I think it's a safe bet to say that, if you're here visiting us, then at some point or another you wanted to be a writer. As cliche as it is, all of us have a story we'd love to develop, if only for our own amusement. But starting a story can feel like an overwhelming task. The blank page stares back at you, full of potential but also full of pressure (two cliches in the first paragraph, we're on a roll!). How do you go from nothing to something that grips readers and takes them on a journey? How do you craft a world, develop compelling characters, and construct a narrative that feels both fresh, meaningful, and most importantly entertaining? These are some of the big questions every writer asks at the start of a new project.

Well, as reductive as it might sound, you just need to start writing. There, I saved everyone from having to read the rest of this article. Feel free to send me whatever amount of money you think is worthy of such a noble endeavor, and don't forget to hit those like and follow buttons!

If only it were that easy. It's one thing to tell someone to just start writing and something completely different to do it. Luckily for you, dear reader, this is something we here at Voyage have dealt with time and time again. There are a few key steps we think are important to the process, and we'd like to share them with you.

Start with an Initial Idea

Real groundbreaking stuff, am I right? Every story begins with an idea, an idea that's fleshed out and built upon until you have a full-fledged story in front of you. So, how do you get that idea? The specific process tends to vary from person to person, but one way we've found that seems to work is to just think up a cool scenario that you'd like to see expanded upon. An author we're currently working with got his idea for his novel after watching an episode of Low Winter Sun, the very brief crooked cop drama that aired on AMC for a season (we might even be generous assuming it was a full season, but I digress). Inspired by seeing a crooked cop playing both sides of the fence, he thought it would be neat to write about another crooked cop, only this time have him be involved with motorcycle clubs and an impending gang war in the heart of Canada's capital (Ottawa, for those coming from abroad. Yes, we do have more cities than just Toronto).

Don't think just because an idea's been done that it can't be done differently. Christopher Booker famously stated that there are only seven basic stories in existence, but they've been adjusted and interpreted millions and millions of times. Hell, the Hero's Journey has been done so many times you can probably predict what's going to happen even before reading the first page, but that doesn't make The Wheel of Time, Lord of the Rings, or the Star Wars trilogy (what do you mean there were two other trilogies made? We haven't heard of them!) any less entertaining!

If you're really struggling to come up with an idea, then writing prompts are always great to get the ball rolling. You can find a ton out there, but for argument's sake try some of the ones below and see what you can tease out.

- What if a young woman (or man) discovers that the last person they loved and lost never died but instead had disappeared to the other side of the world, with a new family and without explanation?

- An addict determined to get clean after their child falls terribly ill miraculously comes into a large sum of money, and must now struggle with righting his life and the life of his child while avoiding the temptations of relapse.

- A small town is faced with an unprecedented snowstorm that traps its residents for days. What kind of secrets and characters could be examined under such a scenario? What kind of conflicts and relationships could be developed?

Notice how these ideas don't yet tell a full story-they just offer a jumping off point. That's what you're aiming for at the beginning: a spark. Your story will evolve as you dive deeper into it.

Once you've settled on your spark, the next step is to develop an interesting opening scene. And any opening scene worth its salt is going to have a healthy dose of tension and conflict that keeps the reader engaged, wanting to know what will happen next.

Create an Inciting Event to Kickstart Your Story

So you've got a general idea figured out. Now, you need to think of a great first chapter, an interesting scenario that kickstarts your story as a whole and leads us into the inciting event. Generally, you're going to want to spend some time introducing your reader to the world you've created. The length of that introduction can vary, and usually depends on how much of a divergence you're taking from the world they're accustomed to. For example, a story set in a fantasy or sci-fi world might dedicate several chapters to laying out how things work, where the characters are located, etc. A crime novel set in New York city might only spend a single chapter getting you acquainted to the main characters and groups involved, since most of the world operates under the same rules and logic that we do.

Regardless of how much time you dedicate to this, the important quality to maintain is that it is both entertaining and informative. The reader should have a good enough understanding of your world to be able to follow the story along without needing to ask too many questions. Some mystery is OK if you plan to develop and answer it later, but the experience as a whole shouldn't be a confusing one.

