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Blog • Perfecting your Craft

Last updated on Jun 23, 2023

How to Write a Novel: 13-Steps From a Bestselling Writer [+Templates]

This post is written by author, editor, and ghostwriter Tom Bromley. He is the instructor of Reedsy's 101-day course, How to Write a Novel .

Writing a novel is an exhilarating and daunting process. How do you go about transforming a simple idea into a powerful narrative that grips readers from start to finish? Crafting a long-form narrative can be challenging, and it requires skillfully weaving together various story elements.

In this article, we will break down the major steps of novel writing into manageable pieces, organized into three categories — before, during, and after you write your manuscript.

How to write a novel in 13 steps:

1. Pick a story idea with novel potential

2. develop your main characters, 3. establish a central conflict and stakes, 4. write a logline or synopsis, 5. structure your plot, 6. pick a point of view, 7. choose a setting that benefits your story , 8. establish a writing routine, 9. shut out your inner editor, 10. revise and rewrite your first draft, 11. share it with your first readers, 12. professionally edit your manuscript, 13. publish your novel.

Every story starts with an idea.

You might be lucky, like JRR Tolkien, who was marking exam papers when a thought popped into his head: ‘In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.’ You might be like Jennifer Egan, who saw a wallet left in a public bathroom and imagined the repercussions of a character stealing it, which set the Pulitzer prize-winner A Visit From the Goon Squad in process. Or you might follow Khaled Hosseini, whose The Kite Runner was sparked by watching a news report on TV.

Many novelists I know keep a notebook of ideas both large and small 一 sometimes the idea they pick up on they’ll have had much earlier, but whatever reason, now feels the time to write it. Certainly, the more ideas you have, the more options you’ll have to write. 

✍️ Need a little inspiration? Check our list of 30+ story ideas for fiction writing , our list of 300+ writing prompts , or even our plot generator .

Is your idea novel-worthy?

How do you know if what you’ve got is the inspiration for a novel, rather than a short story or a novella ? There’s no definitive answer here, but there are two things to look out for 

Firstly, a novel allows you the space to show how a character changes over time, whereas a short story is often more about a vignette or an individual moment. Secondly, if an idea is fit for a novel, it’ll nag away at you: a thread asking to be pulled to see where it goes. If you find yourself coming back to an idea, then that’s probably one to explore.

I expand on how to cultivate and nurture your ‘idea seeds’ in my free 10-day course on novel writing. 

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How to Write a Novel

Author and ghostwriter Tom Bromley will guide you from page 1 to the finish line.

Another starting point (or essential element) for writing a novel will come in the form of the people who will populate your stories: the protagonists. 

My rule of thumb in writing is that a reader will read on for one of two reasons: either they care about the characters , or they want to know what happens next (or, in an ideal world, both). Now different people will tell you that character or plot are the most important element when writing. 

In truth, it’s a bit more complicated than that: in a good novel, the main character or protagonist should shape the plot, and the plot should shape the protagonist. So you need both core elements in there, and those two core elements are entwined rather than being separate entities. 

Characters matter because when written well, readers become invested in what happens to them. You can develop the most brilliant, twisty narrative, but if the reader doesn’t care how the protagonist ends up, you’re in trouble as a writer. 

As we said above, one of the strengths of the novel is that it gives you the space to show how characters change over time. How do characters change? 

Firstly, they do so by being put in a position where they have to make decisions, difficult decisions, and difficult decisions with consequences . That’s how we find out who they really are. 

Secondly, they need to start from somewhere where they need to change: give them flaws, vulnerabilities, and foibles for them to overcome. This is what makes them human — and the reason why readers respond to and care about them.

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As said earlier, it’s important to have both a great character and an interesting plot, which you can develop by making your character face some adversities.

That drama in the novel is usually built around some sort of central conflict . This conflict creates a dramatic tension that compels the reader to read on. They want to see the outcome of that conflict resolved: the ultimate resolution of the conflict (hopefully) creates a satisfying ending to the narrative.

A character changes, as we said above, when they are put in a position of making decisions with consequences. Those consequences are important. It isn’t enough for a character to have a goal or a dream or something they need to achieve (to slay the dragon): there also needs to be consequences if they don’t get what they’re after (the dragon burns their house down). Upping the stakes heightens the drama all round.

Now you have enough ingredients to start writing your novel, but before you do that, it can be useful to tighten them all up into a synopsis. 

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So far you’ve got your story idea, your central characters and your sense of conflict and stakes. Now is the time to distill this down into a narrative. Different writers approach this planning stage in different ways, as we’ll come to in a moment, but for anyone starting a novel, having a clear sense of what is at the heart of your story is crucial. 

There are a lot of different terms used here 一 pitch, elevator pitch , logline, shoutline, or the hook of your synopsis 一 but whatever the terminology the idea remains the same. This is to summarize your story in as few words as possible: a couple of dozen words, say, or perhaps a single sentence. 

This exercise will force you to think about what your novel is fundamentally about. What is the conflict at the core of the story? What are the challenges facing your main protagonist? What do they have at stake? 

📚 Check out these 48 irresistible  book hook examples  and get inspired to craft your own.

If you need some help, as you go through the steps in this guide, you can fill in this template:

My story is a [genre] novel. It’s told from [perspective] and is set in [place and time period] . It follows [protagonist] , who wants [goal] because [motivation] . But [conflict] doesn’t make that easy, putting [stake] at risk.

It's not an easy thing to do, to write this summarising sentence or two. In fact, they might be the most difficult sentences to get down in the whole writing process. But it is really useful in helping you to clarify what your book is about before you begin. When you’re stuck in the middle of the writing, it will be there for you to refer back to. And further down the line, when you’ve finished the novel, it will prove invaluable in pitching to agents , publishers, and readers. 

📼 Learn more about the process of writing a logline from professional editor Jeff Lyons. 

Another particularly important step to prepare for the writing part, is to outline your plot into different key story points. 

There’s no right answer here as to how much planning you should do before you write: it very much depends on the sort of writer you are. Some writers find planning out their novel before start gives them confidence and reassurance knowing where their book is going to go. But others find this level of detail restrictive: they’re driven more by the freedom of discovering where the writing might take them. 

This is sometimes described as a debate between ‘planners’ and ‘pantsers’ (those who fly by the seat of their pants). In reality, most writers sit somewhere on a sliding scale between the two extremes. Find your sweet spot and go from there!

If you’re a planning type, there’s plenty of established story structures out there to build your story around. Popular theories include the Save the Cat model and Christopher Vogler’s Hero’s Journey . Then there are books such as Christopher Booker’s The Seven Basic Plots , which suggests that all stories are one of, well, you can probably work that out.

Whatever the structure, most stories follow the underlying principle of having a beginning, middle and end (and one that usually results in a process of change). So even if you’re ‘pantsing’ rather than planning, it’s helpful to know your direction of travel, though you might not yet know how your story is going to get there. 

How to Plot a Novel in Three Acts

In 10 days, learn how to plot a novel that keeps readers hooked

Finally, remember what we said earlier about plot and character being entwined: your character’s journey shouldn’t be separate to what happens in the story. Indeed, sometimes it can be helpful to work out the character’s journey of change first, and shape the plot around that, rather than the other way round. 

Now, let’s consider which perspective you’re going to write your story from. 

However much plotting you decide to do before you start writing, there are two further elements to think about before you start putting pen to paper (or finger to keyboard). The first one is to think about which point of view you’re going to tell your story from. It is worth thinking about this before you start writing because deciding to change midway through your story is a horribly thankless task (I speak from bitter personal experience!)

Understanding Point of View

Learn to master different POVs and choose the best for your story.

Although there might seem a large number of viewpoints you could tell your story from, in reality, most fiction is told from two points of view 一 first person (the ‘I’ form) and third person ‘close’ (he/she/they). ‘Close’ third person is when the story is witnessed from one character’s view at a time (as opposed to third person ‘omniscient’ where the story can drop into lots of people’s thoughts).

Both of these viewpoints have advantages and disadvantages. First person is usually better for intimacy and getting into character’s thoughts: the flip side is that its voice can feel a bit claustrophobic and restrictive in the storytelling. Third person close offers you more options and more space to tell your story: but can feel less intimate as a result. 

There’s no right and wrong here in terms of which is the ‘best’ viewpoint. It depends on the particular demands of the story that you are wanting to write. And it also depends on what you most feel comfortable writing in. It can be a useful exercise to write a short section in both viewpoints to see which feels the best fit for you before starting to write. 

Which POV is right for your book?

Take our quiz to find out! Takes only 1 minute.

Besides choosing a point of view, consider the setting you’re going to place your story in.

The final element to consider before beginning your story is to think about where your story is going to be located . Settings play a surprisingly important part in bringing a story to life. When done well, they add in mood and atmosphere, and can act almost like an additional character in your novel.

There are many questions to consider here. And again, it depends a bit on the demands of the story that you are writing. 

Is your setting going to a real place, a fictional one, or a real place with fictional elements? Is it going to be set in the present day, the past, or at an unspecified time? Are you going to set your story in somewhere you know, or need to research to capture properly? Finally, is your setting suited to the story you are telling, and serve to accentuate it, rather than just acting as a backdrop?

If you’re writing a novel in genres such as fantasy or science fiction , then you may well need to go into some additional world-building as well before you start writing. Here, you may have to consider everything from the rules and mores of society to the existence of magical powers, fantastic beasts, extraterrestrials, and futuristic technology. All of these can have a bearing on the story, so it is better to have a clear setup in your head before you start to write.

The Ultimate Worldbuilding Template

130 questions to help create a world readers want to visit again and again.

Whether your story is set in central London or the outer rings of the solar system, some elements of the descriptive detail remain the same. Think about the use of all the different senses — the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures of where you’re writing about. Those sorts of small details can help to bring any setting to life, from the familiar to the imaginary. 

Alright, enough brainstorming and planning. It’s time to let the words flow on the page. 

Having done your prep — or as much prep and planning as you feel you need — it’s time to get down to business and write the thing. Getting a full draft of a novel is no easy task, but you can help yourself by setting out some goals before you start writing.

Firstly, think about how you write best. Are you a morning person or an evening person? Would you write better at home or out and about, in a café or a library, say? Do you need silence to write, or musical encouragement to get the juices flowing? Are you a regular writer, chipping away at the novel day by day, or more of a weekend splurger?

How to Build a Solid Writing Routine

In 10 days, learn to change your habits to support your writing.

I’d always be wary of anyone who tells you how you should be writing. Find a routine and a setup that works for you . That might not always be the obvious one: the crime writer Jo Nesbø spent a while creating the perfect writing room but discovered he couldn’t write there and ended up in the café around the corner.

You might not keep the same way of writing throughout the novel: routines can help, but they can also become monotonous. You may need to find a way to shake things up to keep going.

Deadlines help here. If you’re writing a 75,000-word novel, then working at a pace of 5,000 words a week will take you 15 weeks (Monday to Friday, that’s 1000 words a day). Half the pace will take twice as long. Set yourself a realistic deadline to finish the book (and key points along the way). Without a deadline, the writing can end up drifting, but it needs to be realistic to avoid giving yourself a hard time. 

In my experience, writing speeds vary. I tend to start quite slowly on a book, and speed up towards the end. There are times when the tap is open, and the words are pouring out: make the most of those moments. There are times, too, when each extra sentence feels like torture: don’t beat yourself up here. Be kind to yourself: it’s a big, demanding project you’re undertaking.

Speaking of self-compassion, a word on that harsh editor inside your mind…

The other important piece of advice is to continue writing forward. It is very easy, and very tempting, to go back over what you’ve written and give it a quick edit. Once you start down that slippery slope, you end up rewriting and reworking the same scene and never get any further forwards in the text. I know of writers who spent months perfecting their first chapter before writing on, only to delete that beginning as the demands of the story changed.

The first draft of your novel isn’t about perfection; it’s about getting the words down. One writer I work with calls it the ‘vomit draft’ — getting everything out and onto the page. It’s only once you’ve got a full manuscript down that you can see your ideas in context and have the capacity to edit everything properly. So as much as your inner editor might be calling you, resist! They’ll have their moment in the sun later on. For now, it’s about getting a complete version down, that you can go on to work with and shape. 

By now, you’ve reached the end of your first draft (we might be glossing over the hard writing part just a little here: if you want more detail and help on how to get through to the end of your draft, our How to Write A Novel course is warmly recommended). 

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Reaching the end of your first draft is an important milestone in the journey of a book. Sadly for those who feel that this is the end of the story, it’s actually more of a stepping stone than the finish line.

In some ways, now the hard work begins. The difference between wannabe writers and those who get published can often be found in the amount of rewriting done. Professional writers will go back and back over what they’ve written, honing what they’ve created until the text is as tight and taut as it is possible to be.

How do you go about achieving this? The first thing to do upon finishing is to put the manuscript in a drawer. Leave it for a month or six weeks before you come back to it. That way, you’ll return the script with a fresh pair of eyes. Read it back through and be honest about what works and what doesn’t. As you read the script, think in particular about pace: are there sections in the novel that are too fast or too slow? Avoid the trap of the saggy middle . Then consider: is your character arc complete and coherent? Look at the big-picture stuff first before you tackle the smaller details. 

Edit your novel closely

On that note, here are a few things you might want to keep an eye out for:

Show, don’t tell. Sometimes, you just need to state something matter-of-factly in your novel, that’s fine. But, as much as you can, try to illustrate a point instead of just stating it . Keep in mind the words of Anton Chekhov: “Don’t tell me the moon is shining. Show me the glint of light on broken glass."

“Said” is your friend. When it comes to dialogue, there can be the temptation to spice things up a bit by using tags like “exclaimed,” “asserted,” or “remarked.” And while there might be a time and place for these, 90% of the time, “said” is the best tag to use. Anything else can feel distracting or forced. 

Stay away from purple prose. Purple prose is overly embellished language that doesn’t add much to the story. It convolutes the intended message and can be a real turn-off for readers.

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Resolve every error, from plot holes to misplaced punctuation.

Once you feel it’s good enough for other people to lay their eyes on it, it’s time to ask for feedback.

Writing a novel is a two-way process: there’s you, the writer, and there’s the intended audience, the reader. The only way that you can find out if what you’ve written is successful is to ask people to read and get feedback.

Think about when to ask for feedback and who to ask it from. There are moments in the writing when feedback is useful and others where it gets in the way. To save time, I often ask for feedback in those six weeks when the script is in the drawer (though I don’t look at those comments until I’ve read back myself first). The best people to ask for feedback are fellow writers and beta readers : they know what you’re going through and will also be most likely to offer you constructive feedback. 

Also, consider working with sensitivity readers if you are writing about a place or culture outside your own. Friends and family can also be useful but are a riskier proposition: they might be really helpful, but equally, they might just tell you it’s great or terrible, neither of which is overly useful.

Feedbacking works best when you can find at least a few people to read, and you can pool their comments. My rule is that if more than one person is saying the same thing, they are probably right. If only one person is saying something, then you have a judgment call to make as to whether to take those comments further (though usually, you’ll know in your gut whether they are right or not.)

Overall, the best feedback you can receive is that of a professional editor…

Once you’ve completed your rewrites and taken in comments from your chosen feedbackers, it’s time to take a deep breath and seek outside opinions. What happens next here depends on which route you want to take to market:

If you want to go down the traditional publishing route , you’ll probably need to get a literary agent, which we’ll discuss in a moment.

If you’re going down the self-publishing route , you’ll need to do what would be done in a traditional publishing house and take your book through the editing process. This normally happens in three stages. 

Developmental editing. The first of these is to work with a development editor , who will read and critique your work primarily from a structural point of view. 

Copy-editing. Secondly, the book must be copy-edited , where an editor works more closely, line-by-line, on the script. 

