Just where do you start?

[EdwardCullenCanHaveMySoul]

Hi all,
I'm dying to start writing, have some good original (I think!) ideas but have no idea where or how to start.
I literally haven't written since i was at school. I have these 'mental movies' as I call them, flying round my head but they're so bitty I can't even begin to think about how to get them down.
Did anyone else start this way? What do you do to fix your ideas down?
Any advice for a newbie would be gratefully appreciated
TIA

[MatBackFeck]

no advice but am in a simillar position. have a story, ideas, plot, chapter outline etc, scraps of dialogue but can't seem to begin to pull it all together. I was thinking about going on a creative writing class as i think it is the "haven't written since school, can't remember all the rules of grammar etc" thing that is putting me off.

[EdwardCullenCanHaveMySoul]

It's scary isn't it MBF?! A creative writing course would be brilliant if you can find one then go for it. Unfortunately not an option for me as DH works away and don't have many available babysitters, at least not for a regular thing. Suppose I could look into doing some sort of online course, but am never sure how well these work!

[Pan]

Been here lots of times. Have previously gotten over this by just starting off with the nearest relevant thought. Once writing, triggers will come and then you go back later and sharply edit. The early stuff will largely go, but the later stuff, written once you ahve started to flow will require less editing. And you're off.

[TheCelestialTeapot]

I've got a couple of good books somwehere - will try to find them on Amazon.

I write all the time - and today I nailed down a story I've had in my head for over a decade into a beginning, middle and end with a strong theme, which is rather exciting!

Write stuff down. Don't worry about whether it's any good or not whilst you're writing, just write. Leave it a day, then reread it. Read it aloud and you'll hear the awkward bits.

But write. Don't say you're going to. Just do it.

[EdwardCullenCanHaveMySoul]

Thanks Pan, yes, suppose I just have to bite the bullet and get something down.
What I really don't want to do is let this get away from me. I have the bug and I want to act on it, otherwise I'll forget about it all again and that seems a shame. My creative desires have to come out somehow

[zippitippitoes]

creative writing courses are expensive

i thinkthe ideal would be a m usnet one

hire a cottage/house bloomsbury style for a week

and work out a programme and share ideas

[TheCelestialTeapot]

Freewriting

[Pan]

Well get off MN and do it.

[EdwardCullenCanHaveMySoul]

Thanks TCT - yes, any links to helpful books would be great.
Do you find you have character profiles (as such) in place before ou start or do your characters come alive as you write iyswim?

[zippitippitoes]

ah pan a climbing creative writing week

[zippitippitoes]

i did an arvon course

[EdwardCullenCanHaveMySoul]

Pan!!
Great idea Zippi, I like it, The mnet writing syllabus
Thank TCT

[zippitippitoes]

oh i would organise one

[TheCelestialTeapot]

This is one of them - the other's from the same series, but I can't remember what it's called.

[zippitippitoes]

i think the arvon course i did could have been equally good without the leaders

[EdwardCullenCanHaveMySoul]

That looks good TCT - will probably invest in that

[EdwardCullenCanHaveMySoul]

If you've been on it Zippi then you could run the mnet version

[zippitippitoes]

just need to have a sewries of deadlines and like minded people who take it seriously and are reasonably creative

[zippitippitoes]

well the one i did was with debbie isset

but i am more interested in novel writing tho i have written peotry

[zippitippitoes]

oh i would be happy to hole up in a poorly heated isolated house in february with a few people who wanted to write

[TheCelestialTeapot]

This one looks interesting

[EdwardCullenCanHaveMySoul]

Yes, it's novels that do it for me too, have written poetry too but definitely not well! I find I can't be succinct enough for poetry

[zippitippitoes]

i think the best styart could be write a chapter bwrite wjhat happens next with a few samples of the kind of thing you would write and get honest opinions on whether peopl;e think its anty good

[zippitippitoes]

the danger is people either flatter you or hate it cos they woulkd if you were jk rowling

but i asume if they are random people then about b6 or 8 would be enough to help

[EdwardCullenCanHaveMySoul]

That sounds do-able, shall attempt to get something down on paper tomorrow and write a few further ideas too. Must remember it will probably be crap and not to get discouraged by this