Bloggers of all ages and backgrounds in writing have also expressed the same sentiment, everything from the challenges of facing the blank screen, to Jeff Goins, one of the most prolific bloggers on writing, who says that a writer must begin with conflict - 'without conflict, you don't have a story." Within these groups I've found endless support for writers, everything from the proverbial pat on the back to writing workshops and free Skype sessions if I would like to talk to other writers whilst being guided by an already published writer.
If it were not for these writers eloquently sharing their ideas I don't think I would have progressed to this stage (the beginning writing phase), as they all illustrated their humanness by sharing their own struggles to begin writing, everything from the very early stages, where one contemplates writing a novel, and is plagued by fears and uncertainty, with the odd am I mad or bad for wanting to go this way. However, as many of you will have also realised, there is no choice because we have to do what we do best, it is a part of us, just as it is for some to play sport, build houses, explore the world, anything that they feel drawn to do they have to do.
A really good quote I have beside my bed says do not live the life that other's want you to live because they do not have to live with the consequences (author unknown). As a parent I've been very mindful of this advice with my two sons, careful not to make them feel compelled to follow a path that is not in accordance with who they are, hence one is studying film and television and working on this own YouTube channel and the other also has a YouTube channel but is also a comedian, and is about to start an acting course as he wants his videos to make people laugh. I can see how they both love what they do and do not see it as work, more like an extension of themselves.
I detracted but another thing the writers have shared with me is the harshness of the "white, blank page" that does not provide any hints on how to begin, and can cause immense existential angst, yikes! Nevertheless, when they fight their inner demons and let themselves be guided by their "muse" they begin writing and all their ideas flow from there, much like writing this post on a Saturday morning. I opened up a new page, looked at it for a moment, did not experience the angst but I'm guessing it is because I already knew what I was going to write and the task was nowhere near as challenging, it's just a 500 word post rather than a 60,000 word or more magnum opus.
I'm thinking of writing only 16,000 to 20,000 words as the novel I'm intending on writing is for both children and adults, a combination of ideas from The Lion King, Braveheart, and The Never Ending Story. When I say ideas I mean really broadly defined. King, in On Writing, gives the advice to not worry about plotting out your story as it can ruin its magic and prevent other powerful ideas from coming in. I think his advice is most sage and have therefore decided to just begin at the beginning, where a girl's father returns from military service, only to have him and her family whisked away, finding herself trying to survive and accompanied by a cat.
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