Introduction

Next time you sit down at your computer to bash out a short story or - god have mercy on your soul - the first episode of a full fledged novel, stop! You're not ready! Don't do it!

Writing isn't about getting words onto a page. It's about exploration of self, character, setting, symbol, plot, structure, style... It's a way of experiencing the world and inciting readers to laughter or tears through the magic of your story.

Getting to that magic is the essence of good writing. Too often we are in a hurry to see words on paper, to format them, edit them, fire them off to publishers. We make the mistake of thinking that writing is about the physical act of scribbling words on pages or setting neat columns of type on a computer screen.

In a results-oriented world this isn't surprising. When was the first time you were told to 'stop daydreaming'. Were mom or dad frustrated because they wanted you to get into the car 'right now, Mister!'? Or was a teacher frustrated that you weren't paying attention to what was etched onto the board? Or did your boss catch you staring off into the distance in your cubicle?

We have been trained not to daydream, not to enter that realm where magic happens; the job ahead of us is to train ourselves to daydream effectively. You can use other words if you want: remember, envision, imagine, and so on. It all amounts to the same thing. As writers we need to engage in purposeful daydreaming so that we can make our visions real to enchanted readers.

First, though, it has to be real to you. We have to know our characters: have lived inside their skins, spoken in their voices, suffered their betrayals and committed their sins. Only then are we ready to actually sit down and write anything other than a sketch or outline.

The topic headings to this blog all point back to this introcution for now. But in the coming weeks, months and possibly years, we will be expanding upon them - and adding to the list - so that as StoryBuilders we will have a fantastic resource to share.