@im_a_demigod_elf Awww, I’m SO happy you want to start writing!! ❤️ And honestly, don’t let that blank document intimidate you!
For my fics, I usually start by planning 2–3 really important moments that I know I want to happen later: the big climax points, like a breakup, an accident, a huge revelation, etc. Then I roughly decide how many chapters I think I’ll need and divide the story into little stages. For example, the first 10 chapters could introduce the characters and slowly make them fall for each other, the next 10 could create a conflict between them, and then I build from there. The chapter count always changes as I write, though!
I also usually don’t start publishing until I have around 25–30 chapters written. While I’m writing those, I’m constantly going back and changing earlier chapters because I get new ideas, add things, remove things, or realize something needs to be foreshadowed.
And I have a separate page where I keep EVERYTHING important: names, dates, plot points, things I want to happen, little details I don’t want to forget, etc. It helps SO much with a big story like Ashes and Halos.
But honestly, the most important thing is: just start writing. Your first chapter doesn’t have to be perfect. You’ll discover the story while writing it. ❤️
