Hi! I'm Sarah, and I'm here to help you succeed on your writing journey. I'm a freelance writer and author, and I’ve been doing this for a while now. Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be sharing 14 Vlogs, one per day, to talk about different writing experiences and how you can grow as a writer. Today, I want to focus on how to even get started, especially if you're feeling a bit stuck.
See my YouTube Version below
A Little About Me:
In case you don’t know me, I’ve got a BA in Creative Writing and Philosophy. I've written books, sold them on Amazon, and worked on content creation for both myself and others. Along the way, I’ve learned a lot about self-publishing, building communities, and just pushing through the challenges that come with writing, especially if you’ve got things like dyslexia or ADHD (which I’m pretty sure I have, though it’s undiagnosed). I want to create a space where people can support each other, share stories, and improve as writers, no matter what struggles they might face.
The Plotting Parlor: I run a free community called the Plotting Parlor, where like-minded writers come together to help each other out. You can find it on my website. It's all about using creative writing techniques to share stories, whether you’re just starting out or already well into your writing journey.
Tip 1: How to Start Writing (Even If You’re Stuck):
So, today’s tip is all about getting started.
Maybe you’ve been writing for a while, maybe you're just starting, or maybe you’ve hit a wall and don’t know where to go next. That's totally okay! The first thing I want you to do is to forget everything you think you know about writing. Seriously. Clear your mind, set aside all the “rules,” and just start with a blank page—whether it’s an actual piece of paper or just a blank document on your laptop.
One of the best ways to start is by using title prompts. I learned about this when I was at uni, and it’s one of my favorite techniques. You may have a story in mind, or you may not, but using a title prompt can really help spark some new ideas.
For example, let’s say you have the title “A Rose Between Three Thorns.”
Now, that might not sound too inviting at first. You might already have an idea where to start. And that’s totally fine! But here's the thing—if you spend some time thinking about a prompt more challenging, you could come up with a lot of different ideas. Maybe it’s a story about three people who are stuck in a situation together, or maybe it's about someone getting stuck in a thorn bush.
Who knows?
Start by pulling on memories, feelings, and senses. How does the phrase make you feel? What images come to mind? Try to imagine what could happen in a story around this title. Maybe it turns into a murder mystery or a story about someone trying to get out of a dangerous situation. You could end up with all sorts of ideas, and that's the point. The title prompt helps you think outside the box.
The More You Write, the Better It Gets: When I first started out, I wrote hundreds of blogs on a cryptocurrency site. I’m not here to sell you crypto or anything, but it did pay me for my writing, and it really pushed me to write regularly. I look back now, and some of those blogs are pretty cringy, but the important thing is—it helped me develop that writing muscle.
Writing every day, even if it’s just a little bit, helps you get better. The more you write, the more ideas flow, and the easier it gets to think creatively. So, if you’re feeling stuck, the best thing you can do is just start writing. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just write something down, anything, and build from there.
Don’t Let Perfectionism Stop You: If you're waiting for the perfect idea or the perfect moment to start writing, you’ll never begin. Perfectionism can hold you back. Instead, just take that first step and write down whatever comes to mind. If you don’t know where to start, use a prompt. You can even use a dictionary, ChatGPT, or anything else to find a starting point. But don’t rely on those tools to do the writing for you—that’s still your job!
Once you have your prompt, put it in a bubble or a mind map, and start building out the idea. Work on your beginning, middle, and end. It doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to be started. You can always come back and tweak it later.
Wrapping Up: That’s my advice for today—just start. Don’t overthink it. Get something down on paper or screen. If you want extra support or you’re looking for a community to help you along the way, feel free to join my Plotting Parlor. It’s free, and I’m also offering workshops to help you grow as a writer.
You can check out my website at www.sarahewaring.co.uk if you’re interested. And if you ever want to get in touch or ask me anything, just reach out! I’d love to support you however I can.
Thanks for watching, and remember: just start writing. Speak soon!
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