If you want to write fiction you need an idea for a story. Duh! But there’s a lot more too it that you have to decide. Taking that good idea and putting a skeleton plot outline together first is so much better than "pantsing" it. I've done it both ways and I'm convinced that, at least for something more than a short story, it's the best way to go, and it doesn't have to be elaborate. Five pages on a chart that says who's in the scene, where it's set, the basic actions and thoughts, and the hook/lead to the next chapter. Also, recognize as your story evolves you will have changes that may need to be made to the outline...don't be afraid to do it, but plan and think of the consequences and jot some notes in your outline for the impacts on future chapters. Another warning: First person writing is always a challenge...your character can't tell you what he looks like without it being awkward or speak "real" honest value judgements easily about himself. And he often can’t read the minds of other characters or describe them without being awkward and unbelievable. Everything has to be “shown" somehow, and it gets tiresome. Still, there are those stories that can be told that way, and the best people I've seen to do it so far are Craig Johnson with Longmire and Janet Evanovich with Stephanie Plum. It can be done, but it's really much harder work. Save it for your memoirs.
If you get these basics in line before you start, then you can be free to work on imagery and dialogue and flesh out those terrific plot twists and turns that are so critical to your work.
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Greg
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