Proofreading. Finally, usually once the script has been typeset, then the material should be professionally proofread , to spot any final mistakes or orrors. Sorry, errors!

Finding such people can sound like a daunting task. But fear not! Here at Reedsy, we have a fantastic fleet of editors of all shapes, sizes, and experiences. So whatever your needs or requirements, we should be able to pair you with an editor to suit.

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Now that you’ve ironed out all the wrinkles of your manuscript, it’s time to release it into the wild.

For those thinking about going the traditional publishing route , now’s the time for you to get to work. Most trade publishers will only accept work from a literary agent, so you’ll need to find a suitable literary agent to represent your work. 

The querying process is not always straightforward: it involves research, waiting and often a lot of rejections until you find the right person (I was rejected by 24 agents before I found my first agent). Usually, an agent will ask to see a synopsis and the first three chapters (check their websites for submission details). If they like what they read, they’ll ask to see the whole thing. 

If you’re self-publishing, you’ll need to think about getting your finished manuscript to market. You’ll need to get it typeset (laid out in book form) and find a cover designer . Do you want to sell printed copies or just ebooks? You’ll need to work out how to work Amazon , where a lot of your sales will come from, and also how you’ll market your book .

For those picked up by a traditional publisher, all the editing steps discussed will take place in-house. That might sound like a smoother process, but the flip side can be less control over the process: a publisher may have the final say in the cover or the title, and lead times (when the book is published) are usually much longer. So it’s worth thinking about which route to market works best for you.

Finally, you’re a published author! Congratulations. Now all you have to do is think about writing the next one… 

As an editor and publisher, Tom has worked on several hundred titles, again including many prize-winners and international bestsellers. 

8 responses

Sasha Winslow says:

14/05/2019 – 02:56

I started writing in February 2019. It was random, but there was an urge to the story I wanted to write. At first, I was all over the place. I knew the genre I wanted to write was Fantasy ( YA or Adult). That has been my only solid starting point the genre. From February to now, I've changed my story so many times, but I am happy to say by giving my characters names I kept them. I write this all to say is thank you for this comprehensive step by step. Definitely see where my issues are and ways to fix it. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Evelyn P. Norris says:

30/10/2019 – 14:18

My number one tip is to write in order. If you have a good idea for a future scene, write down the idea for the scene, but do NOT write it ahead of time. That's a major cause of writer's block that I discovered. Write sequentially. :) If you can't help yourself, make sure you at least write it in a different document, and just ignore that scene until you actually get to that part of the novel

Allen P. Wilkinson says:

28/01/2020 – 04:51

How can we take your advice seriously when you don’t even know the difference between stationary and stationery? Makes me wonder how competent your copy editors are.

↪️ Martin Cavannagh replied:

29/01/2020 – 15:37

Thanks for spotting the typo!

↪️ Chris Waite replied:

14/02/2020 – 13:17

IF you're referring to their use of 'stationery' under the section '1. Nail down the story idea' (it's the only reference on this page) then the fact that YOU don't know the difference between stationery and stationary and then bother to tell the author of this brilliant blog how useless they must be when it's YOU that is the thicko tells me everything I need to know about you and your use of a middle initial. Bellend springs to mind.

Sapei shimrah says:

18/03/2020 – 13:59

Thanks i will start writing now

Jeremy says:

25/03/2020 – 22:41

I’ve run the gamut between plotter and pantser, but lately I’ve settled on in-depth plotting before my novels. It’s hard for me to do focus wise, but I’m finding I’m spending less time in writer’s block. What trips me up more is finding the right voice for my characters. I’m currently working on a sci-fi YA novel and using the Save the Cat beat sheet for structure for the first time. Thank you for the article!

Nick Girdwood says:

29/04/2020 – 10:32

Can you not write a story without some huge theme?

Comments are currently closed.

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How to Write a Book: The Ultimate Guide (with Free Book Idea Worksheet!)

by Joe Bunting | 0 comments

You want to write a book. Maybe you have a great story idea. Maybe you have a big idea you want to share with the world. Maybe people have told you, “Your life should be made into a book!” But first, you have to learn how to write a book.

The problem for the first-time author is figuring out how to get started. What are the writing habits you need to finish the actual writing for an entire book? And what comes next for your writing goals: traditional publishing? Self-publishing? Becoming a New York Times bestselling book? A long and illustrious writing career?

Because after coaching thousands of writers to write and finish their books, and also writing fifteen books of my own, I know exactly how much hard work it takes to finish a book.

It's not enough to want to write, you need to know how to write a book.

You need to have the right process. The write process, you might say (sorry, I had to!).

In this guide, we're going to learn everything about how to write a nonfiction book, from how to defeat procrastination and find writing time, all the way to revising and the editing process—and even to the publishing process.

If you've ever wanted to write a book, whether a memoir, a big idea book, or a self help book, you're in the right place.

If, on the other hand, you're a fiction writer and have a main character who you know is going to take the world by storm, we have a complete guide on novel writing here . For you nonfiction writers, though, read on for all our best writing tips.

And that free book idea worksheet ? Here's your FREE download: Book Idea Worksheet

Quick Tip: The Best Tool to Write a Book

Before we get started, here's a quick tip for writing a book, Microsoft Word just doesn't cut it.

My favorite writing tool is Scrivener, a book writing software used by the most successful writers. Scrivener helps you stay organized, set word count goals, and keep better track of your writing sessions. Check out our full review of Scrivener here.

How to Fail Writing a Book

In 2011, I had one of the best years of my life. That year, I wrote my first book, became a full-time writer, got my first book published , became a bestselling author, and had 80,000 people read my writing.

But it didn't happen overnight. I had dreamed about and had been working toward those goals for eight years before that: eight years of failure, of trying to write books and not being able to finish them, eight years of wanting to be a writer but not knowing how to actually do it .

Since then, I've written fifteen books, including one book that recently hit the Wall Street Journal bestsellers list.

You might be thinking, “That's cool, Joe. But you're clearly a talented writer. Writing is hard work for me.”

To be honest, it doesn't come easy to me. In fact, if I told my high school English teachers I'm a writer, they would probably be shocked.

The difference is that I found the right process. It's a step-by-step process that works every time, and it will work for you too.

In this guide, I'm going to share the process that I've used to write fifteen books, become a professional writer, and hit the bestsellers list.

But it's not just me. I've also trained thousands of people in our 100 Day Book program to finish books using this process, too.

It works, and it will work for you, if you follow it.

That being said, if you're still not sure you can actually do this alone, or if you just want some extra help along the way, check out 100 Day Book . In this program, we've helped thousands of aspiring writers turned authors to accomplish their dream of writing a book, and we'd love to help you, too. Click to learn more about 100 Day Book here.

How to Write a Book: 12 Steps to Writing a Book

Here's the process I finally learned after that decade of trying to learn how to write a book and failing, the same twelve steps that have helped me write fifteen books.

1. Come Up With a Great Book Idea

If you're here, you probably have a book idea already. Maybe you have several ideas.

And if that's true, great! Pat yourself on the back. You've made it to step one.

Here's what to do next: forget any sense accomplishment you have.

Yes, I'm serious.

Here's what George R.R. Martin said:

“Ideas are useless. Execution is everything.”

Because the thing is, an idea alone, even a great idea, is just the small step to write your book.

There are a lot more steps, and all of them are more difficult than coming up with your initial idea. (I'm sorry if that's discouraging!)

You have an idea. Great! Next, it's time to learn how to execute the way successful authors do. Let's get started with step 2.

(Don't have an idea yet? Check out this article: How to Write When You Don't Have Ideas .)

2. Write Your Book Idea In the Form of a 1-Sentence Premise

The next step to taking your idea and turning it into a book is to summarize your idea into a single-sentence premise.

But wait, what's a premise ?

A premise distills your entire book idea down to a single sentence. This sentence becomes the foundation of all your writing efforts and will be helpful even into publishing process.

Your premise is also the most important part of a book proposal, so a good premise can actually help you get published.

Here’s an example of a nonfiction premise from my book The Write Structure , which got half a dozen responses from agents.

The Write Structure utilizes The Write Practice’s (thewritepractice.com) award-winning methodology to show creative writers how to write their best novels, memoirs, short stories, or screenplays by following story structure principles used and taught by writers for hundreds of years.

Each nonfiction book premise should contain the following three elements:

• A problem . The problem the book aims to solve (in this case, how to write a good novel, memoir, short story, or screenplay)
• A person . Who is the person sharing the solution to that problem, e.g. you
• A solution . What is your unique process to solve that problem

By simplifying your book down to a single sentence, you create a strong, achievable foundation to your entire book. Not only will this simple step help you during the writing process, it will also help you throughout the publishing process, too, which we'll talk about more in a bit.

Ready to write your premise? To make it easier we have a free worksheet template that will guide you through writing a publishable premise: Download the worksheet here.

Or get a copy of our Write Plan Planner , and have a physical tool to guide you through the writing process. Check out the planner here.

3. Choose Your Publishing Path

When you're writing nonfiction, you have to choose your publishing path earlier than creative writers because most nonfiction books are picked up by publishers before they're written.

In fact, it's a red flag in the eyes of traditional publishers and literary agents if you've finished your book before you pitch them. They want to see a book proposal first, and have a hand in the shaping of the book.

That means, if you're writing nonfiction, and you want to get traditionally published, before you go write your own book, you must write a book proposal.

However, if you're writing a memoir, you may need to finish writing the book before you seek publishing. Memoir exists in something of a gray area in the publishing world, with more self-help focused memoirs requiring a proposal, and more creative memoirs acting more like a novel, where the writer would finish them first.

Which publishing path is right for you? Here are the two main requirements for traditional publishing for nonfiction books:

• Platform . Do you have authority within this topic? Do you have a following, via social media, speaking, podcast, YouTube, an email list, or some other platform of at least 10,000 people?
• A tested idea with mass market appeal . Does your idea line up with your platform? Does it have mass market appeal?

If you can't answer “yes” to both of these questions, then you might consider self-publishing, working with a small press, or hybrid press after you complete your book. Or taking a break from your book to build your platform and target audience, perhaps by building an author website and starting a blog. (For more on this, check out this guide on how to build a platform via a blog .)

You might be wondering, at this point too, how do you write a book proposal?

Book proposals vary across writers and publishers, but here are some of the major components:

• 1-Sentence Premise (see above)
• 2-4 paragraph synopsis
• Outline (Table of Contents)
• Tone and Writing Style
• Platform Description and Marketing Info
• 2-3 Sample Chapters

For more on this, check out Jane Friedman's excellent guide on how to write a book proposal .

Now, once you've chosen your publishing path and you're ready to begin writing a whole book, how do you actually finish it? The next steps will all but guarantee you reach The End of your book.

4. Outline Your Book

Even you if you don't decide to traditionally publish, I still recommend working through most of the elements of a book proposal listed above, especially the book outline because it will make the writing process so much easier.

Your book's outline will vary widely depending on your genre, your writing style, your book's topic, and your method.

However, there are some tried and true structures that exist in nonfiction books. Here are some suggested structures you can use:

Introduction . Most nonfiction books include a short (2,000 to 3,000 words) introduction. They usually outline the main problem you will be focusing on in the book. They may also introduce you as the author and your authority, and outline the unique solution you will be guiding readers through in your book.

8-10 Chapters . Nonfiction book chapters dive deeper into the problem and give principles or steps to solve that problem. Chapters can have a variety of different structures, but here is my personal favorite, used frequently by Malcolm Gladwell:

• Opening story
• Analysis of the story
• Universal principle
• Closing story (may be the conclusion of the opening story)

Conclusion . Conclusions usually restate the problem and show how you solved that problem, often ending with a concluding story and a call to action to encourage the reader to go out and put the ideas you've shared to use.

Easy right? Not exactly, but creating this outline will make the rest of the writing process so much easier. Even if it changes, you'll have a resource to help you get unstuck when the writing gets hard.

If you want a template for your outline, as well as a step-by-step guide through the book writing process, get a copy of our Write Plan Planner . This is the exact process that I have used to write fifteen books, and that thousands of other authors in our community have used to finish their book all in a beautiful, daily planner . Check out the planner here.

5. Set a Deadline

This one might surprise you. Because most people think that once you've got your idea ready to go, you should just start writing and not worry about the period of time it takes.

Nope. Not even close.

The next step is to set a deadline for when you're going to finish the first rough draft of your book. But you might be wondering, how long does it take to write a book in the first place?

How long should you set your deadline for?

Some people use NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month, to set their deadline for them, writing 50,000 words of book in the thirty days of November. That being said, it's very challenging for most people to finish a book in thirty days.

Stephen King, on the other hand, said the first draft of a book should take no more than a season, so three months. With all due respect to Stephen King, I think that's a little fast for most people.

We give people 100 days , which seems to be just long enough to write a first draft without getting distracted by everything else the world wants you to focus on (looking at you, social media).

So for you, give yourself a week or two to prepare, then set your deadline for about 100 days after that.

There you go! You now have a deadline to finish your book!

6. Break Your Deadline Into Weekly and Daily Word Counts

You can't pull an all-nighter and finish writing a book. Trust me, I've tried!

Instead, you have to break up your deadline into smaller, weekly, and daily deadlines so you can make measured progress over your writing period. This step breaks the work into manageable pieces.

This step also requires a bit of math. Here's how to do it so you can actually stay on track:

• Figure out your book's ideal target word count goal (check out our word count guide )
• Figure out how many weeks until your deadline (e.g. 100 days = 14.5 weeks)
• Divide your book's total word count by the number of weeks (e.g. 45,000 ÷ 14.5 = 3,103 words per week)
• Next, figure out how many days per week you're going to write (e.g. 5 days a week)
• Finally, divide your weekly word count goal by the number of days you'll write to get your daily word count goal (e.g. 3,103 ÷ 5. = 621 words per day)

If you can hit all of your weekly and daily deadlines, you know you’ll make your final deadline at the end.

P.S. You're much more likely to actually meet your deadlines if you take a stand and set a consequence, which I”ll talk about next.

7. Take a Stand

Deadlines are nice, but it can be too easy to follow Douglas Adams' advice:

I love deadlines. I love the whooshing sound they make as they go by.

There are two tricks that will help you actually meet your deadline, and it's essential to do these before you start writing or you'll never finish your book.

The first one is a little scary, but will make a huge difference.

Once you've set your deadline, go tell everyone you know. Post your deadline on social media, saying something like this:

Here. We'll even make it easy for you. Just click the share button below to tweet this and fill in the blank with your deadline:

Don't have social media? That's okay. Just email five friends. These friends will become your accountability partners to ensure you finish your book.

Important: I don't recommend talking about your book idea. Talking about the idea can actually remove some of the motivation to actually work on your book.

But I highly recommend talking about your book's deadline because humans naturally avoid letting each other down. When you make a public promise to do something, you're much more likely to do it!

So go ahead. Share your deadline. You can do this right now. Don't worry, we'll be here when you get back.

Then, move on to the next trick to keep your deadline.

8. Set a Consequence

You might think, “Setting a deadline is fine, but how do I actually hit my deadline?”

The answer is you need to create a consequence. A consequence is a bad thing that happens if you don't hit your deadline.

Maybe you write a check to a charity you hate, like the society for the euthanasia of puppies, you give it to a friend, and you say, “You have to send this check if I don't hit my deadline.”

Or maybe you say you're going to give up a guilty pleasure if you don't hit your deadline, like ice cream or wine or TV or your favorite phone game.

Set a really tough consequence for your final deadline, and then set a couple of less severe consequences for your weekly deadlines.

Whatever you choose, make it really hard to not hit your deadline.

Why? Because writing is hard! If you want to write a book, you need to make not writing harder than writing.

By creating a consequence, you make not writing harder than the actual writing, and this simple trick will make you much more likely to finish.

9. Set an Intention

This is the last step before you start writing, but secretly one of the most helpful.

