[Tarrek]

I have some nice ideas for a fantasy story that I have been mulling around for quite awhile. My problem is I can't get in the mood to sit down and start writing it.
Also, if I do start I know I'll just stop after awhile of looking back at my 1st chapter. I have a hard time starting a story and always dislike the start.
So what do you all do to fix things like this?

[Gladde]

Well, when I do just write, I tend to stay away from the computer. I find that I worry less about spelling, etc., and I just let it all out. I go back to correct things later. I say, start with what comes to mind and go from there. Don't worry about how it sounds or if you don't like the start. You can always change and refine it later.

[Ace of Spades]

I have an issue with always starting from the middle and working my way back to the start. It annoys the heck out of me, but hey, it works. At least I've gotten the main part of my story down, and if I need to tweak it later, it's on the computer anyways.

[M ¥ D € ©]

I usually just get immersed in it, try to conjure your inner theatre and visualize every scene and detail as you write it, go back and edit later and re read the whole story to see if it works. Always write the new eddition in a diff color so it is easily deleted.

[Quiet Man Cometh]

I wouldn't say starting from the middle is an "issue." Like some say, go with whatever works. I write short stories usually, and my start point is usually wherever I have the inspiration. Sometimes, I'm able to write a story more or less start to finish. Other times, I start with what I have and add padding until it fleshes out into something more or less complete, and still other times I write out paragraphs like puzzle pieces without much of an idea about what goes where and when and just piece them together as I see fit.

Writing novels is a long process and I think it's common for things to change as one goes. I'm not really a novel writier myself though I've tried many times, but I've worked with a couple friends as a beta reader of sorts and it's frequent that people go back to earlier chapters to make accomodations for actions or ideas that have come up later in the process. I think it's asking a lot to plan on having every detail mapped and worked out in order from the start. I'm not saying it shouldn't be done that way, go with whatever works, but I'd always be prepared and open to edits later on, especially if it can make things better.

[Suzerain of Sheol]

Originally Posted by Quiet Man Cometh

it's frequent that people go back to earlier chapters to make accomodations for actions or ideas that have come up later in the process.

This. In my experience (which is... a fair bit) no matter how strong your start is, there's no way to account for ideas that will be accrued as part of the writing process. I'm even now editing the beginning of my own novel to work in a change I thought of after finishing chapter 6.

The only danger is one of never finishing, if you keep coming up with news ideas (might be guilty of this, myself). If you can put down an iron-clad outline of scenes from beginning to end and stick to it, all the power to you. That seems unrealistic to me, though.

I guess my point is that you shouldn't worry too much about the beginning, because it's likely that you'll make significant changes to it, anyway. If you can get a skeleton of the complete story written, you can then go back and fill in the muscle and skin (or, a smooth-flowing plot and polished prose, rather.)

And just an idea, I haven't actually been bold enough to try this myself, but maybe disconnect your internet and try to write. I find I always get distracted if there's a forum just two clicks away.

[Lioshika]

I've no idea either. I find I grow tired of it because I know it. Sometimes I just make myself sit and write. Then re-write, and yeah.

[Suzerain of Sheol]

For me, I don't really get bored or lose interest in stories so much as get intimidated by them. I tend to have really complicated ideas that sound great in theory, but when it comes to actually translating those onto a page, I just feel... daunted. The task feels beyond me. I obsess over every sentence, every word, trying to get the mood and atmosphere right, to convey the themes I want to with subtlety and grace, to bring my characters to life without turning them into caricatures... and in the end, I just never feel up to the task.

And if I do start writing, I never last long. I get burned out very easily, for the same reasons as above.

[AceValkyrie]

I always have the perfect solution to that; read some of my favorite authors work. I usually follow their footsteps in writing, and when I read their wonderful work it inspires me to write more. Also I depend on art a lot when it comes to writing, it sets my mood on certain points in a chapter.

[iCookies]

Shush, the cookie is talking. . . . .

[ I can try and write but when I do try I end up failing or making it a song. = w=;; ]

. . . .He has finished.

[Foxie]

I use to go the the library or some place where people can easily distract me. I have ADHD so I've found that something or someone that can stop you from what your doing can actually make you sit there and do it. Weird I know but it is what everyone has done in school ^^;

[Batty]

I write... oddly. I'll start out with a scene, and then build on from there. If I have trouble getting a starting point, I;ll just either work backwards, or from the middle to the end, and then find my beginning.

Its an odd way to work, but it definitely does me wonders. xD;

[Muff Muff]

I find writing very hard to get in the mood for these days, myself. I just start thinking in my head about the story for a while until I'm like, I gotta write this down! And then once I get going there's no telling when I'll stop.

[FaceMeetsPalm]

When I have this issue, I usually pull up wordpad and set it to my ideal writing font and size, then I just force myself to write a scene. From the scene, I can start the rest of my writings.

[Poggio]

I dont know about any one else but when I get an idea and I can't seen to start it my first instinct is to by a new note book, not just any notebook but the one that says this is the notebook this story fits in. It makes me happy.

[Sushi]

Well, a lot of times when this happens to me, I think the best way is to just start anywhere in the story. Maybe a scene you've thought about, and is your favorite. Who needs beginnings? You can write one later. You just need to motivate yourself first and everything will unfold. Also, I read. The way other authors rev up their work helps me to start mine.

Listening to music, or just daydreaming gets my creative juices flowing too. Good luck!