—PAGE UNDER CONSTRUCTION—

At this point, I must point out that I intended to commence writing my story longhand, so I bought a couple of A4 ruled pads and a pack of pens.

**(Computer users, please remember that all of this advice is the same, but you have the advantage of not using pen and paper, except for creating your brainstorming sheets).

I wasn’t sure how heavily I’d become involved in the writing craft so I had a few test books, some sheets of paper with hand-written lists, a couple of brainstorming sheets, and the notion that I’d only get the job done if I wrote something.

I wrote something … which was the most important action.

A long time ago, in a life far, far away, I was a regular long distance runner, and whenever asked what the hardest part of a ten-mile, or twenty-mile run might be, I’d always say, ‘the first few steps’.

It’s the same with writing, so the only way you’ll ever get anything substantial written is to get those first words down. It can be handwritten, done on a typewriter, or on a computer.

I look back now, and realise that one of the things that helped was writing in ‘first-person’ point of view (pov). This isn’t the time to delve into the various points of view used in writing, but suffice to say, first-person means you will write things in the following way:

#1 – I drove to the shops, filled the trolley with beer, and then remembered to buy food.

#2 – I couldn’t have done it without Brian’s help, and I told him so.

Basically, you’re not talking about someone else, you’re writing as if you’re telling it to someone.

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