Set an intention.

Studies have shown that when you have a goal, like working out more or writing a book, and you imagine where , when , and how much you're going to do something, you're much more likely to actually do it.

So do this with me:

• Close your eyes, and imagine your ideal writing space , the place you're going to spend your writing time. Maybe it's a coffee shop or your home office or a chair beside your favorite window.
• Next, imagine what time it is . Is it the morning? Afternoon? Late at night after everyone's gone to bed?
• Finally, picture yourself writing, and watch yourself reach your daily word count goal . Imagine how it feels to accomplish your goal. Great? A relief?
• Then, write all of that down, locking your intention in place . Now that you have a set writing schedule, follow it!

Notice that this is the tenth step.

Most people start here, but without the groundwork you've laid in the previous nine steps, you're setting yourself up for failure.

Don't skip the first nine steps!

Once you do begin writing, keep this in mind:

First drafts are universally bad .

Don't try to write perfect sentences. Don't go back and edit endlessly.

No, instead write as fast as you're able. Get to “the end” as quickly as you can. Use writing sprints .

Try to write as imperfectly as you can, not because you want to write a bad book, but because this is how writing always is: you write a bad first draft and then revise it into a better second draft—and finally, three or five drafts later, you've written a good book.

The difference between aspiring writers and published authors is that published authors know you can't do good writing until you write a bad draft first. Get through it as quickly as you can!

If you're not a natural writer , consider dictating your book into a recorder, and transcribing it afterward. There's no reason you have to physically type out your book. Transcribing it is a perfectly viable way to create a good first draft.

11. Revise, Rewrite, and Edit

After you finish your first draft comes the real hard part.

I know what you're thinking. The first ten steps weren't hard enough?

Yes, of course they were hard. But for some reason, second drafts can be just as hard, if not harder, than first drafts. I've had some of my biggest mental and emotional breakdowns in my life while working on the second draft of a book. There's just something about second drafts that are much more mentally challenging than first drafts.

Here, it's a good idea to get an editor who can give you feedback. (Need an editor recommendation? We have a team of editors we work with here at The Write Practice. Check out our process and get a quote here .)

Once you've finished your second draft, I also recommend getting beta readers, people who can read your book and give you feedback. For more on this, check out our guide on how to find beta readers and use their feedback effectively here .

Depending on your topic, you might also consider recruiting some sensitivity readers to read your book, too.

After you've done all of this, I have one last writing tip for you to ensure you actually finish writing your book—and it might be the most important of all.

12. Don't Stop

Most people want to write a book. I hear from people all the time that think they have a book in them, who believe that they have a story that needs to be shared.

I very rarely talk to people who have finished a book.

Writing a book is hard.

It's SO easy to quit. You get a new idea. Or you read your writing and think, “This is terrible.” Or you decide, “I'd rather be catching up on Netflix, not spending my nights writing.”

Because of this, you quit.

Here's the thing though: the only way to fail at writing a book is to quit .

If you don't quit, if you just keep writing, keep following this process we've outlined above, you will finish a book.

It might not be a good book (yet). But that's what editing is for.

It will be a first draft, and a finished draft at that . You can't write a second draft and start to make your book actually good, actually publishable, until you write the first draft.

So write. Don't stop. Don't quit. If you follow these steps and don't stop, you'll finish.

We'll be here supporting you along the way.

More Resources on How to Write a Book

Still feeling stuck? Have more questions about how to write a book? We've put together a library of book-writing resources. Take a look at the articles below.

Book Writing Tools and Programs

• 100 Day Book . Get a mentor, 100+ writing lessons, deadlines, and accountability and write your book in a program that works. Thousands of authors have finished their books in 100 Day Book, and we'd love to help you too. Click to sign up for 100 Day Book here.
• The Write Plan Planner. Containing everything we've learned about how to write a book over the last 10+ years, this step-by-step guide will walk you through our proven book writing process. Click to get your daily book writing planner.
• Best Book Writing Software . A variety of the best tools for writing, publishing, formatting, and marketing your book.

How to Write a Book Fast Articles

I shared above why I believe that first drafts should be written quickly, in just a few weeks. Still not sure? In the articles below, dozens of other writers share how they wrote fast first drafts, plus you'll get all the tips and strategies they learned along the way.

• How to Write a Book in 100 Days: 10 Steps
• How to Write a Book FAST
• How to Write a Book in 100 Days
• How to Write a Novel in 6 Months
• The First 10 Steps to Write Your Book in 2020
• How to Right a Book in Nine (Not So) Easy Steps
• How to Finish a Novel With a Swim Buddy
• How to Write a Book Using Microsoft Word

How to Write a Book by Genre

Every genre comes with specific expectations that must be fulfilled. Here's how to craft an amazing story in your genre.

• How to Write a Novel
• How to Write a Memoir
• How to Write a Mystery Novel
• How to Write a Suspense Novel
• How to Write a Thriller Novel
• How to Write a Romance Novel
• How to Write an Adventure Book
• How to Write a Coming of Age Novel
• How to Write a Young Adult Novel
• How to Write a Self-Help Book
• How to Write a Book That's Based on a True Story
• How to Write a Book Like Stephen King
• 20 Sci-Fi Creative Writing Prompts and Story Ideas

Okay, no, Stephen King isn't a genre. But he's well worth learning from!

How to Write a Book When Writing Is Hard

Let's face it: writing is hard . Every single writer struggles at some point in their book. The important thing is not to quit . In the following articles, writers share how they persevered through the hard parts, and how you can too.

• How to Write a Book While Working Full Time
• How to Write a Book When You Don't Have Ideas
• How to Write a Book When You’ve Got Writer’s Block
• I Never Thought I Would Write a Book. Here's How I Did It Anyway
• How to Write a Book: The Everest Method
• 10 Obstacles to Writing a Book and How to Conquer Them

How to Write a Book With a Specific Style

Your book comes with its own unique quirks and challenges, especially if the story you're telling is a series, or is told from multiple perspectives. Here's how other writers have navigated these choices.

• How to Write a Book from Multiple Perspectives
• How to Write a Book Series Without Messing Things Up
• How to Write a Novel That Readers Can't Put Down

How to Write a Book and Publish It

Writing is meant to be shared! In these articles, writers break down the publishing process so you can finish your book and share it with the world.

• How to Write and Publish a Book for Free
• How to Write a Book Description That Will Captivate Readers (And Sell Books!)

Publishing Resources

Once you've finished writing a book, how do you get it published. Here are some resources to help.

• Amazon KDP. Self-publish your book on Kindle to the world's biggest book marketplace.
• Book Cover Design . Find a book cover designer among our favorite designers.

Commit to the Book Writing Process, Not Your Feelings

Are you ready to commit to finishing your book?

I don't want you to commit to a book idea. Ideas are seductive, but then you get a fresh idea and the idea you've been working on becomes much less interesting.

You probably have had inspiring moments of writing, when everything feels like it's flowing. But I don't want you to commit to a feeling. Feelings are fickle. They change by the hour.

No, instead commit to the process.

If you follow these steps, you will finish a book. It won't be easy. It will still be a challenge. But you'll do it.

Can you imagine how great it will feel to write “The End” on your own book? Think about the people you will touch because you finished that book. Let's get to it together.

Are you going to commit to writing a book? Let me know in the comments !

The first part of Step Three is to create a 1-sentence premise of your book.

Spend fifteen minutes today to rewrite your book idea into a single-sentence premise. Then, share your premise in the Pro Practice Workshop here.  (and if you’re not a member yet, you can join here ).

Finally, after you share, make sure to give feedback to three other writers.

Happy writing!

Joe Bunting

Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris , a real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).

Want best-seller coaching? Book Joe here.

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Before we get to the steps, we'll explain a little about how the Roadmap is intended to be used. If you don't want to read the introduction you can jump straight to the descriptions of the steps.

What is the novel writing roadmap?

The Roadmap is a step-by-step guide to writing a novel, which takes you from initial idea all the way to seeking publication with your completed manuscript.

It’s based on established theory relating to:

• key story elements
• plot structure
• character development
• effective pacing
• the current landscape for publication

Each of the steps builds on the previous one and it works by starting with your basic story idea, then building on it in a systematic way by developing plot, characters, settings and more, until you have a complete, polished manuscript.

Each step is explained in an article which includes:

• Theory and background
• Description
• A clear, manageable task

Skip straight to the Roadmap steps, or read on.

Who is the roadmap for?

New writers.

The primary intended audience for the Roadmap is new writers, who have a hunger to write a book, but find the idea daunting and bewildering.

We’ve been there, and that’s exactly why we created the Roadmap. To try to create some order from the chaos of creativity.

There are an overwhelming number of resources available on the art of writing a novel, including books, blogs, online courses, magazines, local courses, writing groups and more. It can be confusing for a new writer to know where to start, and you might accidentally end up learning all about dialogue but not having a clue about structure. Or you might become a master prose writer, but not know how to move a plot along.

The Roadmap attempts to distil and order all of this information into a manageable process that gives you exactly the right information at exactly the right time.

Pantsers (people who prefer to write a book without doing any planning) have been in touch with us in the past to let us know that despite their preference for complete inspiration, they too have found value in the Roadmap.

Some enjoy just taking a few of the steps to ensure their first draft is a little more structured. Others turn to the Roadmap after writing their first draft to retroactively strengthen the key novel elements and discover where there may be weaknesses in the manuscript.

Established Planners (novelists who like to meticulously plan their novel before beginning to write) have a natural affinity with the Roadmap.

Planners are more likely to have already established their own personal writing process, but many find steps and techniques of the Roadmap useful in supplementing and enhancing their own practices.

What are the limitations of using a step-by-step guide to write a novel?

Using a formula stifles creativity (or does it).

(Photo credit: Cakes and Cupcakes Mumbai)

Some writers are concerned that the use of processes stifle creativity, and result in books that are all the same.

But a process is simply a way of consistently achieving a particular result – in this case around 90,000 words that excite and engage a reader.

A hundred people could follow this Roadmap and end up with novels so different from each other that it would be impossible to tell they even followed the same steps.

That’s because our novels come from our experiences, and no two of those are the same.

One writer couldn’t write the same book as another, even if they tried.

Having said that…

Sometimes you have to give the muse the reins

The Roadmap should never be slavishly followed at the expense of your inspiration.

It provides a framework to help you harness and guide your creativity, but at the end of the day writing is an art, and if your heart or gut is begging you to do something, then set aside the steps and follow your instinct.

Conciseness and comprehensiveness must be balanced

In order to create a guide that is useful in a meaningful, practical way, it is not possible to include every piece of useful writing advice and guidance that could benefit a new writer.

The Roadmap is a distilled version of the key points, as gleaned from dozens of books on writing, hundreds of articles, decades of writing, years of research and analysis and a heavy dollop of personal experience.

Therefore, we encourage further reading to support and deepen your knowledge of the principles laid out in these steps.

How should you use the roadmap?

Every writer is different, and every writer will find their own method of writing their book.

Therefore, the Roadmap is not intended to be a strict set of instructions that must be followed to the letter.

Not at all.

It’s a just a suggested route for getting from A to B, where A is where you are now, and B is having a completed novel in your hands.

But there are many roads, modes of transport, diversions and scenic points along the way that you may wish to intentionally deviate to.

You may wish to skip some steps and come back to them later, or ignore them altogether.

So if you’re on step four but you’re itching to get started writing your first draft – then do it! The best writing comes from the heart, so listen to yours.

We hope the Roadmap helps writers take steps towards achieving their dreams, and like all good mentors, it is happy to eventually stand aside and watch proudly as the student spreads their wings and soars on their own.

Preparing to become a writer

There are a few things you can do to help create the right conditions for successfully writing a book:

Intend to have a daily writing habit

In an ideal world, you will be able to write every day, for a reasonable amount of time.

For many of us with busy lives, this is an unrealistic dream.

The best we can do is carve out a few minutes from our busy schedules.

If possible, try to schedule in a set time every day, reserved for writing.

But if that’s simply not possible in your circumstances – or if that kind of routine doesn’t suit your personality, then just stick to this one simple rule:

Write every day.

Having a target of writing every day –  even if it’s just a single sentence  - will make a world of difference.

Have a ‘safe space’ for writing

Writers can write anywhere. In cafes; with their laptops balanced across sleeping babies; in a cupboard, in the garden or  even  in a dedicated office (my personal dream is to have my own writing turret one day).

The location itself isn’t important, but the sanctity of the space is.

This means that when you enter your writing space, you should be free from distractions and interruptions. These distractions may be family members, chores, mobile phones, emails, the Internet, or anything else that will take up your brainspace and time (the only allowable exception is cats – who must be given their due respect, even when walking on the keyboard or cleaning themselves directly in front of your monitor).

Do your best to establish and be ferocious in protecting your safe space.

Speaking of which…

Don’t apologise for taking time for writing

A common habit of unpublished writers is to feel guilty for time they take to write.

They feel that they ought to be doing something ‘more productive’ like doing the laundry, going to the gym, feeding the toddler, etc etc.

Of course, you must fulfil your duties as parent, worker, householder, whatever – but you are a person too, and you also deserve to spend time doing what brings you joy.

And if writing brings you pleasure, then it is wise and mindful to allow yourself some personal space to enjoy it.

Of course there is some sensible judgement involved here – if you lock yourself in a room for fifteen hours a day and refuse to converse with your children until the first 100,000 words are complete, then perhaps its time to reassess the balance. However, people who behave in this way rarely suffer from complicated feelings such as guilt.

No, in most cases, the people who feel guilty about taking time to write are the ones who are already giving everything of themselves to others, keeping their families and colleagues afloat, and barely have time to sit down for five minutes with a cup of tea.

If that sounds like you, then give yourself permission to nourish yourself doing what you love.

The first part of taking care of others is taking care of yourself.

If this resonated with you, then tweet us and we’ll reply with some words of encouragement to boost your resolve!

Now - let's get started writing a novel!

The Novel Writing Roadmap

Step one: the premise.

Before you write a novel, you need to make sure your story idea contains all the essential elements of a complete story.

Who is your main character? What is their situation? What do they want? What's stopping them getting it? What disaster is going to up the stakes of your novel?

Step Two: The Plot Outline

There are a tried and tested story structures that resonate with audiences, and becoming familiar with these will help ensure your novel and direction and pace.

When creating your plot outline you can start with some  basic plot templates  to ensure you're covering all your bases.

Most plot outlines include setting up the scene, an inciting incident , progressively harder challenges and conflict, and a climactic ending.

Step Three: Character Introductions

Characters are the most important part of your novel. This step offers a method of drawing key characters with broad brushtrokes, then filling in the detail to make them memorable and unique.

By answering key questions about your lead characters, you can start to build your cast.

Step Four: Short Synopsis

Describe the setup, major incidents and resolution of your story in a single page.

The short synopsis gives you a clear overview of the basic structure of your story, ensuring it's not meandering or stalling.

Step Five: Extended Synopsis

Start to develop the bones of your story, adding detail and expanding on each of the sentences in the short synopsis.

This step allows you to let loose a little more and let your imagination start filling in the detail of the basic plot outline you've come up with.

Step Six: Goal to Decision Cycle

The goal to decision cycle is a very helpful tool to ensure the actions your main character takes feel logical rather than erratic or out of the blue.

Breaking down the action into six parts: Goal >> Conflict >> Disaster >> Reaction >> Dillemma >> Decision also gives you visibility of the pace of your novel. It is easy to identify if your novel potentially contains too much action without breaks, which may fatigue the reader, or too long stretches of pondering, which may cause them to drift off.

Of course the balance and application of this technique largely depends on the type of story you're writing, and the effect you'd like to achieve.

Step Seven: Character Development

Delve deep into your characters, really learning what drives them, what they need to learn about themselves and how they need to change in order to reach fulfillment.

