How Do I Get Past the First Sentence?

I have met many children and teens who asked me this. Excited, they began to tell their epic story idea, with details about everything, from the plot to the characters to the world. They described how the characters look, interact, and speak. Then they told me about the world the story is in. They explained the plot, how the characters get from point A to point B and so much more. And then they said, “But I can’t figure out how to write it down. I can’t figure out how to get past the first sentence.” If you are one of those people who are nodding their head in agreement while reading this, then this is for you!

You have an awesome story idea. Where do you start?

The answer, my friend, is simple. Just. Start. Writing. It is that easy.

“But where do I start writing?”

Just start writing whatever comes to mind! Perhaps it’s a scene that keeps coming back to mind, like the beginning of your story, or even the end! (though, that’s not recommended to start with the end ;))

It doesn’t matter if what you write is really bad. What is important is that you are getting words onto the paper. Keep writing whatever comes to mind. You can come back and edit what you wrote later, but you can’t edit a blank page.

If you feel called to write this story you have in mind, you’ve got to write it. And you have to start somewhere.

Let’s start with a few reasons you might be struggling with starting writing!

1. I am not a writer

Perhaps you feel that you are not capable of telling this story inside of you. You don’t know anything about plot, character, or even grammar. You struggle with spelling. But that doesn’t mean you aren’t a writer. Let’s talk about what a writer is and isn’t.

A writer isn’t a person who plans and imagines and dreams.
A writer doesn’t just talk about their story.
A writer isn’t a person who says they write but they really don’t.
A writer is someone who writes.

It’s that simple. A writer is someone who sits down at their desk, and writes. If you can do this, you can be a writer.

2. I don’t know how to write

Let me tell you a crazy truth. Most authors, before they wrote books, didn’t know how to write a book! Including myself! I didn’t know anything about writing books. I didn’t know anything about outlining, planning, character development, etc. But that didn’t stop me from telling the story that was pushing to get out of me. I wrote, and then after I wrote, I learned. Today, there are so many ways you can learn to write stories. You can buy books about it, specialized notebooks, take online courses on creative writing, listen to podcasts, watch YouTube videos, and so much more! If you are a new writer, and feel intimidated by that, let’s start with something simpler.

When you were a little baby, how do you think you learned how to walk? By watching your parents, right? Babies observe the way their parents and others around them walk and try to imitate them. They may start out small, with just kicks and crawling, but then, as they watch and grow, they soon learn to walk on their own. Babies learn to walk by watching and learning from others. A way that you as a writer can learn to write is by reading. Picking up good and well-written books and reading them is a great way to learn how to write well-written books of your own! (You can find a list of some of our favorite books HERE!) Quoting Dr. Suess, “The more than you read, the more that you know!”

3. I’m afraid

Fear is something that is in every writer. “I’m afraid of what others will think of my writing.” “I’m afraid that someone won’t like it.” “I’m afraid it won’t be perfect.”

Let me break it to you. You have to get over this fear! Don’t focus on the fear, focus on your passion for writing! I know, that might sound a little harsh. It’s okay to be afraid, but it is not okay to let the fear control you. If being afraid is what is keeping you from writing, perhaps it’s time to work on conquering that fear. You must fight back the fear with truth. It doesn’t matter what others will think of your writing, especially as you are writing the first draft. What matters is that you are writing.

You don’t have to write for others, it is okay to write for yourself. Focus on making your first draft something for yourself. Don’t worry about it being perfect. First drafts are supposed to be messy, sloppy, and imperfect. Relax and let yourself be imperfect. Let your writing be messy. In fact, get good at not being perfect, because that will help things get easier.

So start writing. It’s that easy. Sit down, get cozy, and write. Whatever words come to mind, whatever scenes, write them down. Your words matter. What you write matters. You can be a writer, only if you truly write.

See you on the next page,

-Ella Quill

p.s. If you are looking for more writing advice, check out some other top tips by Ella Quill here.

Category: Blog