Steps To Writing Your First Story

GUEST POST by Author Anthony Jannece

 

I want to write a story, so what do I do now?

Ah yes, the question that any writer asks and the answer is…many things, but I am going to share with you the things I did to write book 1 in The Circles of Light Trilogy.

So, 14 years ago, I wanted to write a story. I wanted to transport myself into a world I loved and had a passion for, and there came the idea of ‘The Power From Within’ and first attempt at what would ultimately become The Circles of Light – and the three realms.

Below, I will show three questions (and their corresponding answers) that helped me write The Circles of Light – and the three realms.

 

Can Music help me write a better story?

I feel music is the most powerful way to invoke strong, relatable emotions in the smallest amount of time. When I had an idea for The Circles of Light – and the three realms, I would try to invoke the emotion I wanted to convey by listening to a piece of music and let the scene swallow me. I would play it over and over again, and what I found was that other ideas formed alongside the initial idea I had. Trust me guys, this is singularly the best way I form ideas and it increases my passion in the story.

You see, as a writer you can be connected to the story, but many times you won’t be engrossed in it. You need to feel it. You need to become it. Obviously, I’m not saying become one of your characters who is a sword waving psychopath, but you need to feel what that would be like. What power would you feel? What insecurities and fear must a character be going through to go to such lengths?

It is the job of the writer to blur boundaries. To go to places where they as well as others would dare not to go. After all, a person’s imagination can be the most beautiful place in the world, but counter to that, it can be the most frightening. I need to connect with both positive and negative themes in The Circles of Light – and the three realms, because what does that do, you may wonder? It allows your writing to be free from fear and become authentic. Make a reader curious about the beauty and frightening depravity of your mind, and they will come to love or hate it. Hate it you say? Yes, hate it!

There’s nothing worse for me than to have someone read my stories and say, ‘that was good or ok.’ I would rather they say “I couldn’t stand that character because he or she was so depraved or evil, but I understood why they did it.” You see, you’ve invoked a reaction in the reader, and whether they liked or not, you have connected with them and thus your story is ingrained in their psyche.

But this may start in you first. Try it. Here’s a small task for you.

Think of a really sad idea you want to write about – The death of a lead character? An Inner conflict? And write it.

Now, jump on YouTube or another platform and look for the famous movie soundtrack for Platoon (Adagio for Strings if I am not mistaken). Press play and listen to it once and the on the second, begin writing your sad scene. Play it over and over until the scene is done and now compare what you wrote while listening to music as opposed to what you wrote without it. Do you notice any differences? You should. The scene, while listening to the music should have more appropriate language according to the emotions of the scene. It should read and feel more authentic because you were truly connected to the emotions of the scene and character. Also, witness how other ideas begin to enter your mind and needing your attention. It works!

 

Outlining VS Free Writing?

Now, being of an organised mind, I tried outlining everything that would happen in the book. Actually, I outlined everything I wanted, scene for scene for the entire trilogy! It took me weeks and felt so good when I had page upon page of bullet points, but then I began to write.

When I started writing, I found that I was hitting each point I had previously outlined fine but then, there was a part of me, the free writing aspect which harbours imagination without walls tried to break free. Very quickly I found myself skipping past bullet points which were integral to the plot and I found myself in a plot hole heap of trouble (excuse the weird pun).

So what did I do? I decided to unshackle myself and write more freely, and, for me it helped a great deal. Try it now. Think of something to write and bullet point every aspect of it and begin writing. Some of you may prefer this method and have no problem at all which is perfectly fine. What works for you must that precedents, but I believe the majority will find their imaginations fighting against this constraint.

On the flip side, I tried writing with no navigation to where I was going and although this was very liberating for the mind, it really hindered me in the latter stages. What I mean is that the mind tends to go wherever it wants, and what I found was that by the time I got to the end of the first draft and read it back, the first half of the story wasn’t in line with the second half. In the first half I was thinking of a totally different set of latter circumstances and ending and wrote accordingly, but this changed very frequently, giving me a very mismatched draft. What did I do?

I found that planning only a few chapters in advance heading to my intended ending best fit me. typically, I planned out what I wanted to happen over the next two to three chapters and this really helped me be more organised and allow my mind to be freer.

 

How long will it take me to write a story?

This was the question I asked many times in the beginning and now I just don’t ask it because for me it is a useless question. What I mean by this is that I am a self published author, with no deadlines set by a publishing company. When you are contracted to hit deadlines, then the above question and overall way to attack writing can be vastly different. For me, I set my own goals and deadlines, and if I don’t make them…just keep on writing and working at it.

What should matter most of all is that you work in a manner that brings you the best story possible, That’s it. Nothing should come in the way of that one goal, and it really comes down to how much work and motivation you can generate. Remember I mentioned passion earlier? That is what is going to get you through all the hard work and time you put into writing a story.

 

Writing a story literally makes you a stronger person. It takes you through inner beauties and discoveries, while plunging you into the depths of madness and inner conflict. It is like the most unstable relationship you have ever been in, but if you keep on, if you have enough passion and motivation for the story, it will reward you. I promise.

 

Many thanks to Alesha Escobar for allowing me to guest post, and you can read more of my blogs by journeying over to www.thecirclesoflight.com and read up about the trilogy as a whole and sign up to my newsletter for more fun goodies. You can also follow me on the below platforms to help support me, and don’t forget to comment, like and share.

YouTube – Anthony Jannece

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Twitter – @lilyana85

 

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