This is a post I wrote on another blog, back in 2009. I just liked it (a clue that it may have better remained lost...). Anyway, let me know if you think it's helpful.
How do we start this novel thing? In the Danny Kaye
movie (historical reference, ignore and move on…) about Hans Christian
Anderson, when asked about his stories, Anderson says that he tells the stories
to see what happens next. This suggests that his story-making style was to
start with a character in a situation but not have the plot already outlined
ahead of time. Another art that makes use of this technique is improv—actors are given a situation and
who their characters are and have to make up a scene on the fly.
In that vein, who are your main characters? This is
one way to begin writing. Write down the things you know about two or three of
them (the main character and the other character that is most involved with the
main character). In technical terms these would be called protagonist(s) and
antagonist(s), but you know what you mean. Name is a good start, but if for
some reason that causes you to stop while looking for the perfect name or the
name that “best fits” your character(s), just use a place-filler (like Bob or
Kathy) and move on.
Then write things you know about them—age, sex, what
do they want? How do they look? What do they think about things that matter in
their home, hangout, or habitat? How much do they care about what others think
or about what others think about them? Do they spend time imagining cars or
colleens? Dolls or danger boys? Something completely different?
Once you have the two opposing characters put them
down somewhere with something they want or don’t want the other to have or do
and see what happens. Write down what you see. Rinse and repeat.
