--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The thing I do at the beginning is a…" description: "\"The thing I do at the beginning is a \"voice journal,\" a free form doc that is the character speaking to me. I just work on it until I start to hear dif..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/836/james-scott-bell-22468_beginning_the-thing-i-do-at-the-beginning-is-a-voi_480651.png" --- # The thing I do at the beginning is a "voice journal," a… ![“The thing I do at the beginning is a "voice journal," a free form doc that is the character speaking to me. I just work on it until I start to hear different from my own, or the other characters.” quote by James Scott Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/836/james-scott-bell-22468_beginning_the-thing-i-do-at-the-beginning-is-a-voi_480651.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/836/james-scott-bell-22468_beginning_the-thing-i-do-at-the-beginning-is-a-voi_480651.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/836/james-scott-bell-22468_beginning_the-thing-i-do-at-the-beginning-is-a-voi_480651.png) > “The thing I do at the beginning is a "voice journal," a free form doc that is the character speaking to me. I just work on it until I start to hear different from my own, or the other characters.” [James Scott Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott-bell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The author uses a voice journal to separate his own voice from characters, allowing deeper immersion and distinct character perspectives. **In simple terms:** Voice journals help differentiate author and character voices. Key Takeaway Use voice journals to hear characters speak uniquely. Themes writing creativity character development voice process Mood inspirational practical Type creative educational When to use this quote - novel drafting - character workshops - creative brainstorming Key Concepts Narrative technique psychology of voice method writing Questions to Reflect On - How does hearing a character's voice change your story? - What challenges arise when voices clash? A Different Perspective May be time‑consuming and harder for some writers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beginning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginning/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Creation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creation/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/) ## Related quotes > [A character has a distinctive voice - you should be able to hear them in your head and conduct a conversation with them while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/a-character-has-a-distinctive-voice-you-should-be-able-to-hear-them/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [Sometimes I'll get a premise, you know, for a book. In fact, I get those quite often. And I don't commit to it until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-willis-holt/sometimes-i-ll-get-a-premise-you-know-for-a-book-in-fact-i-get-those/) [Kimberly Willis Holt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-willis-holt/) > [“Like a blinking cursor on an empty page, it was just the first thing. The beginning of the beginning. But at least it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/like-a-blinking-cursor-on-an-empty-page-it-was-just-the-first-thing-2/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [The idea of being published was such an abstract thing in the beginning. It wasn't even an option in my mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-todd/the-idea-of-being-published-was-such-an-abstract-thing-in-the/) [Anna Todd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-todd/) > [Like a blinking cursor on an empty page, it was just the first thing. The beginning of the beginning. 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The end of one thing is only the beginning of another.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingalls-wilder/the-last-time-always-seems-sad-but-it-isn-t-really-the-end-of-one/) [Laura Ingalls Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingalls-wilder/) > [“No mortal thing has a beginning, nor does it end in death and obliteration; there is only a mixing and then separating of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/empedocles/no-mortal-thing-has-a-beginning-nor-does-it-end-in-death-and/) [Empedocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/empedocles/) > [“It tasted like the moment before night gives birth to morning; it was the end of one thing and the beginning of something else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-garber/it-tasted-like-the-moment-before-night-gives-birth-to-morning-it-was/) [Stephanie Garber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-garber/) > [The good thing about beginning at the bottom is that you always have something solid to go back to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pacifiersucker/the-good-thing-about-beginning-at-the-bottom-is-that-you-always-have/) Pacifiersucker > [The limiting surface of one thing is the beginning of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-limiting-surface-of-one-thing-is-the-beginning-of-another/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [ I wrote an article about the marine landing \[in Haiti\] right away, but barely mentioned the oil, because my article would come out two… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/i-wrote-an-article-about-the-marine-landing-in-haiti-right-away-but/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Adam Berenson knows how to compose, organize an ensemble, do musical research, play solo and trio piano, write for musical journals, and enlist others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bley/adam-berenson-knows-how-to-compose-organize-an-ensemble-do-musical/) [Paul Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bley/) > [The reason we have not gone to newspapers is because its a slow growth industry and I think they are dying. 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Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) ## More by James Scott Bell > [Status, worry and comparison are ways to madness, not victory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott-bell/status-worry-and-comparison-are-ways-to-madness-not-victory/) [James Scott Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott-bell/) > [Many writers struggle with exposition in their novels. Often they heap it on in large chunks of straight narrative. Back story – what happens…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott-bell/many-writers-struggle-with-exposition-in-their-novels-often-they-heap/) [James Scott Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott-bell/) > [“The exclamation point is a loud party-goer, demanding attention. Overdone, it can be annoying.