How do you overcome the initial blank page

I signed up to nanowrimo because it's great for writers getting over the 'getting started' hurdle. Remind yourself it isn't about writing the novel but getting it started. December's the time for worrying once all the jumble of words have tumbled from your imagination onto the page and you start to sort them into coherent order. November, right now, today, is for inviting the evil twins- gobbledegook and guff - into your writing. It's topsy-turvy land where anything goes. It's best not to have a plan, not to plot, not to have any idea but just to start writing or typing. If you sit and wait for inspiration she won't come - she's a bit sneaky that way. Start without her and she'll run to catch up.
Some tips - don't start at the beginning but with a scene
start with dialogue
start by describing the view from a window/car/bus/train/hospital room/boat
start by talking about yourself
start by talking about someone else
start talking from the dog/baby/horse's point of view

BookRambler

Hi,

Well first of all get those ideas you have down on paper. Don’t worry if they don't make sense that is all part of NaNoWriMo.

Those initial ideas In your head will soon transform into sense and then you won’t be able to stop writing. Go on …try it. Just list or write out the ideas even if they are only single words or phrases.

I’m writing for pure fun this year…not got any outline of a middle or end to my story in my head as of yet but am sure it will come.

Don’t give up – it is all new to you and scary. But your enthusiasm will help you achieve that 50,000 goal. Slowly slowly…and all that. Break it down into manageable chunks. Try to get 500 words. Then increase it the next day or try something much larger. I’m aiming for 2000 words a day but know due to work etc it won’t always be possible. But at the weekend that is my time to play catch up.

Have fun and email me if you want any further suggestions. Waving a Chocolate bar as an encouragement.

Janette (Wildcard)

Hi,
I am the Guff Queen LOL Last years Novel ended up mostly – to me – Guff until I was over 10,000 words into it then I had a huge light go on in my head and it turned my whole attitude to the novel around. That one is still a work in progress but it has allowed me to think of other plans to move the novel along but never have the time to do what I want with it.

This years Novel is a pure fun item – no plot and funnily enough not so much Guff in the first few thousand words at the start like in previous years I feel more positive about it and it is flowing along very nicely for me right now. VBG.

Wildcard

Hey I folks I am from Isle of Arran, Ayrshire and writing on this project for the first time. I learned of it through Twitter. So it is all good and I had a couple of other projects started in the months previous but they kinda came to a standstill. However on Nov. 1st I just wrote and wrote and managed to come up with something tangible, however extreme in comparison they are to the other projects I have.

Hoping to perform well, grow and expand my writing knowledge and most of all have fun taking part.

Having taken your really kind and generous comments on board I have indeed just went for it, and not started at the beginning...but I have at least started! Only 49500 words or so to go. But I suppose that if I break that into small chunks it isn't so bad:)

you've started - hooray - have some chocolate!

I find if I time-limit my writing time it makes me get on with it. If I don't I start staring out the window thinking up character names and plot developments - best to just use any name and keep writing. Stopping to think is fatal, for me anyway as I then revert to normal writing mode - which is for December, not November.

BookRambler

My novel excerpt is actually the first words I wrote on my novel. Forming the first lines of the intro chapter.
My friend told me they're really good. But actually I have no idea where I got them from, they just came out of some dark dusty recess in my mind and fell onto the page.
I like them though. It's when stuff like that happens, you know you're in the NaNo frame of mind :)

Just start with some random words, and they tend to fit together :)

DarK-RoniN
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"There's more to a bottle cap than keeping liquid from leaking out of glass."