Most importantly, your work should be leading towards your inciting event. The inciting event is the catalyst that sparks your story into action. It's the moment or occurrence that disrupts the status quo and forces your protagonist to act. This is usually an event that happens early in the story, and it's what pushes your character into the primary conflict.

An inciting event can take many forms, but it typically involves a change in circumstances, an unexpected revelation, or a challenge that your protagonist can't ignore. Some examples might include:

- A phone call that changes the course of your protagonist's life.

- A car accident that sends a character down an unexpected path.

- A letter, a revelation, or an unexpected encounter that propels the plot forward.

In our previous scenario involving the addict, the inciting event could be when he or she receives the money, or when they're told that their child is sick and decide to finally take action to change their life. The inciting event is crucial because it ignites the conflict and provides the momentum that drives the rest of the narrative. Without it, your story would lack the necessary tension and energy to engage readers.

Developing Characters

At the beginning of your writing journey, you don't need a fully fleshed-out cast of characters. Instead, start with two or three main characters who will play a pivotal role in your story. These characters should be connected to the central conflict and serve as the vehicle through which you explore your themes.

Your characters don't need to be perfect or fully formed right away. In fact, some of the most compelling characters evolve as you write, so it's okay to start with a rough sketch of who they are and build on that. Think of your characters as puzzles-each time you write, you reveal a new piece of their personality, backstory, and motivations.

When thinking about your key characters, consider the following:

- Protagonist: Who is your main character, and what is their goal? What drives them? What is at stake for them if they fail? All characters need to have a goal they're working towards, but especially so for your protagonist who tends to be the main driver of the story. Again, you can develop this over time, but always keep it in the back of your mind especially when running into writer's block (more on that for another day).

- Antagonist: Every story needs an opposing force, whether it's a person, an institution, nature, or an internal struggle. This character doesn't have to be a villain, but they should present obstacles that challenge your protagonist. They should also have their own goal that they're working towards, although that goal doesn't necessarily need to be the direct reason for the conflict with your protagonist. Even a force of nature can be said to have a goal in a sense - for example a hurricane that is threatening to touch down on the Florida coast - and can even be given some personality through their descriptions, actions, and thematic characteristics.

- Supporting Characters: Who else is important to your protagonist's journey? This could be a mentor, a friend, a love interest, or even a minor character who plays a role in moving the plot forward.

The easiest approach would be to simply start with the characters needed for your inciting event and initial scenario. Again, you don't have to have them fully fleshed out, especially in your first draft, but you should have enough of an idea of who they are to fit them into a common character archetype (more on those as well for a later date).

For example in our story about our determined addict, your protagonist might be a down-on-his-luck man who experienced some sort of trauma early in his life. The antagonist could be an ex-wife, someone he owes money to, or even his addiction itself. The supporting character could be his daughter - unless you choose to make her a secondary protagonist - or a social worker. Just remember that they must serve a narrative purpose, or else they'll simply be taking up space, kind of like my collection of Reboot pogs (that show is coming back any day now damnit!).

As you write, let these characters develop organically. You don't have to know everything about them right away. As the plot progresses, you'll get to know them better, and they will, in turn, shape the direction of your story.

Rinse and Repeat

Once you've got your first chapter or few chapters down the process becomes pretty repetitive. There's basic story structure that should be followed, and you can look up descriptions of the seven we mentioned earlier to see if there's one that can help you outline your story as a whole, but generally the entire thing boils down to a question of "and then what happened?" until you've built things up to a crescendo and can take it home to the climax. Just remember to make sure each chapter leaves something for the reader to want out of the next one, and you'll have them hooked until the end.

One of the biggest hurdles for many writers is the fear of not getting it right. It's easy to get stuck in the planning phase-brainstorming ideas, outlining plots, and developing characters to perfection. But the truth is, there's no "perfect" place to start, and the most important step in writing is simply to begin.

Don't worry if your first draft isn't polished or if your characters feel underdeveloped. That's what editing is for - and can sometimes be just as fun as the writing itself. The key is to make progress, however imperfect, because that progress will eventually lead to something good.

Remember, writing is a process, and the first draft is just that-a draft. You'll have the opportunity to refine, reorganize, and fine-tune later. But to get to that point, you need to start by putting words on the page.

Let us know your best writing tips, and if you enjoyed this article please like and follow us on Facebook, X, and Instagram. Happy writing!