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott-bell/the-exclamation-point-is-a-loud-party-goer-demanding-attention/) [James Scott Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott-bell/) > [“At this point in the story, the character looks at himself. He takes stock of where he is in the conflict and––depending on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott-bell/at-this-point-in-the-story-the-character-looks-at-himself-he-takes/) [James Scott Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott-bell/) > [“Dwight Swain, the great writing teacher, once said that the secret of excitement is to go deeper into your characters. Create more backstory, more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott-bell/dwight-swain-the-great-writing-teacher-once-said-that-the-secret-of/) [James Scott Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott-bell/) > [Think of it as the Doorway of No Return. 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Someone can say he's sorry for stealing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott-bell/transformation-is-about-change-and-change-needs-to-be-proven-people/) [James Scott Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott-bell/) > [Superb historical romance, with a spiritual theme woven seamlessly throughout. I much enjoyed The Covered Deep and look forward to more from its author!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott-bell/superb-historical-romance-with-a-spiritual-theme-woven-seamlessly/) [James Scott Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott-bell/) > [Every hour you spend writing is an hour you don't spend worrying about your writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott-bell/every-hour-you-spend-writing-is-an-hour-you-don-t-spend-worrying/) [James Scott Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott-bell/) > [Write like you're in love. Edit like you're in charge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott-bell/write-like-you-re-in-love-edit-like-you-re-in-charge/) [James Scott Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott-bell/) > [“Psychological death is the key to all romances, isn't it? If the two lovers don't get together, they will each miss out on their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-scott-bell/psychological-death-is-the-key-to-all-romances-isn-t-it-if-the-two/) [James Scott Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott-bell/) [Explore all 27 James Scott Bell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-scott-bell/) ## More Beginning quotes > [At the very beginning, I was a page at Letterman, and I freelanced for any place that would let me write any word. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/at-the-very-beginning-i-was-a-page-at-letterman-and-i-freelanced-for/) [Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Every Finish Line is the beginning of a new race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-finish-line-is-the-beginning-of-a-new-race/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Always keep the smile, because the smile is the beginning of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-imad/always-keep-the-smile-because-the-smile-is-the-beginning-of-love/) Adam Imad > [We are beginning to see intimations of this in the implantation of computer devices into the human body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/we-are-beginning-to-see-intimations-of-this-in-the-implantation-of/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [The only vocal training I had was playing with a tape recorder as a kid, and you know, doing the beginning of the 'Lone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-buffer/the-only-vocal-training-i-had-was-playing-with-a-tape-recorder-as-a/) [Michael Buffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-buffer/) > [January is the beginning of a new year for us in the Western world. Let us give to God what belongs to him: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-white/january-is-the-beginning-of-a-new-year-for-us-in-the-western-world/) [Paula White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-white/) > [In the beginning, if you look at those early label albums of the Chicks, we didn't write all that much. We had an A&R…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martie-maguire/in-the-beginning-if-you-look-at-those-early-label-albums-of-the/) [Martie Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martie-maguire/) > [You need more than a beginning if you're going to start a book. If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [When there is a mission before you, you see it from its beginning to its conclusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-white/when-there-is-a-mission-before-you-you-see-it-from-its-beginning-to/) [Jesse White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-white/) > [When God made the world, all things began with him. Life, death, it all began when he said so. That includes you and me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manae-poet-of-carisis/when-god-made-the-world-all-things-began-with-him-life-death-it-all/) Manae Poet Of Carisis > [From the beginning at Intel, we planned on being big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-noyce/from-the-beginning-at-intel-we-planned-on-being-big/) [Robert Noyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-noyce/) > [In the very beginning, Yelp started as a service where we really didn't think people would write reviews for fun. The whole concept of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-stoppelman/in-the-very-beginning-yelp-started-as-a-service-where-we-really-didn/) [Jeremy Stoppelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-stoppelman/) > [Some projects feel like the stars are aligning for them from the very beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-smith/some-projects-feel-like-the-stars-are-aligning-for-them-from-the-very/) [Gregory Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-smith/) > [Do not judge me by my beginning, Only by my end, Nor by the path I took, But where it led me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacklyn-h-lucas/do-not-judge-me-by-my-beginning-only-by-my-end-nor-by-the-path-i-took/) Jacklyn H Lucas [Browse all 3,566 Beginning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginning/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The thing I do at the beginning is a \"voice journal,\" a free form doc that is the character speaking to me. 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