I've been trying to write for a very long time, and I'm brimming with so many diffrent ideas, in diffrent gneres. For example I have ideas for a teenage fantasy romance, I also have ideas for an adult romance and an adult crime thriller. I'm just full of so many diffrent ideas, I always writer my ideas down and I always intend to write a novel about each and every one. However... although I have all these fantastic ideas, I find it so diffuclt to actually write it. I never get anything finished, not even the first chapter, I end up doodling all over my work and writer 'Argh, I can't do it' HELP!
Alon with the other advice here is mine 5 cents;D~
You have to start somewhere. I would suggest you start either by entering a story in the
http://shortsentence.wordpress.com
To enter the Competition, you must write and then submit a short story of no more than 1,000 words to: shortsentence@bloomsbury.com
So there you have a target of writing a crime story in 1000 words
under a theme of
Deception
or Bad Judgement
Just write a story or two and enter it. Then you will have written 2000 words and you are on your way.
Don't think about "I cant write a crime story" just write what you can and get it finished and sent off.
You will have now learned the trick about writing.
And that is, its all about writing something, anything.
Crime,Fantasy, Sci-Fi,Romance it does not matter they all start the same way.
Putting something down on paper or Computer.
If you think 1000 words is to much try for 500 words or even 300 words. You do not even need to send the story anywhere.
Its just a means to kick-start your writing.
But remember it is a story so it should have a Start,Middle and an End.
There is no guarantee that your writing will be any good, but if you don't start you will never know.
But like any endeavour you will get better with practice.
Good luck and I hope you get started sooner than later.
My advice is thus (cos I obviously know all about it, har har); I would bet that you have a lot of good story ideas but you don't actually have any STORIES (I have been in this position).
So what I would do is list the ideas you've got, and see which one you have the most structure for (characters, location, plot etc.) and which one you have the most enthusiasm for (I bet they're the same) and throw all the others into the vault. To be called upon later. Once your magnum opus is complete.
Pretentious, moi? Seriously though I have done the same thing, and the result is my first finished manuscript, waiting for some agents to throw it back in my face. The result will be at least one finished story.
Try set yourself a target. 250 or 500 words a day. Something achievable. The daunting thing about contemplating a novel is the sheer enormity of the task ahead of you. So breaking it down in to small pieces can help.
Also. Plan.
You have an idea. Flesh it out into an outline of no more than 2 A4 pages.
Think about the characters. Outline each of them. Who are they? What is their history? What motivates them? How do they think? How do they talk? What is their story? The problems they have to overcome.
Break the outline down into chapters then read through this for consistency.
Write.
250 to 500 words a day. If possible, do this every day. If not then at least 5 days a week. Make it your job.
Go with the flow. If you write 5 days a week use the 2 down days to read the work you have completed and to think about it. Make notes on any thoughts you have had while reading. This way when you come to the new writing week you already have ideas and a plan to follow.
But remember to go with the flow. If the outline/plot/storyline you wrote earlier needs changing as the story progresses, then change it. Ditto the character profiles.
At this point it would be easy to say "and that's all there is to it!"
But it's not easy. It is hard work. Slogging away is all there is.....
PS as you have many ideas in your head it may be best to stick to one at a time. Plan out in full one of the books and write it first. The achievement of completing it will help you a lot when it comes to working on the others. Knowing that you have completed a novel will prove to you you have the focus to do it.
If you are scared of losing the ideas then by all means make some rough notes on them, but I think, in your case, completing one project would be very beneficial.