So, you’ve decided you want to write a book. You’ve figured out your idea, got a good handle on the characters and plot, and you’re ready to begin! But…how exactly do you do that? One of the hardest parts of writing a book is staring at that blank page, watching the cursor blink impatiently, and trying to figure out what comes next. But it doesn’t have to be this way—if you prepare beforehand and are in the right mindset, the blank page can be an inviting canvas, full of possibilities, rather than something you dread. Here are three tips to take the blank page from intimidating to inspiring.
Figure out if you’re a plotter or a pantser
What do I mean by that? In the writing world, these are the two rough categories of how writers develop their stories. Pantsers fly by the seat of their pants. They have an idea or character, then just start writing and see where the story takes them. Plotters prefer to outline things first and have a solid idea of how the story will pan out before they ever start writing.
There are pros and cons to both approaches, and, ultimately, almost every writer is a mix of both. It’s something that might even change the more you write. But having an idea of which side of the spectrum you lean towards can help you know how to start writing. If you’re a plotter but you’re trying to start writing your book without a plan, you may be intimidated by all the options and not knowing where it’s headed, so it might be helpful to take a step back and draft a rough outline. If you’re a pantser who’s trying to force themselves to write an outline but you keep losing interest, you may just need to dive in and see what happens as you write. The more you know your style, the easier it is to get started.
Begin with a question
No, it doesn’t have to be a literal question you type out. But your story should prompt the reader to wonder something—and preferably this should happen in the first paragraph. It doesn’t need to be a 
deep, existential question that introduces the theme of your novel. Just something that makes the reader wonder what will happen next. For instance, in the first few pages of my work-in-progress The Bell and the Blackbird, I incorporate several questions. At the end of the first paragraph, the main character Meredith is hit by a bike, so the reader is (hopefully!) wondering who hit her and if she’s alright. Once we figure out that it’s a college-age boy who is teaching himself to ride a bike, we wonder why he hasn’t learned yet. These short-term questions are answered quickly, but I also weave in questions that take longer to figure out. What is Meredith hiding from Jeremiah and why? Will this meeting turn into a friendship, or even a relationship? By causing the reader to ask questions right from the start, you can pull your reader into the story and make them care about the characters. Figure out what short-term questions you can incorporate to keep them turning the first few pages, and then longer-term questions that will have them invested in the novel and its characters.
Just write
When it comes down to it, you just have to start. Whether you’re a pantser running with an idea or a plotter referring to your outline, you just have to get words on the page. Try setting a goal for how many words or pages you want to get done in your writing session. Even telling yourself you’re going to write a paragraph is better than nothing. And, more often than not, once you start working on that paragraph, you’ll get into a rhythm and end cranking out more than you thought you would. One of my all-time favorite writing quotes is by Jodi Picoult: “You can’t edit a blank page.” No matter what you write, it’s better than nothing, because you can always go back and fix it. You can’t polish something that isn’t there. So, do whatever planning and research you need to, but if you really want to write a book, the best thing you can do is to just write it.
What’s your ritual for starting a book? Are you more of a pantser or a plotter? Let me know in the comments!
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I’m a bit of both. Getting the bare bones of a story is essential for me. But sometimes I deviate and run down rabbit holes with my writing. Sometimes that’s a good thing. Sometimes it’s not.
I’ve found KM Weiland’s book “How to Outline Your Novel” a great book for plotting. 🙂
Haha – I totally get the rabbit holes thing! I definitely lean toward being a plotter, but I still end up with crazy new ideas that I try to incorporate and end up rearranging my outline to fit it in. And yes, I’ve heard good things! I really enjoyed her book on creating character arcs, so I’ve been meaning to check out her strategy on outlining!
Chelsea,
I really enjoyed this post about starting your novel. For years my strategy has always been that of a “pantster”, starting my would-be stories with little more than a character name and a setting; however in the last few months I’ve come to realize the importance of a basic plot and some kind of structure. Now that I have made a very basic plot, I feel slightly more prepared to lean more into my pantster tendencies. Thanks for the advice about not being able to edit a blank page!
Thanks! That totally makes sense. I think it’s often framed as an “either/or” sort of thing, but it’s definitely more of a spectrum and people have a mix of both. And yes, that quote has encouraged me a lot!
“Pantser” I love it haha
The only advice I’ve ever felt qualified to give people who for some reason ask me for writing advice is “just start.” That idea you’re afraid to start because you think it will be your magnum opus, and you don’t want to do it before you’re already an incredible writer…writing those ideas is how you become that writer, and then you’ll almost definitely have better ideas later on, because you’ll know what you’re doing.
Exactly! It’s so easy to psych yourself out and think whatever you write has to be the Best Thing Ever. But really you just have to write, and trust that you’ll get better. I found a quote from Isabelle Allende today that I wish I’d had to include in this post: “Don’t be paralyzed by the idea that you’re writing a book; just write.” It may be one of my new favorite quotes!