Chapters In Writing

Chapters in writing don’t have to be written in order. Some writers do, others write the chapter that they feel strongly about, and set it aside. Eventually you’ll put them in order, but the way they’re read, doesn’t dictate the way they’re written.

This is where the concept of the writer’s notebook comes in. Whether it’s for chapters in your book, ideas for a blog post or article, or a series of essays, you need a place to keep them. Either digital or physical, a writing hub helps you keep your ideas manageable.

A writer’s notebook, or hub can be a binder, writing app, a file folder, digital or physical. It would hold current projects, future ideas to work on, and projects that have been written, and are now in the editing phase.

Each project is like a chapter in your story. They have their own place, but they may not be ready to be put in place yet. With writing 500 words a day, you’ll very soon have the first chapter of your piece. This should be celebrated, then placed here for future tweaking. For now, let me encourage you to keep writing.

Once the words begin to be in place, the chapters will begin to outline in your mind. You will start to get an idea of where you want to go, what it will take to get there, and what needs to happen along the way. You may or may not have the end in mind yet, but if you started with us a few days ago, you have much more than you did.

As I mentioned then, November is Nanowrimo, or National Novel Writing Month. Today new writing apps will be purchased, pencils will be sharpened, and people across the country and world, will start writing. Let me encourage you that, what you are writing is important.

It’s important because of three things. it fulfills a dream you’ve had for years now, to be a writer. Second, it allows you to put on paper, digital or physical, ideas that may have needed fleshed out, or to simply be off your mind, for awhile. Writing is itself a release from stress. Third, what you have to say could help someone else.

Everyone is in a chapter in their lives. Some are where we are, others are where we’ve been. Many are ahead of us, but not everyone has experienced what you have. Your chapter two, could save someone else a few steps in their chapter one.

For today, I would encourage you to keep writing your 500 words. Tomorrow let’s talk about the in between of words and chapters, paragraphs. For now, you’re doing great, please keep writing your chapter.