it comes to planning your story, take your time to get it right. Most people like to jump straight in and start writing, and while that can be fun, it is very easy to end up writing yourself into a corner.
You do not have to plot out every little detail, but you should have a basic structure in place. A beginning, middle and end that you can refer back to if you get stuck. There is nothing worse than writing a story and then finding a major plot hole that requires a lot of rewriting. Why cause yourself that much stress? Having a timeline for your story can help to pin key moments down for your characters. It can keep you on track and make sure that your character doesn't go from point A to point B in the blink of an eye, with no reasonable way of getting there. An easy way to do it is to open a new document or fresh blank page in a notebook, and make a note of where your characters start out. How does the story begin? What is your character facing and what is going to happen to them? The middle is where the characters try to solve their dilemma. They often fail, making a mistake or are unable to help themselves because they are missing something - information, an object, help etc. The ending is where they face the ‘big battle’, whether literal or metaphorical, and their story reaches a conclusion. This is followed by a short wrap up - a ‘where to now’ for the characters. You want your characters to have an arc. To go on a journey and change over the course of the book. This is a good way to check this too. If your character is exactly the same person on page 1 as the final page, then something has gone wrong. So even if you are a pantser, do make an outline for yourself, however rough. You will be glad you did. |
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About the Author:S. K. Gregory is an author, editor and blogger. She currently resides in Northern Ireland. “Description begins in the writer’s imagination, but should finish in the reader’s.” 
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