There are a range of options in this section for developing three-dimensional, memorable characters.

We consider Voice, which includes not only what they say but how they say it, and the influences that have made them that way. We also look at their inner-self, including their motivations, flaws, greatest fears and more. And of course we consider each major character's background, including their childhood, family background, most influential experiences and more. There is also an extensive character questionnaire to help prompt a wide range of details about each character.

Step Eight: Scene Blocking

Before you start writing your first draft, it's really helpful to outline each of the scenes.

This outline loosely blocks out what happens in the scene, including 'stage directions', key snippets of dialogue and anything else relevant.

Step Nine: First Draft

It's finally time to start writing your first draft.

With all the preparation in hand, your first draft will fly from your fingers in no time and be many times stronger than if you'd just started writing from scratch.

When it comes to writing a first draft, our recommendation is to let loose and steam through it as fast as possible. This is not the time for reflection, editing or perfection. Making the prose tight and effective comes later, during the editing process - what's important now is getting the story out. One way to help you write your first draft quickly is to use an AI essay generator . It will help you to write your first draft in a fraction of the time it would take to write it yourself.

This can be the most exciting part of writing the novel, as your creative juices are free to flow - and because of all the planning work that's in place, writer's block is unlikely to be a worry.

Also because of the background work you've put in place, your first draft is likely to be so much stronger than otherwise, saving a lot of reworking in future drafts.

Step Ten: Locations

Locations are more than just places for your characters to walk around in.

Great locations will influence the story, and their atmospheres will change depending on the plot and internal character arc .

Use the five senses and other tools at your disposal to develop locations that add atmosphere and theme, and enhance your story.

Step Eleven: Advanced Plotting with Subplots

This is the time to weave all your elements together and make sure there are no major holes. See how locations affect characters and how the characters move the plot.

Think about subplots, such as romances, items and political and cultural influences. Consider how each character's background will impact on the story and their relationships. Think about what clues you need to lead up to your final conclusion, and the best place to hide each of them.

Step Twelve: Character Viewpoints

This technique can help add depth and texture to your novel.

It involves watching the action, or telling the story from the point of view of each of your major characters. In this way you can avoid the danger of having characters who only seem to exist in the scenes they appear in, then pop out of existence at other times. Knowing what key characters have been doing while your hero has been progressing their arc can greatly enrichen the story and make it feel more grounded and real.

And seeing what they think about the major events can help you ensure they all have unique and contrasting motivations and objectives.

Furthermore, completing character viewpoints can also help you identify plot holes and story flaws.

Step Thirteen: Redrafting and Editing

According to many writers, redrafting is the real part of writing.

This is where you take the sand you shovelled into the box of your first draft, and turn it into sandcastles (thanks to Shannon Hale).

Editing will include high level structural edits, adding and deleting entire scenes, and sentence and word level polishing, making sure every single word contributes to the progress of your characters and plot.

Step Fourteen: Final Polishing and Feedback

There may be many more drafts before the final draft, but eventually you'll find you're only making small edits. Congratulations! You're on your final draft.

Once you feel you've made your novel as perfect as it can be, it's a really good idea to get feedback from other writers. The 'other writers' part is important - you need constructive criticism, not a pat on the back, or worse, uninformed discouragement. Other writers willing to give feedback can be found in local writers' groups or online communities.

Step Fifteen: Getting Published

Now you've got your novel, it's time to put it out into the world. This section gives advice on how to approach a publisher or agent (note - the Online version of the Roadmap now includes information on self-publishing).

When approaching an agent, the key things are to: research and find the right shortlist; carefully read and follow their submission guidelines; be patient and persevere. Submitting can be a disheartening business, but know that every rejection you receive is a badge of honour and a step towards your eventual success.

Self-publishing is by no means an easier route, and it's important to ensure you understand the business side of the industry before letting your brainchild out into the world. Launch day is the most important, and you should make sure you have a solid marketing plan in place right at the start.

Further Reading to Help You Write a Novel:

(some of these are affiliate links, but we never link to anything we wouldn't recommend regardless)

• Techniques of the Selling Writer - Dwight Swain
• Getting into Character - Brandilyn Collins
• Self-editing for fiction writers  - Renni Browne and Dave King
• Cracking Yarns - Screenwriting Advice from Allen Palmer
• The Better Novel Project - deconstructing bestselling novels
• Jerry Jenkins Blog - writing advice blog of 21 time NYT Bestselling author
• Writers Helping Writers - lists and other resources
• Live Write Thrive - website of C. S. Lakin
• Well-Storied  - website of Kristen Kieffer

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How to Write a Book: Writing a Book 101

Sarah Oakley

Table of Contents

How do you write a book, processes for writing a book, 9 tips for how to successfully write a book, how prowritingaid can help you write a book, conclusion on how to write a book.

Writing a book from start to finish can be a daunting task if you’ve never done it before. There’s so much that goes into a novel that it’s hard to know where to even start.

Luckily, there are some successful writers who have written books on how to achieve the goal of seeing a novel through to fruition. Following guides is a great way to keep yourself on track and take each step of the process one at a time.

Writing a book is an achievement. Once it’s complete, you can look into publishing options to share your story with readers. It’s fun to imagine your name on the cover of a book others will read and enjoy.

In this article, we’ll explore how to write a book using process steps and writing tips. We’ve also provided some advice on how to improve your creative writing so it’s ready to send off to an editor, agent, or publisher.

Writing a book is sitting down and writing a section every day over and over until you’ve written the entire book. However, it’s rarely as simple as that, and there’s a lot more that actually goes into it.

Before you write a book, you need to be aware of the basic elements that go into a novel. All novels feature characters, settings, and a plot, so it’s best to have these in mind when you write a novel.

Character : a character is a person in your novel. They’re the people who experience the conflict and events of the story. Most novels feature a whole range of characters. Your main character is usually the person who changes and develops the most throughout your story. However, there are examples of stories where the story events don’t change the character.

Setting : your setting is where the story takes place. This could include a geographical location, a time, and a specific space, such as a coffee shop or office. Novels can feature several settings where scenes take place.

Plot : the plot of a novel is the main storyline your main characters follow. Your plot should feature several events that challenge your characters. Your plot can be the driving force of your story, where the characters are along for the ride, or the plot can be character driven, where the events happen because of a character’s decisions.

If you’re writing a book that isn’t a novel, such as a creative nonfiction book, you can substitute these elements for subject, context, and the theory or point you will maintain throughout your book.

What Do You Need to Write a Book?

Before you dive into the planning and drafting, there are three things you need to write a book:

A writing space

Something to write on

Your dedicated writing space is the place where you feel the most comfortable when writing. Every writer’s ideal creative area is different because it’s unique to that person. Most people think you need a quiet room, a tidy desk, and a comfortable chair, but that doesn’t suit everyone.

The best writing space for you might change depending on the book you’re writing. For example, if you’re writing a police procedural crime novel, you might need to be surrounded by books and notes for reference. Trying out different setups is the best way to find out what works for you.

When considering what you’re going to write on, you have several options. You can opt for typing your book into a piece of software or handwriting it on a physical notebook. You could also go old-school and use a typewriter, in which case, kudos to you.

There are several software programs you can use when typing up your manuscript, such as Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and Apple Pages, which are simple word processing programs. There are also book writing software programs that will store all of your plans for your novels too, such as Scrivener, Campfire, and LivingWriter.

Acceptance is the ability to let go of predetermined standards and create a realistic idea of what your book will be. It’s important to accept yourself and what you can realistically achieve before you plan your book, because it’s so easy for writers to set their expectations too high. 

Several things can prevent you from feeling like you can finish writing your book, including a fear of failing to hit self-imposed standards.

While acceptance of yourself and any failures is important, you also need to accept the changes that need to be made to your story. The initial book idea isn’t always the same as the finished book.

Do You Need a Writing Habit?

Many writers believe that motivation and determination will get them through the tough times of writing a book, like when writer’s block strikes, but an actual writing habit is more important.

Motivation is your reason for wanting to write a book. You can remind yourself of the reason every time you sit down to write, but you might find your motivation changes.

Determination is the willpower you have to achieve the goal of writing a book. Unfortunately, your emotions can directly affect your willpower, and if you’re not feeling like writing, that book won’t write itself.

If you develop a writing habit, it won’t matter if you’re lacking motivation or your determination has temporarily disappeared; you’ll still be able to write something.

You can build your writing habit by regularly sitting down for a writing session. It doesn’t matter what you’re writing; you just need to build some mental writing muscles. It’s like if you’re training for a marathon, you might not run every day, but you need to do some exercise to keep your body ready for those days when you run.

While we may all dream of the perfect writing habit, where we’re able to sit down every day and write at least 500 words, it isn’t a realistic expectation for everyone. What if you cannot fit writing in on certain days?

For those days when you can’t fit in a writing session, make sure you have a notebook with you in case you find five minutes in your day to jot down any ideas related to your project.

Alternatively, try listening to audiobooks while you’re doing other tasks or chores. Reading and listening to audiobooks are still ways to support your writing habit.

Your habit should work for you, not someone else. Researchers say it can take around 66 days to make a new habit stick, so check your schedule, find those ideal writing times, and aim to stick to it for the next ten weeks or so. Develop your own writing schedule, and you’ll probably find more success in your writing sessions.

Any novel writer would tell you the fundamental process of writing a book is actually sitting and writing it. However, there are also process steps you can follow before you start writing, and some steps for after you finish writing the first draft.

You can find many methods for writing a book online and in reference books. However, if you’re itching to get started, and you don’t have time to go looking for those methods, we’ve condensed as much information as we can into the following five steps:

Finding Inspiration and Ideas for Your Book

If you want to write a book but you don’t have a book idea, there are several things you can do to inspire your creative mind. The first thing you should aim to establish is what your book is about because everything else will revolve around that.

One of the first places to look for inspiration is in your own life experiences. Many people believe their life is too ordinary to write about, but that’s not always true. Even the smallest detail about your life can be rich in inspiration fuel.

If you don’t fancy self-reflection as a source of inspiration, try people watching, and make up things about the strangers you see. Coffee shops in city centers are great places to do this. It’s better if they have a second story with windows looking out over the streets so you can look out of the windows and watch people without them noticing you.

Are You a Plotter, a Pantser, or a Plantser?

There are three types of writers: the plotter, the pantser, and the plantser. These writer types are determined by the level of planning the person does before writing a book.

A plotter is someone who likes to plan everything they can before they start the first draft of their novel. If you like to know exactly where the story is going, and you want to develop your characters before you put them into a narrative, this might be the best option for you.

A pantser is someone who plans very little before writing. The point of pantsing is to write “from the seat of your pants.” If you have a powerful urge to write and love getting the words down when you’re in flow, you might be a pantser.

You might guess what a plantser is. They’re writers who are part plotters and part pantsers. Plantser writers like to plan, but they don’t go into as much detail as a plotter. If you like planning, but you also just want to write, you could be a plantser.

How much time you spend planning is likely to be unique to you and the book you’re writing. Some books need planning regardless of what type of writer you are. For example, unless you’re an expert in 19th century history, you will need to do some planning before you write a novel set in 1820.

Breaking Your Book Down to Manageable Pieces

Before you begin writing your book, think about how you’ll be able to write 50,000 words or more. Whether you’ve planned all the details or you simply know what the book is about, actually writing the book can be daunting.

Desmond Tutu once said, "There is only one way to eat an elephant: a bite at a time.” You can use this advice for your book writing process.

Try breaking your book down into sections you can complete in each of your writing sessions. If you’re writing a novel, you can break it into chapters or you could go smaller and focus on scenes. For a reference or nonfiction book, you can break it down into sections and chapters.

Including Fundamental Novel Elements in Your First Draft

As you’re working through your first draft and developing your writing habit, there are several things you can do to ensure you’re writing a solid foundation draft before you move on to the editing stage.

Remember to add lots of conflict

For genre novels, use genre-specific vocabulary and tropes

Let your characters speak naturally and authentically

Avoid unnecessary sections or scenes

Conflict is a disagreement, a struggle, or a clash, and it’s one of the most important parts of a novel because it helps drive the narrative forward. You can usually find conflict in the relationships between your characters. Alternatively, any obstacles you put in your main character’s way can create internal conflict as well as external conflict.

If you’re writing a genre novel, remember to use the common vocabulary and tropes used by other novels within the genre you’re writing. Tropes are common themes and narrative devices, which are usually used to create familiarity for readers within a genre. For example, haunted houses, cursed antiques, and summoning demons are all tropes of horror writing.

Writing great dialogue is an art form, but it’s not impossible to write good dialogue in your first draft. Authentic dialogue is natural sounding, which means it’s informal and reveals more about the character. If you’re writing a contemporary romance and your lead couple speaks like they’ve just stepped out of a Jane Austen classic, your dialogue might be too formal.

In a first draft, you might want to include every single scene in order to reach the word count you’re aiming for. However, you’re better off leaving out any scenes that aren’t directly relevant to your story. You can always add them at the end if you realize they’re needed, but you’re better off focusing on finishing the novel.

Remember, you’re the only one who will read the first version of your novel. If you don’t follow these tips, don’t worry, as you can always fix things in the editing stage.

Editing Your Book

You can try editing your first draft as you write, but most writers find it takes longer to complete the draft and doesn’t save much time in the overall process. It can be better to avoid editing as you focus on getting the story out of your mind and onto the page.

Once the first draft is complete, some writers like to let the book rest for a while before jumping into the editing process. Leaving the first draft alone allows you time to get some distance from your writing so you can come back to it with fresh eyes. In the meantime, you could work on a smaller project to keep up your writing habit.

When you’re ready to edit, you need to decide which type of editing you want to do first.

There are four main types of editing you can do:

Developmental editing

Structural editing

Copyediting

Proofreading

Most writers start with the developmental editing stage, which focuses on the biggest details of your novel. You’ll need to review the book as a whole, paying attention to the key elements like characterization, plot, pacing, and settings. You might realize the setting for a key plot point doesn’t work, so you’ll change it at this stage before moving on to the next editing stage. 

Once you’re happy with the bigger pieces, you can move on to a structural edit, which is sometimes called line editing. A structural edit focuses on features of language such as tone, style, and the overall flow of the book. You might identify a scene where the tone of your writing doesn’t match the actions of the scene, so you would edit your language to ensure the tone and actions match. 

When you get to copyediting, you’ll be working at a sentence level, checking each one for grammar, spelling, consistency, and language. It’s best to leave this edit until you’re completely satisfied with your developmental and structural edits, otherwise you might end up having to repeat this stage several times.

If you get to the copyediting stage and feel you could use some help, try using an editing software, such as ProWritingAid. The ProWritingAid Realtime checker will analyze your writing for grammatical, spelling, and stylistic errors so you can get to work on making improvements straight away.

Proofreading is the last type of edit writers complete. It involves going through your manuscript with a fine-toothed comb to ensure there are no errors that have somehow slipped through all the other editing stages.

If you are writing a historical novel, or you simply want to check the facts of your novel, you could include another editing stage for fact-checking. You could include fact-checking after either the developmental or structural editing stages.

There’s so much more to editing than this overview, and if you’re not sure where to start with each stage, you can check out the ProWritingAid blog for more articles about editing novels.

There are many points during the writing process where you might find yourself stuck and needing more advice. We’ve compiled a list of nine tips to help you overcome any issues you encounter while writing a book. If you follow these tips, your goal should be more achievable.

Read a Lot of Books

If you’ve ever asked a writer how to write a book, they will probably start by telling you to read a lot of books. It’s easy to forget to read more when you’re excited about getting your own novel written, but there are several things reading can help you with.

Here are some reasons you should read more books:

Reading helps with inspiration

Reading improves your vocabulary

Reading gives you insight into your reader’s expectations

Reading helps you identify genre-specific tropes

Identify Your Writing Motivation

Before you write your book, it’s important to know why you’re writing it—also known as your writing motivation. You can remind yourself of your motivation each time you sit down to write as you’re developing your writing habits.

