Where/how do i start writing my book?

Question

Ok i have been planning out a book for about 3 1/2 months and I think i'm finally ready to start putting all my crazy notes into some sort of rough draft. I'm just getting lost when it comes to actually writing the story. I can lay down all my thoughts on paper but getting them into a good story seems to be harder than i first thought. I have organized the notes to outline the whole thing but i do not have character names yet,should i make names first and then write or should i just start now and see where it gos. I really would like somebody to tell me how they get started because to me the 1st chapter is the hardest EVER.

Answer 1

You should start at the point where the main conflict starts. This often snags the reader into the story and then you carry them along to the rest of the tale. Its like throwing the reader into the mess of things and letting them sink or swim. <evil laugh>

If you use MS Word or OpenOffice, don't worry about names. You can easily use Find and Replace features to change them later. Try not to over think things too much.

If you intend on publishing your work, you'll have to rewrite things anyway after an agent looks at your stuff. Get the story on paper first, and move along with the plot.

Good luck.

Answer 2

Just start and go along with the flow!  

Answer 3

I know this sounds obvious, but honestly, the only way to get through writer's block is to... power through it, as it were.  That said, the best advice I ever got was that sometimes if a scene's giving you trouble, you're starting at the wrong place, writing from the wrong POV, or, occasionally, the scene is unnecessary in itself.  Basically, you gotta just write through it- a lot of things will be cut, the entire thing will likely be re-written, so don't over-analyze.  Sometimes you just gotta write simply so that you have a starting point.  If you've got the characters in mind, their personalities and characteristics, names should come naturally.  Personally, I might suggest sketching out a bio for each character, giving them backstory even if it won't make it in to the book,,, because the more real they are in your mind, the more three-dimensional they come across to the reader.  Just some thoughts.  ;)

"Minisinoo", a professional author on livejournal, has some awesome entries on writing in general- and they're really entertaining as well.  I suggest you check out the link below.

Answer 4

first tell us your age

and yes you can write the way you like