Only the Beginning

When you're feeling guilty because you haven't written anything for a while but you just don't have the energy, much like my suggestion to write only a few lines and see what happens, try just writing the first sentence of a piece you never really intend to finish.

Number a page 1-5, like this:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Just like that. Write in each place the first sentence for a story. This sentence should really start to form a whole story in a reader's mind, but they can be simple. Here are some examples:

1. Let me tell you about my dog.
2. I once saved my brother Michael's life by not being good at archery.
3. I like being a good student, because no one will believe it when I suddenly decide to turn bad.
4. The loose stone ground struck Benjamin's stumbling feet, and he returned the favour by leaving a trail of red behind him.
5. Angela stopped digging; she was quite certain no one would find it here, not this deep.

A beginning should not always be an introduction, because introductions can be boring. Instead use the beginning to get to the point like in line one. Also, try leaving your reader just a little bit in the dark like in the fourth line. What exactly is 'it' and why is Angela so obsessed with keeping 'it' hidden. Benjamin from line four seems like he's probably wounded and who can possibly resist discovering a little more about the archery almost accident.

Don't bother finishing these stories. We can get back to them later, when we have more time and energy.

Beginnings

A blank page can be a writer's greatest blockade. We all know, or should know, that a strong beginning is crucial in gaining readers, so when faced with that daunting task how can a writer do anything but break down and weep? The answer is a stock beginning. Really. Truly, I mean it. Start with a couple of stock beginnings.

They can be as simple as "Once upon a time...", "Let me tell you something about...", or "The other day my friend was telling me..." As you begin to fill up a tiny portion of paper with ink, or the screen with pixels, the words will simply flow out. Once you actually start writing you can figure out where the story is going. The reason why this happens is simple.

We all know how to lie.

The lie, or in this case, the story, takes on a life of its own and all you need to do is keep up. Once the story is well underway or finished go back and change the beginning to suit the rest of the story, now that you know what it is, or add something to the story that occurs before the original beginning.