Where Do I Start? Writing Tips for the Hesitant but Hopeful Writer

So you want to write. You’ve thought about it. Maybe even scribbled something in your Notes app or the back of a notebook. But where do you actually begin?

At Stories of Hope, we believe writing isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence. It’s about noticing, exploring, and giving shape to the thoughts that don’t leave you alone.

If you’re looking to start your writing journey, here are a few beginner-friendly tips and ideas drawn from our creative writing workshop and writing journal.

1. Start With a Theme That Speaks to You

Every story has a core theme — an emotional undercurrent that connects everything. Don’t overthink it. Ask yourself:

• What do I keep coming back to?

• What’s a truth I wish others knew?

• What do I want to say, even if I don’t know how yet?

2. Get to Know Your Protagonist

Your protagonist doesn’t have to be a hero. They just need to want something — and be willing to chase it.

Ask yourself:

• What’s something your character believes that no one else around them does?

• What do they want… and what’s in their way?

3. Don’t Forget the Others

Secondary characters aren’t just background noise. They:

• Help or hinder your protagonist’s growth

• Offer a new lens through which the story is seen

• Can hold the emotional or thematic tension

And yes — the antagonist matters too. Not every story needs a villain, but most need a source of conflict. Think: inner demons, social systems, a person, even nature.

4. A Simple Story Shape

Think of your story in three parts:

• Beginning: Who is your character, and what changes for them?

• Middle: What challenges do they face? What do they learn or realise?

• End: How does it all resolve — or shift — by the end?

You don’t need every detail mapped out, but a loose structure helps you keep moving forward.

5. Try a Prompt to Get Started

Feeling blocked? Try one of our favourite writing prompts from the So You Want to Write journal:

Prompt: Transformation Arc	Prompt: Character Through Objects	Prompt: Setting the Scene
Think of a moment where a character changed — not dramatically, but in the smallest, quietest way. What caused it? What stayed the same?	Describe your protagonist through what they carry in their bag or pocket. What does each item reveal?	Instead of saying “She entered a café,” describe it using the five senses. What’s the smell? The mood? The memory it triggers?

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You Don’t Need to Write a Novel

You just need to begin.

Write a paragraph. Write a conversation. Write a single sentence that feels true. The more you write, the more your voice begins to take shape.

And if you’re still not sure where to begin — start with this question:

What’s a story I need to tell, even if no one reads it?

That’s your first spark.

Want more prompts, tools, and inspiration?Explore our Stories of Hope Writing Journal or join an upcoming workshop-

Because your story — even the messy, unfinished, unsure one — matters.