How to Write a Book: 7 Tips for Beginners
The journey of writing a novel can be both thrilling and challenging. I know this intimately from my own experience. When I started writing my first book, I encountered numerous obstacles that delayed its completion for years. That’s why I want to share my journey and the valuable insights I've gathered from guiding my author clients. These seven tips can provide valuable guidance for writing your first novel.
Key Takeaways:
Writing a novel involves multiple moving parts, and these seven tips are designed to help you develop your idea and maintain consistency throughout the writing process.
To prevent getting stuck in the middle of your story, consider outlining.
At this early stage in the writing process, it is most important to get your story down on the page rather than feel stalled by not knowing which genre your writing fits into.
Tip 1: Planning Your Book - Creating a Concept
To transform an idea into a captivating book, start by brainstorming characters and key plot points. For instance, if your central theme involves a small-town detective solving supernatural mysteries, envision characters like a quirky detective, a skeptical sidekick, and an enigmatic supernatural entity. Outline your story with a clear beginning, middle, and end to ensure it has enough substance to sustain a novel. See this blog for how to come up with your next idea for a fiction book.
Tip 2: Write with a Genre in Mind
Define your genre early in the writing process. Whether you lean towards mystery, suspense, thriller, cozy mystery, epic adventures, fantasy, or science fiction, understanding your genre will provide a framework for your narrative and help you cater to the expectations of your target audience. If you are not sure of your genre, that is ok too. At this early stage in the writing process, it is most important to get your story down on the page rather than feel stalled by not knowing which genre your writing fits into.
Tip 3: Outlining
While not everyone enjoys outlining, it can prevent you from getting stuck in the middle of your story. Start with the 3-act structure to outline key elements such as the discovery of the crime, the investigation process, plot twists, and the resolution. Experiment with different outlining methods to find what works best for you.
Tip 4: Developing Characters
Invest time in creating detailed character profiles. Using the detective example from above, delve into their traits, preferences, fears, and past experiences. Explore character arcs, allowing your protagonists to evolve throughout the story. For instance, a skeptic detective may learn to accept the supernatural, face fears and unlock hidden strengths.
Tip 5: Writing Process - Setting Realistic Goals
There are many approaches to creating a writing process. The most important is that you show up and stay consistent in the best way you can. One way that works well for me is to establish achievable word count goals to maintain a steady writing pace. For example, aiming for 1,000 words a day may feel overwhelming whereas, writing 1,000 words a week throughout three writing sessions may feel much more doable. Customize a writing practice that aligns with your lifestyle and preferences.
Tip 6: Editing and Revising
Remember, your first draft doesn't have to be anywhere near perfect. Focus on getting the story on paper and refine it in subsequent edits. The first draft (or two), is just for you. Reading your manuscript aloud can help identify awkward phrasing and errors, providing a different perspective on the flow of the narrative.
Tip 7: Seeking Feedback
Engage beta readers to gain valuable insights into plot twists, character connections, and overall reader engagement. Consider professional editing services, such as developmental edit, to address issues related to pacing, consistency, and sentence structure before working with a line editor.
Writing a novel involves multiple moving parts, and these seven tips are designed to help you develop your idea and maintain consistency throughout the writing process. Remember, even bestselling authors faced challenges. J.K. Rowling's initial rejections for the first Harry Potter book are a testament to this.
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