Hi! Your writing is so beautiful and inspirational! Something about it just gives me the ~urge~ to write—but I don’t know how to start! Like I can’t even wrap my head around how to start a scene, how to come up with scenes to move along a story, how to cre

Hi! Thank you so much!

I’m going to answer this the best that I can, and give you a few tools to get you started.

HOW TO START A SCENE:

First of all, something needs to be happening. Think of this: two characters walk into a room. One is angry. Why? What are they upset about? Did the other character do something? Is the other character trying to help them overcome whatever is bothering them? Are they friends? Enemies? Sisters? Lovers? Who are these characters, and what do they want? What are they afraid of? What are they hiding?

Start asking questions and begin to answer them by writing the scene out. 

Also remember that every scene needs to be moving the story forward. If it’s not, then you don’t need that scene. Or rewrite that scene and give it a purpose.

HOW TO CREATE CONFLICT:

At its core, conflict is two things coming in opposition with one another. Your heroine wants this, but her mom wants that. Your heroine must travel to a certain mountain to save her brother, but the world is a dangerous place and many people don’t survive the journey. Your heroine dreams of being accepted into this university, but she is rejected and must now change her plans.

Conflict is going to be your best friend. Conflict is going to keep scenes unfolding, and will keep your readers interested. Will he or won’t he? What is she going to do about this? What will they think when they realize he did this? Etc. We read because we want to know what is going to happen, right?

Create your character. Give them a goal, a mission. What do they want? Now bring in an obstacle or two. There’s your conflict. Your character must now find a way around these obstacles, which will in turn make different problems arise. Your character might even want something different by the end of the book, because of all the trials they have come through has changed them.

The best way to learn how to plot and create a satisfying resolution is to read. Pay attention to how other authors craft a tale, how they pace their stories, how they develop their characters. I have learned so much by reading authors I admire, by studying their craft and asking myself, “how did they do this?”

The other best way is to sit down and begin writing, even if you don’t feel ready. I promise you will begin to figure things out the more you practice and write, and you’ll also spark some amazing characters and ideas as you go.