How did you start your novel?

by Adrian Sroka
17th January 2014

How did you start your novel? Did you steam in Medias Res on the first page, or start somewhere in the middle? Perhaps you started at the end and worked backwards.

Replies

My stories always begin with a character who invades my brain and demands that I start writing. Once I obey the story evolves on its own and the characters take over, vying for time and I work my way through their various voices until they dictate that the story is over. I can't start with a plot and a list of characters and scenes et al. I have tried, but in the end its the characters who dictate.

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Margaret
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Margaret Wilson
01/02/2014

I started from the beginning I wrote 100 pages and pressed delete..... I then restarted. Since writing my first novel I think I have learnt a lot. I wonder how many of us have overwritten in chapters..... I did.

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damien
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damien Isaak
19/01/2014

For my first book I had an idea for a character and the story revolved around the character. Which then brought other characters into the story. The plot then fell into place.

But my second novel which I have not begun to write in its fullness is different, I have the plot written out the beginning, middle and end just need to join the dots.

Strange how they have worked out to differently.

Anyone have similar experiences?

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Amanda Harvey
18/01/2014