Your reason for writing books could be a personal goal or something you do for enjoyment as a hobby. Writing for yourself can be liberating, as you might not feel as pressured to achieve a publishing standard, so you can focus more on the fun of writing anything you want.

Alternatively, your writing motivation could be commercial if you want to develop a professional writing career as a published author. If you’re writing with traditional or self-publishing in mind, read some bestsellers and look for information on what readers want to see in novels. Learn what publishers and readers love, so you can work on ensuring your novel is of the same caliber.

Your motivation might also be to share your thoughts and feelings about a specific subject or theme. Many writers write their own book because they want to add their voice to the discussion on issues that affect the world.

Your motivation to write fiction can change as you work through each stage of the process, so it’s important to allow yourself to be flexible and accept any new motivations.

Familiarize Yourself With Plot Outlines and Templates

Whether you’re just thinking about writing a book, or you’ve already finished the initial draft, you can take advantage of the many outlines and templates available to structure your novel. You don’t have to follow an outline, but most templates are based on bestsellers and narrative structures that readers are familiar with.

There are three classic narrative templates:

The hero’s journey

The three-act structure

The seven-point story structure

The hero’s journey is a story involving the protagonist being called to an adventure where they face challenges and go through a transformation. You’ll see the hero’s journey used in a variety of genres because it’s one of the most famous and commonly used structures. Novels featuring the hero’s journey include The Lord of the Rings and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland . 

The three-act structure involves the story being told over three phases, including the beginning (act 1), the middle (act 2), and the end (act 3). Act 1 and act 3 are usually smaller sections because the emphasis is on act 2 where the protagonist goes through most of their development arc. The Wizard of Oz and The Hunger Games both feature the three-act structure.

The seven-point story structure includes seven moments in the narrative where your key events should happen. The seven points include the hook, plot point one, pinch point one, midpoint, pinch point two, plot point two, and the resolution. Pinch points are key moments when the antagonist is increasing pressure on the protagonist. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone features the seven-point story structure.

The classic narrative structures are similar and overlap with each other, but ultimately they are the main basic outlines for writers to follow, so you’ll see them a lot in classic novels. However, contemporary narrative templates give writers more specific guidance on how to structure novels and where certain beats should occur in your stories to suit modern readers’ tastes.

Here are three contemporary narrative templates:

Save the Cat by Jessica Brody

The Snowflake Method by Randy Ingermanson

Inside Outline by Jennie Nash

The Save the Cat outline includes 15 narrative beats that fit into a three-act structure. Save the Cat has become increasingly popular in modern novels because it appears to apply to almost all published novels. It’s easy to follow, so it’s great for new novel writers.

The snowflake method is likely to be more beneficial if you are in the planning stage, as you’ll start with the core point of your novel. Then you build out until you have a fully fleshed-out outline for your book. You could still use this template after you’ve finished your first draft to check the structure of your novel and make sure it’s organized around the core message.

The inside outline focuses on making sure every plot moment and scene has a point and develops the story further. At each plot point, you’ll need to combine “what happens” and “how the characters feel about what happened.” The resulting actions should move the story on to the next point, where you do the same equation over again.

Try Fast Drafting

If you’re worried about how long it might take to write your first draft, you can try using a fast drafting technique. Fast drafting includes planning details of your novel and then writing as much as you can over the course of 6 to 12 weeks, depending on what you’re aiming for.

The National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) challenge is a great way to practice fast drafting, as you have a writing goal of 50,000 words in one month. The main NaNoWriMo competition happens in November each year, but you can also take part in their summer versions called Camp NaNoWriMo, where you can edit the word count goal in your project settings to create your own personal challenge.

Jessica Brody designed one of the best fast drafting methods, and you can access a course on fast drafting on the Writing Mastery website. Using the steps outlined in the course, you’ll be able to plan all the resources you’ll need to reference when you get into the writing stage.

Fast drafting is intense and involves writing a minimum number of words each day if you want to hit your writing targets. If you don’t fancy writing under that kind of pressure, fast drafting might not be for you, and that’s fine. All writers make progress at their own pace.

Remember to Use Literary Devices

Literary devices are great for improving your writing and keeping your reader engaged with the story you’re telling. There are so many literary devices you could use in your writing.

Here are five literary devices to get you started:

Cliff-hanger

Juxtaposition

A metaphor is figurative language used to describe something as though it’s something else. For example, if you wanted to write about someone who never felt love and treated people horribly, you could say they have a heart of stone. They don’t literally have a heart of stone, but it’s a metaphor for an unloving, mean person.

A plot twist is a narrative event that changes the course of the plot unexpectedly. For example, if your main character is a detective solving a case, and the suspect they’ve been following is murdered, it twists the story as they have to investigate who the actual killer is.

A cliff-hanger is a dramatic event that leaves your reader wanting to find out what happens next. Cliff-hangers appear at the end of a chapter.

Juxtaposition is the technique of putting two items together that contrast each other to emphasize their differences. You can juxtapose two distinct characters, which can create a lot of conflict. You can also juxtapose the genres you use. For example, John Dies at the End by Jason Pargin is a horror comedy, and the opposing genres pair well.

Irony is when something happens that isn’t expected based on the reality of a situation. For example, it’s ironic if a fire station burns down. While the main types of irony used in writing are verbal, situational, and dramatic, there are many types of irony you can use. If you want to include irony in your story, be sure to read up on how to use each type in your writing.

Show, Don’t Tell

One of the most famous rules in writing is “show, don’t tell,” and it means your writing should include concrete, sensory details to tell your story instead of relying on exposition or “telling.”

If you include more sensory descriptions in your first draft, you will reduce the amount of detail you’ll need to add in your editing stage. You can use the ProWritingAid Sensory report to identify places where you’ve used sensory descriptions in your writing, so you can decide if you’ve added enough detail.

You can include some exposition and background details so your readers can connect with your characters, but avoid overwhelming them with too much information. Aim to use exposition sparingly, and reveal background details a little at a time or at specific moments to increase tension and conflict.

Celebrate Your First Draft

Completing a first draft of a novel is a massive achievement for a writer, so be proud when you hit that goal. Reward yourself for successfully overcoming one of the biggest hurdles to finishing your book.

Don’t underestimate the importance of celebrating your achievement, as it can build your confidence in completing big writing projects. If you mentally associate finishing your novel with happiness and rewards, it can help you feel motivated to complete the next steps.

You can celebrate on your own, or you can share the news with your friends and family. Writing can be a lonely activity, but there are probably many people around you who would be interested in your progress. Building a support network can help you through any tough times, like when you’re experiencing writer’s block.

Learn to Love Editing

Editing your novel can take a long time, possibly even longer than writing the first draft. Having a love for editing can make the writing journey a lot easier.

Going through the editing process will bring up a variety of issues, which can be a blow to your self-esteem and assurance. Have faith in yourself because everyone needs to edit their work.

Many writers mistake editing for a process of trying to make your novel perfect, but that’s not what it’s about. There’s no such thing as the perfect novel because writing is a subjective art. Your writing could be ideal in the eyes of one person, but another might spot mistakes you haven’t thought of.

If you want to enjoy editing, use it as a learning process for how to improve your writing. The next time you write a first draft, your writing will be better, so you’ll need to do less editing.

Join a Writing Group

Writing is something you do alone because it makes it easier to focus, but it doesn’t mean you have to be a lonely writer. Joining a writing group is a great way to connect with other writers who are all going through the same process as you.

The amazing thing about writing groups is being able to befriend other people who share a passion for writing and to talk about the wonderful world of writing fiction. If you’re struggling to find writing friends in your day-to-day life, try joining a writing group and building some supportive relationships in an environment dedicated to forming writing friendships.

You can bounce ideas off other writers and get advice for overcoming writer’s block or other writing problems.

If you’re worried about sharing ideas with writers who might take them from you, don’t share everything about your stories. Only share what you feel comfortable sharing, but you’ll find most writers care a lot about this, so you won’t be the only one being considerate about what you reveal about your work in progress.

Some writing groups run workshops, such as writing sprints (for writing first drafts) and critiques (for the editing stage). Sprints are a great way to make progress, as it can feel motivational knowing there are other writers also being creative with you. Critiques are perfect for getting some feedback on sections of your writing.

ProWritingAid is an editing software that can help you edit as you write your book.

You can use the ProWritingAid Realtime checker as a second pair of eyes on your writing because it’ll pick up spelling and grammatical errors you can fix quickly. The checker also highlights any passive writing and suggests stylistic improvements to enhance the readability of your writing.

The Realtime checker is in all of ProWritingAid’s integrations, which means you can use it in most of the places you write your novel, such as Google Docs, Microsoft Word, Notion, Atticus, and Scrivener.

Write like a bestselling author

Love writing? ProWritingAid will help you improve the style, strength, and clarity of your stories.

If you don’t want to edit as you write, you can use any of the 20+ ProWritingAid reports to analyze your writing after you’ve finished your first draft. The most popular reports for novelists are Grammar, Style, Cliché, Sensory, and Thesaurus.

The Grammar report is a perfect starting point for some quick wins because you can quickly fix any key errors. You can then use the Style report to see suggested improvements that are optional but will probably improve things like readability and use of adverbs.

The Cliché, Sensory, and Thesaurus reports are great to use together if you want to check that your writing contains enough concrete detail. You can use the Thesaurus report to highlight the types of words you’ve used. The Cliché report will show you any vague or abstract words you’ve used. The Sensory report will underline all examples of sensory details.

Editing your writing isn’t the only thing you can do with ProWritingAid. You can also join the ProWritingAid Community, which is a great place to meet other writers and make some new friends. If you’re not sure about how to write or edit a part of your novel, you can always ask the members of the ProWritingAid Community.

You can also attend one of the ProWritingAid Writers’ Weeks to learn more about writing and gain some inspiration for your work in progress. Whether you write fantasy, romance, crime, science fiction, or any other genre, there’s plenty of information you can take away from the events.

Writing a book is a process of many parts, but if you take them at a pace that suits you, you can achieve your goal. Take the time to learn about what goes into a novel and what your readers will expect so you don’t need to spend a long time figuring it out during the editing stage.

Remember, the best part of writing an entire book is the fun you can have as you weave intricate stories and develop memorable characters. You can live vicariously through your characters, so writing a book can be cathartic if you’re struggling through a problem your characters have to deal with as well.

Now you know the basics of writing a book and how ProWritingAid can help you. Why don’t you get started on that idea you’ve been thinking about writing? You might have a bestseller in you. All you have to do is write the book.

Get started with ProWritingAid

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Book Marketing for Self-Publishing Authors

Home / Guides / Book Writing / How to Write a Book in 2024: The Ultimate Guide for Authors

How to Write a Book in 2024: The Ultimate Guide for Authors

• Should you write a book?
• Outline the Book
• Write the Book
• Edit the Book
• Get Feedback
• Publish & Market Your Book!

Writing a book is a long process, but it doesn’t have to be scary. Many writers benefit from having a checklist of things they need to do. Enter: This comprehensive guide. I will guide you through the planning stages, the writing process, the editing phase, and the marketing phase (though you should start marketing your book long before it’s finished). And before we get there, I’ll help you determine if you should even write a book in the first place. Considering you’re here, the answer is most likely “ yes! ” Can anyone write a book? Yes, anyone can write a book. All you need is determination, a willingness to learn, and a story you want to tell. Bookmark this page or copy and paste it into a text document so you can check off each step as you make progress along your book writing journey .

• How to write a book
• Best ways to plan ahead
• A lot of writing tips
• Industry standards and expectations
• Software recommendations
• Outlining tips
• Editing and proofreading tips
• How to market your book

Links in this article may give me a small commission if you use them to purchase products. There’s NO extra cost to you, and it helps me continue to write handy articles like this one.

It’s common to hear between friends, “I’m going to write a book one day.”

But there are several steps in between that statement and the actual process of writing books.

I want to get this idea out of the way: you can and should write a book!

Most people want to write a book but never get around to it. Well, you can do it.

If you don't think you can, or you think you're not talented enough, remember that even the Stephen Kings and Neil Gaimans of the word started out with a skill level of zero, and you're probably more skilled than that!

Don't get me wrong, writing can be hard. But it's learning to deal with those hard things that make you a better writer. So let's discuss how you can make it happen.

Before you set deadlines or create your writing space, there are a few things you should do:

• Figure out why you’re writing
• Don’t give yourself excuses to not write
• Determine your big ideaw
• Create a budget for your book writing
• Establish accountability
• Announce that you’re writing a book!

Nail Down Your “Why”

Why are you writing this book? Answer this question, and your writing process will have a sense of direction. Many authors have a story they need to tell. It’s in their heads. They can’t stop thinking about it. Whether it’s because of the compelling characters, the fantastical new worlds, or the powerful central theme, a good book writer must tell the story in their head. If you’re in it for fame and fortune, you won’t find it here. Only the top New York Times bestselling authors gain fame or fortune. Most authors make between $40,000 and $80,000 per year — though it’s worth noting that earning an author’s salary can take years of establishing yourself within the industry. You should also determine what you want this book to become. Questions you can ask yourself:

• Do you want this book to appear in brick-and-mortar stores across the country?
• Are you happy to display in local bookstores and libraries?
• Is this an online-only book?
• Do you want to turn writing into a career or a one-time affair?
• Is this the beginning of a series or a one-off story?
• Do you want to write a book that’s great for people in a social media group you’re a part of and their friends?

Overcome Common Barriers to Writing Your First Book

Before they become a problem, you need to overcome common barriers to writing a book. You can toss a rock and probably find a “writer” who started a book or, more often, has an excellent idea for a book they’re never going to write. But you’re different. You need to tell this story, and you’re looking up resources to help you get started. These are some of the most common excuses for not writing a book and how to overcome them:

• I don’t have the talent. No one knows how to write a book before they learn, practice, and experiment. Until you try, you’ll never know if you genuinely have the stuff it takes to be a successful author.
• I can’t concentrate. Yes, distractions abound: kids, work, Facebook, hunger, messy desk, neighbors, the dog. Find a way to overcome the distractions and just concentrate if you really want to tell this story.
• No one will want to publish my book. Though traditional publishing is difficult to achieve, independent publishers and self-publishing offer additional venues for success.
• I can’t write without a deadline. Then give yourself a deadline! Tell your spouse or a friend that you intend to finish your manuscript within 6 months. Or announce it on Facebook, Twitter, Reddit — wherever peers can keep you accountable.
• Taking time to write makes me feel guilty. You shouldn’t feel guilty doing what you love, what you feel you need to do, or what could earn you a salary in the future.
• Writing is too hard. Writing may prove a harrowing task. It can take a long time (though there are ways to write faster ). But there is nothing quite like the rewarding feeling of having written a book.
• My grammar is terrible. Use proofreading software like Grammarly or ProWritingAid . Also, the more you write, the better you get at grammar — and quickly.
• My life is too dull to write anything interesting. They say, “Write what you know.” But honestly, that’s what research is for. Write what interests you. It doesn’t have to be about your life. Write to escape your (supposedly boring) life.
• People won’t like what I write. Thick skin is required for writing. Unfortunately, some ignorant or insecure people may put you down — whether for your book or for the simple fact you’re a writer. But let the ridicule roll off you like water off a duck’s back.
• My back hurts. Sitting in a chair for long hours to write can make your back hurt. Come up with a system where you can lie down to rest or walk around to mobilize your back every hour.
• Fiction offers nothing of value to society. This is just flat-out untrue. Art is society’s record of history. Fiction evokes emotion that causes a reader to feel something. A book’s central theme is powerful for its intended audience — and for some, life-changing.

