I always have huge trouble...

[Miss.A.Tishoo]

Okay, aside from the trouble I have actually finishing a story (I think I've only completed two or three in my life time) the most frustrating thing for me is actually beginning them.

Does anyone have any tips on where to begin? I have never had any formal writing training and really am self-taught through looking at the work of others etc. - but the technique of where to begin just eludes me.

Is there a sort of rough guide to how to do it? E.g. begin by describing something/the setting or is it really all about what feels right to you?

Any hints and tips appreciated!

Oh and also - if you were writing an almost silent stifle how would you do it?

[tma]

*NOTE: This is by No means the advice of a pro.- I enjoy writing and it is a fun hobby and I'm self-taught.*

When I get really stuck starting things.... I just write. A lot of times I'll have tons of ideas in my head but just can't get it out.

Sometimes I can't make certain things come- I'll try writing and.... NOTHING. But... if I have a pretty strong impression of what I'd like, I start from there and see where it rolls. I start with the type of character that I want and what I want (typically) him to experience.

Recently I hit major writers block with a couple of things- so I was trying to just write Something. I just started typing in my blog. There was a character that I had tossed around but had no idea how to do a story with them. So I just started with an image. And I went from there. It so far is far from a story but it has possiblities for adding and tweaking and such. The other "practice" writing thing that I did actually ended up amazingly enough becoming a complete story *I just about keeled over*

I'm horrid on spellings. I *try* but... that is not something that I'm good at.

And finishing.... UGH! Don't ask me about that. I'm getting better than I used to be, but seriously....

Oh... and if you are looking to toss around story ideas or opening ideas- I'm game and I'm sure several others on here would be too.

I hope that something comes to you that you want to share- love reading new stories. *grins*

[aggedy_ann]

Not a pro or anything here either, but sometimes when I can't figure out where to start, I just jump in where I want to go and write the beginning after I've started writing a little...sometimes having a partial story written can give me an idea of what I need to set up in the beginning.

Endings: no clue...I think that's why I write so many serieses and sequels. Sometimes I find something to end with fairly easily, other times, it's a bit of a struggle. Sometimes taking a break from the story helps too. There's been stuff where I've agonized over the ending then set the story aside for a few days before coming back to it. Just to clear my head for a bit and refocus.

As for an almost silent stifle...not totally sure...I know I use something with an ending like mmp(t) or nnk. But I'm not really an expert on the spellings.

[Pilgrim]

just write.

That right there is the key, if you ask me. It's good to have a general idea of where you're going to go, but you can't stay too long in the planning stages. Eventually you gotta just jump right in. After all, you can always edit as you go along.

Also, as to stifle-spellings, I would ask Aku or Chui.

[Feta Sneeze]

For me, starting a fic usually comes about one of a few ways.

1) An idea for a fic occurs to me and keeps nagging at me until I do something about it.

2) A muse (AKA characters for those who don't consider the characters they write muses) steps into my brain and DEMANDS that I "SIT DOWN AND WRITE THIS IMMEDIATELY OR I WILL DRIVE YOU INSANE!!! *threatens with weapon of choice*"

or 3) I have a vague idea, or a character I want to do something with and I go from there.

Very well put! The same things happen to me, and I don't think I could've explained it better!

Anyway, The story doesn't have to start out with describing setting, or anything. Sometimes I just start out with a Quotation and carry on from there. It's all about what you feel and what you like.

[Geist]

Beginning? What's THAT?

I write everything in pieces as it comes to me and then just kinda stitch it together. Painfully.

As to how do I begin? *points to signature and avatar* THOSE things MAKE ME. Those THINGS called "Muses" who flail at my brain and fillet my soul with their suggestions of DOOM so that I can bleed crack fiction all over the place until I run dry!

Histrionic? What's that?

[Sternuto]

How about.....

"Once upon a time..."? It works on so many levels.

Oh... and dont even TRY to spell a stifled sneeze. You know what.... dont even write about stifled sneezes. Stifled sneezes SUCK! (turn record over...)