You're ready to do it. You have your document loaded. You're going to finally put to writing your story!
And...you're brain immediately shuts down or goes into overdrive as it tries to hash out every little detail about your world.
Don't panic.
Just start writing. It's okay if what you write is complete and utter garbage. The chances of you getting it perfect on your first draft is slim. (Yes, you will improve the more your write, but more on that later.) Instead, focus on one thing.
Get Ideas On Paper.
It's very easy to get hung up on the details. However, that's what your second, third, etc. drafts are for. For now, you should simply try to write down whatever pops up into your mind and write it down.
But, I don't know what to write!
That's okay. You may not have it all figured out. It's part of the writing process.
What if I get stuck? Or I know what I want to write about, but just don't know how to write it?
Take a break. Join a writing group. Get feedback from other writers. Remember, ideas that are stuck in your brain will never turn into a world of characters as long as they are locked up in your mental jail. Your story is your canvas. If it's not perfect the first time, don't fret. You will have a chance to keep painting it anew until its ready.
Don't Be Afraid of Starting Over
If you get halfway through your story and you realize that what you have isn't working. Don't feel afraid to chuck the whole thing and start writing again. That said, if there's something in there that's really good, don't get rid of it!
Your Story May Change
One of the first stories I wrote, the main character started off as sort of an adventurer for hire before he turned into a knight. While I liked the idea of his journey, readers found him to be boring (more on that with characters later).
I eventually gutted both this idea and the tossed the original opening for the one that the manuscript currently has. This new journey is far superior, but ultimately it never would have happened without completing that first draft.
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