Determine Your Topic

To determine your topic, answer these questions:

• What do I want to write about?
• What is important for someone (like me) to write about?
• Can I effectively tell this story?
• Who would want to read about my story?

For nonfiction, it’s customary to choose a topic about which you have particular expertise. For readers who buy your book, determine what information to include that will best benefit these readers. For fiction, you can determine your genre(s), then your subgenre(s), then what would make your story unique. Each genre comes with its own tropes that readers expect you to deliver. Is your book idea good? Does it serve anyone? Does it add value, whether by entertaining, informing, or teaching the prospective reader? If you’re having trouble determining your topic, check out these resources:

• Plot Generator
• Writing Prompts
• Best Book Title Generators
• Short Story Prompts by Squibler

Validate Your Book Idea

Before you completely narrow down your story or topic, you need to know if it's a good idea or not. To do this, you need to run through four steps:

• Step 1: Learn if and how many people search for your book idea
• Step 2: Learn if the idea is profitable during the book topic validation process
• Step 3: Discover how hard the competition is for your book
• Step 4: Rinse and repeat

If you find your book topic is not profitable, you can still write it. But if that's the case, you will have to resort to different marketing tactics. You will need to focus on finding the right market somewhere other than Amazon, and getting them interested in reading your book.

Read more about validating your book idea here.

Create a Budget

Don’t let this step scare you. If your budget is $0, that’s okay. But you need to create a budget, so you know what you’re willing to spend down the road. What might you spend money on as an author?

• Research software for authors, like Publisher Rocket
• Book writing software, like Atticus
• Proofreading software, like ProWritingAid
• Book formatting services, like Ebook Launch
• Email service, like GetResponse
• Cover design services, like Damonza (if you’re self-publishing)
• A human editor (if you’re self-publishing)
• Book reviews from paid influencers
• Various marketing efforts
• Promotional giveaways
• A professional looking website

What should an author not spend money on?

• Literary agents — An agent should only make money when you make money. Beware agents who charge upfront fees. They are preying off of authors who desperately want to publish their book .
• Vanity publishers — If an indie publisher asks for an upfront charge, they are probably a vanity press, and you do not want to use their services. These seldom result in a profit.
• Beta readers — Although it’s nice to buy them lunch to talk about the book, when you find people to beta read your book, they are reading for enjoyment. They’re getting a free book out of this. If you pay them, that’s getting into professional editor territory, and most beta readers probably aren’t qualified for that.
• A human editor and proofreader — If you’re traditionally publishing, the publishing house will most likely pay for the editor.
• Cover design — If you’re traditionally publishing, the publisher will most likely pay for the cover design. This item may end up in your final budget if you’re self-publishing.

How much money does an author make per book? A first-time, self-published author might make between $5,000 and $20,000 on their first book, not including expenses. A traditionally published first-time author can expect up to $5,000 without a massive existing audience.

Establish Accountability for When Things Get Hard

It’s important to establish accountability for when the going gets tough. Who will support you through your writing process? Find a reliable person in your life that's experienced in book writing or can help encourage you along the journey. Ask them to ask you about how your writing’s coming along. Some days, you will hate them. Other days, you will thank them. Also, plan for how you’ll handle writer's block , discouragement, falling behind, etc. For example, if you didn’t reach your daily word count goal, plan on going over your goal next weekend. Or, if you get writer’s block, work more detail into your outline or take a walk to clear your head.

Publicly Announce What You’re Doing

You need to publicly announce that you’re writing a book. Not only is this a marketing must that gets your friends and family buzzing about your book, but it also creates public accountability for you. Sound terrifying? Remember, if you’re going to be an author, this is the first of many marketing steps you’ll need to take. It’s also one of the easiest (and least expensive). If you need a community of like-minded authors, I'd recommend fully investing in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) as a great way to push yourself and gain accountability. Don’t get scared by this step. You may worry about what people have to say about you writing a book. Writers need thick skin, and this is an excellent exercise in accepting congratulations and ignoring naysayers. For instance, I recall a fellow author’s grandfather commenting on a Facebook post: “Hope it works out for you. But if it doesn’t, I can always get you a job down at Duke Energy.”

My friend didn’t let the comment bother him, instead accepting that his grandfather didn’t understand that writing and even self-publishing is an entirely legitimate career path nowadays. Is it worth only selling your book on Amazon? Yes! As a self-made author who primarily markets on Amazon, I cannot recommend this route highly enough.

Make a Plan

Before writing your book’s outline, here are 8 crucial steps all great writers should use to plan ahead:

• Create a writing space
• Set a schedule
• Determine word count goals
• Set deadlines
• Do your research (market, genre, topical)
• Discover your voice & tone
• Choose the best book writing software for your project
• Get in the author mindset

Create a Writing Space

When you create a space for writing, it will mentally help you to set aside that space for only writing. Your writing space should not be the same as your home office or your relaxation space. If you write your book in the same place as you watch TV, the temptation of TV easily overpowers your will to write. If you work in the same area as you write, it’s difficult to distinguish the two in your subconscious. Of course, you don’t always have to write in the same place. Although some writers need to be in one place at a single desk to get in the headspace, many authors can write from multiple locations with no problem. A good space for writing might be:

• A dining room your family doesn’t use
• A home office no one is using
• A desk in your bedroom (facing away from the bed)
• A coffee shop
• On the porch
• At the park

Set a Schedule

Every author can benefit from setting a designated writing time. Determine when you can work on your book and set a schedule. Some authors love sticking to a strict schedule. For others, a schedule is just a helpful guideline. At first, you may want to experiment with various lengths of time and days of the week. Figure out how long it takes you specifically to write what you want to write in a given day. Some writers may need to relegate their writing to 8 hours on Saturday. Others may have the luxury of spending 2 hours writing, 5 days a week. For inspiration from successful authors, check out Medium’s article: The Daily Routine of 20 Famous Writers (and How You Can Use Them to Succeed) .

Determine Word Count Goals

You should determine your word count goal for each writing session. Average word count goals for bestselling book authors range between 500 and 2,000 words a day. Again, for some authors, this strict word count goal is helpful. For others, it is nice to have a general goal to target — there’s no need to stress out if you don’t reach it. Of course, your word count goal is flexible. It depends on your writing schedule, your genre, your experience, your discipline, how far you are in your book, and your own personal writing habits. Many book writing tools, such as Atticus allow you to set daily word count goals and keep track for you.

Side note: Check out this fascinating article for more info: The Daily Word Counts of 19 Famous Writers .

Set Deadlines

A deadline for your writing makes you accountable. It gives you a tangible target. It drives you. How many of us didn’t do the college paper until the night before it was due? Well, you can’t write a book in one night, but the sentiment still applies. Setting a due date — even if it’s arbitrary — motivates you to keep writing, keep writing, every day on your schedule, and continue to reach your daily word count goal. Set up a way to track your time and word count progress. Atticus allows you to set an overall word count goal and a deadline to reach that overall word count. (I know I keep gushing about Atticus, but it just has so many amazing features .) Here’s a great article on How Long It Takes to Write a Book & Do it Well .

Do Your Research

Do not skip this step. This is not boring. It is necessary. You need to do your research on the market, your genre, and the specific topic you’ve chosen to write about. If you don’t, sales numbers and the quality of your book will suffer. Depending on your genre, whether you write fiction or nonfiction, and your familiarity with your future readers, you will probably need to conduct:

Market Research

Genre research, topical research.

Get to know your audience. Market research tells you what readers want. It may also predict the sort of sales you can expect. Market research might tell you that few people are interested in stories about a sentient clump of dirt. How would you market and sell that book ? Consider catering your story to the market research you discover. This isn’t selling out. This is catering to a particular audience. Figure out what your readers are looking for. Often, readers will respond to an audience avatar, which is a character the reader can really relate to. If you’re writing a fantasy book, I strongly recommend working dragons into your story. Dragons sell. The word “dragon” sells. A picture of a dragon on the cover sells.

If you’re writing a children’s book , don’t be afraid to bank on traditions: Boys love superheroes, and girls love princesses. If you’re writing a nonfiction book , try to reach an untapped market. A friend of mine is writing a book on a specific category of mobile software development that he couldn’t find any books on. He taught himself and now wants to teach others what he learned.

Genre research is critical. You need to deliver certain unspoken promises to your audience. Each genre has its own expected tropes and unspoken promises that you need to know to satisfy your reader. Find out what is typical for your genre:

• Character archetypes
• Word count/chapter length
• Story structure
• Common themes

Pro tip: Check the Amazon bestsellers list in your genre for hugely helpful research. If you write a romance book, for instance, and you don’t deliver on the expected tropes of romance, you’re going to get negative reviews and fewer sales. There is a fine line between unique and unsatisfying. Check out these great articles on genre research:

• Tropes Readers Adore Across 15 Fiction Genres
• 101 Horror Tropes
• 7 Thriller Tropes That Have Stood the Test of Time
• 101 Romance Tropes For Writers
• Kid Novel Tropes
• 101 Fantasy Tropes

Fiction or nonfiction, most books require some foothold in reality. Topical research entails the research you must do to fully understand what you’re writing. Readers can tell if you don’t know what you’re talking about. Even if a reader isn’t an expert, lack/misuse of jargon, an illogical timeline, or not following your own rules will key the reader in that you didn’t do your topical research. Then, you will lose credibility with the reader.

You don’t need to be a degreed expert on police procedures to write a police drama. You don’t need to scientifically study a unique type of plant to write about a forest. You don’t have to learn every detail of the War of 1812 to write a historical drama around that time. But it needs to be evident in your writing that you have taken the time to research important aspects of your book’s topic. If you can interview an expert, that’s an added bonus. You could even put that on the back cover or the foreword bragging that you did the in-person research. You need to get readers to trust you as a writer as early in your tale as possible.

Discover Your Voice & Tone

Discover your unique voice and the tone you’re most comfortable writing in. This may change between books, particularly if you swap genres or if you’re a nonfiction writer who now writes fiction. Find your unique words. Determine if humor has a place. How literary will your prose be? Read other books in your genre for inspiration. For example, one of my author friends decided to use “is/are/am/be” as little as possible in his prose, then go crazy with it in his dialogue — giving the dialogue a distinctly relaxed feeling separate from the prose. Another example is Jane Austen’s unique voice. I think of Elinor in Sense & Sensibility. Her intellectual, judicious voice was one of the first examples in the literature of the character speaking for themselves instead of an author avatar. If you benefit from writing prompts to discover your voice, try out Daily Prompt on iOS. Word to the wise: Deciding to employ unique grammar techniques is risky. Some readers are sticklers for grammar and may put down your book if it contains what they perceive as grammatical “errors.” For some readers, these choices are a distraction. For some authors, though, these changes are necessary or more aesthetically pleasing.

Choose the Best Book Writing Software for Your Project

You may already have Microsoft Word downloaded to your computer or be comfortable with Google Docs because you use it for work. But I implore you to choose the best book writing software for writing your individual project.

I use Atticus for all my fiction novel writing. MS Word may suffice, but it is definitely inferior to Atticus’s robust features emphasizing organization and customization.

Several book writing tools are available to try. Some cost a one-time fee, while others cost a monthly subscription fee. (I suggest the one-time price tag.) Be careful using Google Docs to write a novel. Once you get above 15,000 words or so, Google Docs slows down. It is designed for short-form, collaborative documents — not lengthy books, though their technology is improving. Below are 4 pieces of software for writing your book:

Microsoft Word

Read my more in-depth article on the Best Book Writing Software .

Use Atticus. It is unmatched in overall capability. Not only does it allow you to write great books, but it comes with tracking software to help you form effective writing habits, and it's a robust formatting software , which means you'll never need to use more than one program to handle the entire novel production process from start to finish.

Read my full review of Atticus .

How much does Atticus cost?

• Atticus costs $147 as a one-time fee. This includes all current and upcoming features, including all writing, formatting, and collaboration features.
• It works on virtually all platforms, including Mac, Windows, Linux, and Chromebook.

Scrivener is the next best thing. It has great organization and customization, but it has a steep learning curve, but only because it is such an amazing piece of software. You can upload all your research files (including images and audio) into the Binder sidebar, so everything shows up in one window. You can split-screen within Scrivener, bookmark files, or simply write with its distraction-free Composition Mode. Read my full review of Scrivener . How much does Scrivener cost?

• Scrivener costs $49 (one-time) for Mac or Windows.
• It’s $19.99 for iOS devices (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch).
• Reduced pricing of $41.65 is available for “students & academics.”

There is a full 30-working-day free trial that only counts the days you use the app. Use Kindlepreneur’s unique discount code (KINDLEPRENEUR) to get 20% OFF your purchase.

• Download Scrivener 3 for Mac
• Download Scrivener 1 for Windows , which is on par with Scrivener 2 for Mac (update coming in 2021)
• Download Scrivener 1 for iOS , which is also on par with Scrivener 2 on Mac (a handy tool for on-the-go writing with an iPad or iPhone)

Ulysses is a sleek, easy-to-use, yet customizable book writing tool. Your project syncs automatically between devices, or you can store projects locally. Not only does it look great, but it also utilizes a drag and drop functionality with its Library feature. Unfortunately for Windows users, Ulysses works only on Apple products. The price has gone up in recent years. Ulysses now costs $5.99/month or $49.99/year. However, they do offer a free 2-week trial.

Microsoft Word is the industry standard for word processing. Most people think of MS Word when you say “word processor.” However, it’s meant for memos and business letters — not novel writing. Most writers probably use MS Word because it is so ubiquitous. Heck, the famous DOC/DOCX file format originated from Microsoft Word. Stephen King uses MS Word to write his book manuscripts, as do other authors. But there are many helpful word processors out there that boast more robust features ideal for writing a book. Word is cumbersome and only suitable for writing in a linear fashion. For many writers, it is helpful to write out of order or switch around the order of scenes and chapters. In MS Word, this is very inconvenient. How much does Microsoft Word cost? Microsoft Word costs $139.99 as a one-time purchase. Alternatively, you could spend $6.99/month (or more) for a subscription to Microsoft 365, including Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook, and 1 TB of cloud storage on OneDrive.

Get in the Author Mindset

To get in the author mindset, a million authors will do a million different things. Figure out what you specifically need to do to get into the writing mindset, and do that every time you get ready to write. What might help you get into that author mindset:

• Walk around outside (my favorite brainstorming method)
• Turn on relaxing or mood-setting music ( YouTube has every playlist imaginable, including ambiance scenes to transport you anywhere you wish you were writing)
• Read a book
• Listen to an audiobook
• Read your outline where you’re about to start writing
• Sit outside and breathe in the fresh air
• Write in a journal
• Doodle in a notebook
• Close everything else on your computer
• Clear your desk

Now that you’ve done the hard work of preparation, it’s time to outline your book! This is where we diverge from planning that applies to fiction and nonfiction and focus more on an outline for a fiction novel. (If you’re writing a nonfiction book, skip to section 3 for helpful writing tips.)

Yes, you need to outline your book — whether it’s vague or very detailed. For some authors, a very general outline can give your story direction and focus, like a roadmap. For others, a highly detailed outline prevents writer’s block, improves pacing, avoids plot holes, and saves time editing after the fact. How do you begin to write a book? You begin to write a book by writing the book’s outline. Writing an outline ahead of time can preemptively prevent writer’s block, plot holes, and pacing problems. And you can always edit your outline later; it’s a living document.

• Choose an outline type
• Pick an outlining software
• Actually write the outline

Check out my in-depth guide: How To Outline A Novel .

