You have a spark of an idea, the one that won’t leave you alone, the seeds of a story that needs to be told and only YOU can tell it!
Start with character. Who is this story about? Why are they the best person to navigate the problems you’re gonna throw at them? Give them an all-consuming WANT, something tangible and specific to pursue throughout the narrative. What stands in their way, especially when that thing might be themselves, their fears, their misconceptions and how will the story help them get not only the thing they thought they wanted, but what they NEEDED all along.
Lisa Cron’s “Story Genius” contains some great character crafting exercises to help get to the heart of your perfect MC.
Decide what your genre is. There are scenes and conventions readers will expect to see in your narrative based on your story’s genre. Make sure whatever genre you choose, you’re satisfying those expectations. Savannah Gilbo’s “Obligatory Scenes and Conventions” articles are wonderful sources to get you started.
Once you know what scenes and conventions you should have, it will make outlining that much simpler.
Choose your favorite plotting method. I like Jessica Brody’s “Save the Cat.” Plug in the major plot beats so you have a loose outline to follow in case you get stuck.
Next step: WRITE!
I know. But seriously. Just put words down. Let them flow. Don’t think about it too hard. Accept that your first (or what I’ve seen other writers call their “zero” or “discovery”) draft isn’t gonna be perfect. Far from it. This is your time to learn who your characters are, explore the world they live in and discover what you love most about this story. This is just for you. Enjoy the freedom of this time. There’s no stakes. No pressure. No deadline. Have fun!
Try your best to create a routine like you would at a job. Set aside a certain amount of time that’s just for writing.
While you’re at it, respect your body. When it tells you to rest, then rest.
And to take the whole “not putting pressure on yourself” thing further, remember that even if no one else sees your work, you are still an artist. If you create, you are a creator. If you write, you are a writer.
I hope this was helpful! Please always feel free to reach out with any questions or just to say hi. Community is so important and I love cheering on other creatives!