I love starting a new writing project. But I have a hard time finishing what I'm doing before starting in; I get so excited. A fresh new idea, wide open to possibilities that are positively endless, a blank page to create whatever I want. It's awesome!
But . . . back to starting a new project and how I do it. I have a notebook (and a folder with random papers that I'm currently trying to get into this notebook) with ideas I've written. It's usually a character with a problem; a scene that's played out in my head to start. That's the beauty of creating. It can go anywhere from there BUT it has to be entertaining, well-thought out, and flow smoothly. It takes a lot to get there.
To have a story, you need the parts. This is where I have a notebook, a flash drive, and a 3-ring binder for each book to keep everything organized. I start with the notebook and I write my idea in it. The character has no name and there are no other characters. Typically, this is where I flesh it out.
A story should include characters, setting, plot, conflict, resolution, themes, morals, symbolism, point of view, perspective, and an ending. The main parts of a story are characters, setting, plot, conflict, and resolution. Of those, there are three that are fundamental elements: character, setting and plot.
Usually, the theme, moral, symbolism, and perspective of the story make sense to me once I finish the other parts. If you've read my books, you know I put a lot into my characters. Every single one of them. Not every detail will go into the book, but I know the details of them. A character's actions, goals, and problems can inspire a whole new book.
I like to plan, so I outline everything before I write the book. As I gather my characters, I also determine the fundamental conflict and decide on a setting that will complement it. It's not as easy as you might think. Sometimes things change while I'm mapping it all out. While I have ideas for characters, settings, and the main plot, I start imagining scenes that can move the story forward, create more conflicts, and ultimately shape the ending.
You might ask yourself how I keep this all straight. That's where my notebook, my flash drive and my 3-ring binder come in. I have worksheets for my character development, my outline, my scenes, settings, research, etc. I categorize these in my flash drive and I fill them out as I settle on concrete details, and I print out the most important ones and put them in my binder. Oh, and I have a checklist for every project. My checklist goes through the entire process, from starting a project to the receipt of my copyright registration certificate. It doesn't go through my entire outlining process, although that might be a good idea. That is when I consider my project, and checklist, done.
With my third book done and in editing and my fourth book already partially written, I expect I'll be starting my fifth project in the spring. What I'm not sure of yet is whether that will be another romantic suspense or another historical romance. I have several ideas for both genres!