Choose an Outline Type

There are many types of novel outlines. Some are more detailed than others, so pick the outline type that best fits your individual needs:

• A synopsis outline looks the most like an essay. When you write a synopsis , you need to summarize everything that matters to the story in 2-3 pages.
• A beat sheet outline lists the “beats” of the story into individual paragraphs or bullet points. A beat is a change in tone, motivation, character development , etc.
• A mind map shows the spatial relationship between characters, story beats, timelines, and chapters. You can map out any number of story elements on your mind map.
• A scenes and sequences outline lists out all the scenes and sequences in your story, in whatever order you want. Switch the order and experiment with scene progression. This outline can be detailed or vague.
• A character outline puts character development first. List out the critical moments in your character arcs. Check out How to Create a Character Profile .
• A skeleton outline lists out the key plot points in your story. It is the most sparse approach to outlining.

Pick an Outlining Software

Whatever outlining software you pick, it should help you. That’s the only requirement. The best outlining software can be the same as your novel writing software. But some authors find it useful to utilize software explicitly designed for novel outlining.

• Scrivener offers ready-made, built-in templates for plotting out all sorts of books and genres. Using these templates, you can organize your thoughts into an effective novel outline.
• The Novel Factory is a structure-heavy novel outlining software. Easy to use, genre-specific templates, robust export capabilities — the main downside is that it isn’t available on Mac. Read my full review of The Novel Factory or download The Novel Factory today . Use my coupon code KINDLEPRENEUR to get 20% off your subscription.
• Plot Factory is useful outlining software that offers straightforward templates, character creation features, world-building capabilities, and many more. Read my full review of Plot Factory or download Plot Factory today . Use my coupon code KINDLEPRENEUR for 35% for the first 12 months!
• Plottr is a handy outlining tool that offers templates such as the 8 Sequences Method, Hero’s Journey , 12 Chapter Mystery Formula, and so much more. Read my full review of Plottr .
• Microsoft Word offers a bunch of book outline templates that make creative writing easier. Plus, if you download any outline template from the web, you can likely open it with Word.
• Google Docs is fantastic for collaboration . If you work with another person on your book outline, Google Docs autosaves to the cloud every few seconds across multiple devices at once.
• Evernote helps you take notes in a modern, sophisticated way. Write down your notes however you want, share notes with others, and access Evernote across unlimited devices.
• Ulysses creates projects out of fragments, such as chapters or scenes — a structure that lends itself to outlining in segments.
• bibisco is a word processor that emphasizes character. Before you start writing, bibisco encourages you to fully map out your character beats and character arcs — great for character-led outlining.

Create the Premise

You need to create a premise for your novel. This gives your writing direction, helps with marketing, and provides you with an elevator pitch. An elevator pitch is a 30-second pitch about what makes your story interesting, unique, and worthy of attention. To create the premise of your novel, write down the following:

• Main protagonist
• Main antagonist
• Secondary characters
• Character motivations
• Central theme
• Inciting incident
• The book description (seriously, you want this written before you write the book)

Now brainstorm. Write down all your thoughts, even the bad ones. Don’t censor your ideas. There are no bad ideas when you’re brainstorming. Break up your book into smaller pieces. Determine the natural progression of your main idea and central theme. Finally, consider your reader’s perspective. Is this book’s central idea what your readers want? Figure out the intersection between what you find most interesting and what audiences find most interesting. Now you have created a premise that will give your writing focus and direction. You can use this premise to entice potential readers, editors, agents, or publishers.

Craft the Setting

The setting is where the story takes place. The setting should enhance character development, plot points, mood/tone, atmosphere, suspense, the passage of time, etc. You must craft a setting that is:

• Interesting
• Evocative of some emotion
• Vital to the central theme
• Important to your character(s)
• Well-fleshed out
• Well-researched

Even if you don’t write down everything about your setting in the actual book, you need to understand everything about your setting. Readers can tell if you’re making the setting up as you go or if you know more than they do about where the story takes place.

Construct the Characters

Next, construct your characters , the story element with which most readers connect the most.

You must give each significant character (at least the protagonist and antagonist) a satisfying character arc. Many readers will care more about the character development than the plot development! The plot should serve characters as much as characters contribute to the plot. Give each major character:

• Motivations
• External conflict(s)
• Internal conflict(s)
• Complex relationships with other characters
• Backstory (avoid cliches, which are very easy to include in backstories)
• Distinct traits , including physical and personality attributes
• Strengths and weaknesses (character flaws are essential!)

You can base characters on real-life people, but I recommend not basing your character entirely on an individual person that you know. Instead, take inspiration for one character from multiple real-life people.

When you put your character through challenging situations, remember that you should construct characters that make bold choices that move the plot forward. Your main character should be more than just an observer.

Develop the Plot

Now that you have your outline type, outlining software, premise, setting, and characters, it’s time to develop your plot.

A plot is what happens in a story.

• In the beginning, decide what exposition you need to occur in the plot before the inciting incident. How will you introduce your main character(s)? How will you get readers to care about the main character(s)?
• After the inciting incident that starts the central conflict of the book, what rising actions occur? There should be twists and turns, surprising character development, and satisfying payoffs to promises made by the genre choice or premise.
• To avoid the mid-novel slump, continue to put your character through hardships and mini-conflicts that engage the reader and keep up your story’s pace.
• Usually, before the climax, the main character faces their lowest point. This is where he or she hits rock bottom.
• The climax should solve the main conflict of the novel. It should be the most intense, satisfying section of your book.
• The resolution is usually pretty short. What character arcs and side plots need to be resolved? Are there any unanswered questions?
• Finally, a denouement is the very ending. What is the last thing that happens in your book?

Some authors may benefit from writing their plot on a physical piece of paper or index cards to start with. It may help to use a plot structure, especially if this is your first time writing a novel. You can use any of these templates (or none of them — it’s your book!):

• Three-Act Story Structure
• Hero’s Journey Template (by Joseph Campbell)
• The Snowflake Method (by Randy Ingermanson)
• Save the Cat Beat Worksheet (by Blake Snyder)
• The One-Page Outline

It may sound simple, but writing a book takes hard work and determination. You have your goals, your space, your topic, and your research. Now you need to write that book!

Read my article on How to Start a Story that Hooks Readers Right Away . As long as you have an outline, writer’s block and procrastination shouldn’t be significant problems. Whenever you sit down to write, go to whatever scene in your outline speaks to you most. Yes, you can write a book out of order — and it’s easy to do with a detailed outline. Some authors may write in a very linear fashion. Depending on the narrative, it may be necessary to write every chapter and scene in order. There are many rules of writing a book, including industry standards for formatting, grammar, and avoiding cliches. I cover 20 major writing rules below, but there are also many “rules” of writing a book that you can choose not to obey, as long as you have a good reason. How many pages should a book be? A book can be any number of pages, depending on audience and genre. A novel is defined as at least 40,000 words (or about 150 novel pages), though most authors aim to double that word count. Fantasy and science fiction tend to be longer. Nonfiction books vary wildly, depending on how long it takes to thoroughly discuss the topic. Because you have the outline from the previous section, I’m not going to take you through how to write a beginning, middle, and end to your story. I’ve already covered how to outline those. However, I think this is the place for handy tips and tricks that every author should know.

Follow These Writing Principles

Although most of these are strong suggestions, not necessarily must-dos, these writing principles can guide you through your writing process and result in a higher quality book. 20 writing tips, tricks, industry standards, and guiding principles for authors:

• Come up with a book title before you write. A title can give you direction, guidance, and focus. However, change it if need be. In the middle of writing, or after you’re finished, experiment with various title options. Check out this Book Title Generator .
• Pick a subtitle for marketing purposes. A subtitle can increase your novel’s visibility by including valuable keywords that are great for searchability and marketing purposes.
• Choose a basic typeface. When you’re writing a manuscript, stick with Times New Roman. When you’re submitting your manuscript to a publisher or a literary agent, they don’t want to see fancy fonts or weird formatting.
• Don’t start with a cliché. Beginning clichés include waking up, looking in a mirror, lots of dialogue, a dream sequence, a weather description, backstory, and similar book beginnings you’ve heard many times. Some experts even argue against starting with an action scene or prologue, but I would disagree. Those last two can be done well.
• Don’t start with an info dump. This is a common mistake for new book writers. They want to orient readers into their story’s world and setting. They want to immediately describe everything about their characters that they worked so hard to develop. But you need to start your novel with a hook, a little mystery, and an action (not an action scene, to be precise). An info dump on the first page will scare off readers, editors, agents, etc.
• Stick to one perspective. If you want to write in a first-person perspective, stick to it. Same for third-person — but with the added caveat of omniscient vs. limited. Beginner’s tip: Don’t use the first person for a first novel; it can easily come off as amateurish and overly introspective. Also, most writers should never use more than 1-3 POV characters. George R.R. Martin is the rare exception.
• Stick to one tense. Your book should probably be in the past tense. Present tense books from first-time authors tend to read as amateurish. However, young adult books may work in the present tense. Whatever you choose, stick to it. Do not go in and out of present tense. Read this article on when to use “had/have/has” in past tense flashbacks.
• Use adverbs sparingly. Adverbs may be a crutch for many inexperienced authors. Instead of an adverb, you should use a powerful verb that expresses gripping action without needing an adverb. For example, instead of your main character “loudly saying” an important line of dialogue, perhaps she should “exclaim” it.
• Avoid “to be. ” Like avoiding adverbs, avoid “to be,” and its conjugates is/am/are/was/were. Use them whenever necessary, of course. But “to be” may signal passive voice and can often be replaced with a more powerful verb.
• Be careful with pronouns. Pronouns are great tools for avoiding repetition. However, you don’t want to confuse the reader with multiple he’s and she’s and they’s. When you finish a chapter, read it aloud and see if you confuse yourself with any pronoun usage.
• Ensure every chapter has conflict. Without conflict, your reader feels no stakes or urgency. Every single page should feature conflict and the progression towards its resolution. When you’re about to write a chapter — or finish one — ask yourself if that chapter has/had conflict. No? Then cut it. (Or rework it.)
• Make every sentence reveal character or advance the action. This is Kurt Vonnegut’s incredible advice that still holds true today. If a sentence doesn't accomplish one or both of these things, remove it. If the paragraph still makes sense, leave that sentence out.
• Never answer every question. From the first page, your readers need a question that demands an answer. You can introduce any number of questions, but never leave all the questions answered. An unanswered question is what makes readers want to keep reading. Answer a question here and there to satisfy readers with a sense of progression, but never answer every question.
• Avoid lengthy sentences. Sometimes, a long sentence is needed. More often than not, however, readers digest shorter sentences better. Especially in action scenes, suspenseful sequences, or heated arguments, lengthy sentences disrupt the momentum.
• Format your dialogue correctly. Commas and periods almost always go inside quotation marks. Check out my article on formatting dialogue for more in-depth info.
• Use dialogue tags sparingly. Dialogue tags, like “they said” or “she answered” or “Taylor sang” can be useful. However, replace dialogue tags with action tags from the speaker for more spice and less repetition. For instance, don’t write [Greg said, “Where are you?”]. Write [Greg cupped his hands around his mouth. “Where are you?”] instead.
• Don’t use flowery dialogue tags. “Said” is basically an invisible word. You can use it over and over without the reader noticing. Don’t replace it with more exciting words: elucidated, informed, filibustered, clarified, etc. These can easily distract the reader and ruin the flow of the conversation.
• Give your characters bold choices. Make sure your characters are making bold choices that progress the plot. No one wants to read about a casual observer in an otherwise fascinating narrative. The main character should directly affect the story.
• Create likable characters. You readers will root for your characters if the characters do likable things. Have your character show kindness to someone who is bullied. Have your character tell the truth in the face of a lie. Have your character save a cat from a tree (any Blake Snyder fans?).
• Create unlikable characters. Inversely, you probably want readers to hate certain characters in your book. Have your antagonist bully someone smaller or weaker than him/her. Have your antagonist lie, even if it’s petty and seems insignificant. Give your antagonist snarky comebacks to everything people say. But be careful — you don’t want too many unlikable characters. The most fun part of these characters is working in their comeuppance into the ending of your novel.

Take a Break Before Editing

Once you’ve finished your first draft, take a break. You deserve it! You’ll likely go through a second draft, third draft, beta reader draft, professional edit draft, and another professionally edited draft before you get to your final draft. But those will all be easier than writing the darn thing. You’ve conquered the behemoth. You’ve finished a book. No one can take that away from you. Now sleep in for a few days.

Editing your book may take a lot of time, but it doesn’t have to be difficult or stressful.

You must edit your own book; then , you must hire a human editor. There’s no getting around it. No professional author publishes his/her first draft: not James Patterson, J.K. Rowling, or Joyce Carol Oates. You need to edit your own book to be the best it can be before an editor makes it even better. You need to hire a human editor to go over your book, or readers will be distracted by every little mistake you missed: grammar, spelling, word choice, amateurish writing style, all sorts of errors. Now here’s where the article diverges into 2 paths:

• If you’re traditionally publishing, the publishing house will pay for a human editor.
• If you’re self-publishing, you will need to pay for a human editor.

When editing, it’s almost always better to cut than to add. Although it can feel like you’re cutting off parts of your baby, some subplots, useless characters, lengthy descriptions, and directionless twists hurt your story more than they help it. Let’s break up the editing process into 3 steps:

• Developmental edits
• Scene edits

Developmental Edits

When editing, you should deal with developmental edits first. These are big picture edits that become clearer after the entire narrative has been created. For a nonfiction book, these edits frequently involve the clarity, focus, and consistency of your primary theme. Ask yourself questions such as:

• Are there places the information or storytelling bogs down the pace?
• Is my voice consistent throughout the book?
• Are there any gaps in my content or places where the flow feels disorganized?
• Does my book meet the need of my audience or just my own vision?

Read Cascadia’s breakdown of developmental editing for nonfiction books . For a fiction book, developmental edits include making changes to your:

Your characters should have clear motivation , distinct characteristics, believable choices, and satisfying character arcs. Readers experience your book through the characters’ eyes, so characters are usually your most important story element. Changing characters may mean changing many scenes or even adding scenes to elucidate their traits and motivations. Your plot should be engaging, believable, satisfying, and free of plot holes. Your plot should follow a plot structure and genre expectations. If your plot doesn’t check any of these boxes, consider editing your story’s overall plot. This might mean cutting out or adding entire chapters. Make sure there are no loose ends or plot points that go nowhere. Your ending should be preceded by a build-up, foreshadowing, set-ups, and a clear central theme summed up by said ending. Your conflict should engage the reader, further the character development, and make them want to keep turning pages. Consider editing your central conflict if you see ways to strengthen your conflict. Every chapter needs to have a conflict, as well as advancing the overall conflict. Look through your table of contents , and ask of each chapter, “What is the conflict happening in this chapter?” Your theme needs to be clearly conveyed, usually via your plot, characters’ motivations, and conflict/resolution. If you think your themes don’t come across clearly enough, you may need to adjust certain scenes to clarify your central theme. Beta readers are really helpful in determining whether your themes come across.

Scene Edits

We’ve got our big picture developmental edits out of the way. Now let’s dive into scene-by-scene edits, a critical step for editing fiction. Here’s a checklist for when you do your scene edits:

• Each scene and sequence should contribute to character development or the central conflict. Scenes can contribute to worldbuilding, backstory, and atmosphere, but no scene should go by without character development or conflict development.
• Always start a scene in media res (in the middle of the action). It helps with pacing, keeps readers engaged, and offers up a mini-question for you to answer right away.
• Always end a scene with a cliffhanger, however small. Keep your readers asking questions and turning those pages.
• Make sure every scene is correctly oriented in time and location. Readers need to know where and when everything is happening. Near the beginning of each scene, insert a brief physical description of the unique qualities of where the scene takes place.
• If one scene is a lot longer than other scenes, ensure that your physical descriptions aren’t overly long, or that your dialogue doesn’t go on and on, or that your action scenes aren’t slow-paced.
• If one scene is shorter than other scenes, determine whether the pacing is too rushed, whether you skipped establishing time and location, or whether that scene could be combined with another.
• Every scene needs a consistent voice, a consistent POV, and a consistent tone.
• Of course, show, don’t tell in every scene.

Now you can proofread and edit your book, line by line. If you don’t have the dexterity to pour over every sentence for grammar, spelling, word choice, and more, then you can use proofreading software like ProWritingAid or Grammarly . Hemingway is another valid option, but it’s my third choice compared to the other two. List of common errors you should fix in copy edits:

• Passive voice
• Too many commas
• Filter words (which are most common when writing in the first person)
• Too many adverbs
• Inconsistent voice or POV
• Too many pronouns, especially the nonspecific “it”
• Sentences that go on, and on, and on
• Improper subject-verb agreement
• Misused words
• Repeated words
• Overused jargon

Stop Editing Your Own Book

Once you’ve edited and edited and edited, know when it’s time to stop. You’ve done well. You’ve spent the time necessary to improve your manuscript. Now reward yourself with a week’s rest.

Authors may have big egos.

Not you, of course — other authors…

But it is essential to separate yourself from your work and get feedback from beta readers, professional proofreaders, and editors. You can get feedback from anyone, but I recommend you seek feedback mainly from folks who know something about writing, publishing, or book marketing. Librarians, avid readers, English majors — these people may give you the most constructive feedback.

Enlist Beta Readers

Enlist beta readers to give you feedback. Find willing beta readers on social media , friend groups, and anywhere else you can imagine. Alternatively, you can find a critique partner. This is basically a beta reader for whom you also beta read. Usually, critique partners have some experience in the field, so they can prove very helpful. Plus, most are free. How many beta readers should you have? You should have at least 3-5 beta readers, but some new writers cast a wider net for more feedback opportunities. Unfortunately, some beta readers may never get around to reading your work. They are doing this for free, so don’t harbor too many grievances. I do recommend creating some kind of guide, like a few questions to ask themselves as they're reading. A deadline can also help. Although you want feedback, don’t necessarily make any changes until 2 or 3 beta readers give you the same feedback. Some authors enlist beta readers after they’ve hired a professional proofreader. But I say that’s not necessary.

Hire Editor(s)

You need at least one professional human editor to look over your work. And yes, this is after you’ve edited it yourself. You need to present your best work to a human editor and let him or her make it even better. If you’re publishing through a traditional publisher, they will hire editors in return for a share of your royalties. If you’re self-publishing, this is a necessary (and tax-deductible) expense. And I won’t lie to you: Full-time editors cost money. A copy editor or line editor is different from a proofreader. Here are the 4 types of editors , in chronological order of when they should be hired in your editing process:

• Developmental editors are the first editor you should hire. They can be the most expensive, but they look at your whole book and help you know what big picture changes you should make to improve your overall story.
• Line editors focus on the flow of ideas, transitional elements, mood, tone, voice, and style throughout your entire book. They make sentences crisper and tighter by fixing redundancy and verbosity issues and improve awkward sentence and paragraph construction without a full rewrite.
• Copy editors make changes to the text, including spelling, grammar, word choice, syntax errors, and punctuation use. (“Copy editing” means something different in the UK; there, it’s akin to proofreading.)
• Proofreaders search for last-minute spelling, grammar, and minor formatting mistakes. A professional proofreader looking over your formatted book should be the final step before publishing.

Of course, you don’t need to hire all four editors. I recommend hiring a developmental editor early in the editing process, a line editor near the end of the editing process, and a proofreader with formatting experience right before publishing. How do you find a great book editor? The best way to find a book editor you can trust is often a word-of-mouth referral from an accomplished author. You may also try book editing services that connect you with fantastic editors for your book. How much does an editor cost?

• Developmental editors may cost $1,000 and $8,000, depending on your manuscript length and the individual proofreading professional.
• Line editors charge between $600 and $2,000.
• Copy editors run between $300 and $1,200.
• Proofreaders will set you back between $200 and $1,000.

Check out these helpful articles:

• Book Editing 101
• Book Editing Blueprint (a fantastic class I’d recommend!)
• List of the Best Book Editors and How to Select Them
• Best Proofreading Software
• Best Proofreading Services You'll Ever Find

Build Your Launch Team

Your launch team ( ARC team ) is a group of people who help your book launch prove as successful as possible. Members of your launch team leave (glowing but honest) reviews on Amazon and share the book’s launch with their circle of influence. The more book reviews you have, the more Amazon suggests your book to other readers. Also, good reviews of your book mean more people are likely to buy your book. A launch team could include:

• Beta readers
• Friends/family who want to support you
• Fans of your previous work
• Readers of your blog
• Followers on your social media
• Critique partners
• Business contacts
• Fellow authors

When you recruit launch team members, make sure they know what to do on launch day/week and kindly hold them accountable for following through. Offer freebies to encourage follow-through.

Publish & Market Your Book!

Finally, it’s time to publish your book. And don’t forget you have to market your own book, too — whether you’re going through the self-publishing or traditional publishing process.

When you publish your book, make sure you format your book correctly , nail your back cover blurb , have a stellar book cover (traditional publishers will usually pay for this), and properly organize the front matter and back matter . Hopefully, you know that you have to start marketing your book long before it hits shelves and the online marketplace. Be sure to check out my podcast about book marketing . Here are some articles you can read to learn more about book marketing:

• Book Marketing 101
• Kindle Keywords for Self-Publishers
• Ultimate List of the Best Book Review Blogs
• How to Use Surveys to Sell More Books
• Best Email Services for Authors
• How to Sell Your Books in an Indie Bookstore

Dave Chesson

Related posts, writing a book for the first time a breakdown of the complete process, how to write the best novel outline of 2024: 6 easy steps, sell more books on amazon, amazon kindle rankings e-book.

Learn how to rank your Kindle book #1 on Amazon with our collection of time-tested tips and tricks.

3 thoughts on “ How to Write a Book in 2024: The Ultimate Guide for Authors ”

Loved this format, Dave – am currently editing my next book, so could skip right to that section for tips. The bloggers list will also come in handy for me very soon, so that’s much appreciated too!

I really enjoyed this article. There were many good points I never considered. I am a new writer. I self-published my first book in 2008, it is on Amazon. I am working on a second novel and it is in the revising stage. I cannot afford an editor, so I hope my editing will be enough. I plan to submit to Amazon.

Thank you so much for the hard work you put into making this information available for authors or soon to be authors, it was much needed.

I laughed over the idea of outlining software. Really? I do my initial outline in longhand in my plots notebook, where I also describe the characters. I wouldn’t feel connected to them if I did them onscreen. Then I outline 6 chapters ahead, on the end of my document, erasing or moving events around as I go with the chapters written. It sounds like someone has come up with a way to make authors spend more. If I want to write out of order, I add a scene or convo to the plot outline to slot in. Word is quite flexible enough! You don’t need any fancy software. Indeed, you can do it longhand with a separate notebook for outlines. And then edit the first time on transcription, which is more efficient than writing to screen. Only arthritis makes me abandon the habit.

Comments are closed.

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How to Write a Book

Last Updated: September 29, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Grant Faulkner, MA and by wikiHow staff writer, Christopher M. Osborne, PhD . Grant Faulkner is the Executive Director of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and the co-founder of 100 Word Story, a literary magazine. Grant has published two books on writing and has been published in The New York Times and Writer’s Digest. He co-hosts Write-minded, a weekly podcast on writing and publishing, and has a M.A. in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University.  There are 9 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 2,815,580 times.

Anyone with a story to tell can write a book, either for their own enjoyment or to publish for all to see. Getting started is often the hardest part, so set up a good workspace, create a regular writing schedule, and stay motivated to keep writing something every day. Focus on developing a “big idea” that drives your narrative, as well as at least one unforgettable character and realistic conflicts. Once you’ve written and revised your manuscript, consider your publishing options to get it into readers’ hands.

Staying Focused and Productive

• Writing a book is both a vocation and an avocation—that is, both a job and a passion. Figure out why you need to write, and why you want to write.
• Keep your goal or goals in mind as motivation. Just remember to keep them realistic. You probably won't become the next J.K. Rowling by your first novel.

• While moving from a cafe to a park bench to the library may work for you, consider setting up a single workspace that you always—and only—use for writing.
• Set up your writing space so you have any supplies or references that you’ll need close at hand. That way, you won’t lose your focus looking for a pen, ink cartridge, or thesaurus.
• Pick a sturdy, supportive chair —it’s easy to lose focus if your back aches!

• The average book writer should probably look to set aside 30 minutes to 2 hours for writing, at least 5 days per week—and ideally every day.
• Block out a time when you tend to be most alert and prolific—for instance, 10:30-11:45 AM every day.
• Scheduling in writing time may mean scheduling out other things in your life. It's up to you to decide if it's worth it or not.

• For instance, if you’ve given yourself a 1-year deadline for writing a complete first draft of a 100,000-word novel, you’ll need to write about 300 words (about 1 typed page) every day.
• Or, if you are required to turn in a doctoral dissertation draft that’s about 350 pages long in 1 year, you’ll likewise need to write about 1 page per day.

• You’re nearly always going to spend at least as much time editing a book as you will initially writing it, so worry about the editing part later. Just focus on getting something down on paper that will need to be edited. Don’t worry about spelling mistakes!
• If you simply can’t help but edit some as you write, set aside a specific, small amount of time at the end of each writing session for editing. For instance, you might use the last 15 minutes of your daily 90-minute writing time to do some light editing of that day’s work.

• Depending on your circumstances, you might be working with an editor, have committee members you can hand over chapter drafts to, or have a group of fellow writers who share their works-in-progress back and forth. Alternatively, show a friend or family member.
• You’ll go through many rounds of feedback and revisions before your book is published. Don’t get discouraged—it’s all part of the process of writing the best book you can!

Creating a Great Story

• Start with the “big picture” first, and worry about filling in the finer details later on.
• Brainstorm themes, scenarios, or ideas that intrigue you. Write them down, think about them for a while, and figure out which one you’re most passionate about.
• For instance: “What if a man journeyed to a land where the people were tiny and he was a giant, and then to another land where the people were giants and he was tiny?”

• For instance, a sci-fi adventure set in space will be more effective if the technology draws at least a small degree from reality.
• Or, if you’re writing a crime drama, you might do research into how the police typically investigate crimes of the type you’re depicting.

• For instance, instead of waking up thinking “I need to write about the Civil War,” you might tell yourself, “I’m going to write about General Grant’s military strategy today.”
• These “manageable pieces” may end up being your book’s chapters, but not necessarily so.

Lucy V. Hay

Look at breakdowns of movie plots for insights into common successful story structures. There are many good sources, like Script Lab or TV Tropes, to find plot breakdowns of popular movies. Read these summaries and watch the movies, then think about how you can plot your story in a way that is similar to the movies you really like.

• Think about some of your favorite characters from books you love. Write down some of their character traits and use these to help build your own unique characters.
• If you’re writing nonfiction, dig deep into the complexities and all-too-human qualities of the real figures you’re writing about. Bring them to life for your readers.

• The main conflict—for instance, Captain Ahab’s obsession with the white whale in Moby Dick —can be an entry point for a range of other external and internal conflicts.
• Don’t downplay conflicts and tension in nonfiction works—they help to ground your writing in reality.

• Your goal is to never give your readers a reason to lose interest. Keep them engaged and turning those pages!
• This doesn’t mean you can’t use long sentences, descriptive writing, or even asides that deviate from the main storyline. Just make sure that these components serve the larger narrative.

Publishing Your Book

• Seeking publication can feel a bit like losing control over your manuscript, after all the time you’ve spent working and re-working it. Keep reminding yourself that your book deserves to be seen and read!
• If necessary, impose a deadline on yourself: “I’m going to submit this to publishers by January 15, one way or the other!”

• Evaluate potential agents and look for the best fit for you and your manuscript. If you know any published authors, ask them for tips and leads on agents.
• Typically, you’ll submit excerpts or even your entire manuscript to an agent, and they’ll decide whether to take you on as a client. Make sure you’re clear on their submission guidelines before proceeding.

• You can self-publish copies on your own, which may save you money but will take up a lot of time. You’ll be responsible for everything from obtaining a copyright to designing the cover to getting the actual pages printed.
• You can work through self-publishing companies, but you’ll often end up paying more to get your book published than you’ll ever make back from selling it.
• Self-publishing an e-book may be a viable option since the publishing costs are low and your book immediately becomes accessible to a wide audience. Evaluate different e-book publishers carefully before choosing the right one for you.

Sample Book Excerpts

Write Your First Book with this Expert Series

Expert Q&A

• Keep your notebook and pen beside your bed, and keep a journal of your dreams. You never know when a dream of yours could give you inspiration or a story to write about! Thanks Helpful 35 Not Helpful 4
• If you want to add a true fact in your story, do some research on it first. Thanks Helpful 26 Not Helpful 4
• Ask some other authors for some tips and write them down. Thanks Helpful 20 Not Helpful 4

• Avoid plagiarizing (copying another author's work). Even if you do it as artfully as possible, eventually someone will track down and piece together all the copied parts. Thanks Helpful 36 Not Helpful 3

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Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about writing a book, check out our in-depth interview with Gerald Posner .

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To write a book, first think of an idea that you’re excited to write about. It could be anything – a memoir about your life, a fantasy tale, or if you're an expert on a topic, a non-fiction book. Once you’ve come up with an idea, you'll want to cultivate good writing habits to bring your book to life. First, make writing into a routine rather than an activity you need to fit into your busy schedule. Try to consistently write at the same time and place every day. Second, set a daily word or page goal so that you know exactly when you are finished writing each day. Last, don’t feel pressured to create a perfect first draft because it's much easier to edit perfectly than it is to write it perfectly the first time around. Focus on producing and writing as much as you can. Then, go back and spend time editing on another day. Once you have written and edited a draft that you like, seek feedback from your family, peers or mentors. If you want to self-publish, research how to do so online. You could also consider hiring an editor to help you through both editing and the publishing process. If you want to know more about how to write a non-fiction book, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Write a Book From Start to Finish: A Proven Guide

So you want to write a book. Becoming an author can change your life—not to mention give you the ability to impact thousands, even millions, of people.

But writing a book isn’t easy. As a 21-time New York Times bestselling author, I can tell you: It’s far easier to quit than to finish.

You’re going to be tempted to give up writing your book when you run out of ideas, when your own message bores you, when you get distracted, or when you become overwhelmed by the sheer scope of the task.

But what if you knew exactly:

• Where to start…
• What each step entails…
• How to overcome fear, procrastination, a nd writer’s block …
• And how to keep from feeling overwhelmed?

You can write a book—and more quickly than you might think, because these days you have access to more writing tools than ever. 

The key is to follow a proven, straightforward, step-by-step plan .

My goal here is to offer you that book-writing plan.

I’ve used the techniques I outline below to write more than 200 books (including the Left Behind series) over the past 50 years. Yes, I realize writing over four books per year on average is more than you may have thought humanly possible. 

But trust me—with a reliable blueprint, you can get unstuck and finally write your book .

This is my personal approach on how to write a book. I’m confident you’ll find something here that can change the game for you. So, let’s jump in.

• How to Write a Book From Start to Finish

Part 1: Before You Begin Writing Your Book

• Establish your writing space.
• Assemble your writing tools.

Part 2: How to Start Writing a Book

• Break the project into small pieces.
• Settle on your BIG idea.
• Construct your outline.
• Set a firm writing schedule.
• Establish a sacred deadline.
• Embrace procrastination (really!).
• Eliminate distractions.
• Conduct your research.
• Start calling yourself a writer.

Part 3: The Book-Writing Itself

• Think reader-first.
• Find your writing voice.
• Write a compelling opener.
• Fill your story with conflict and tension.
• Turn off your internal editor while writing the first draft.
• Persevere through The Marathon of the Middle.
• Write a resounding ending.

Part 4: Editing Your Book

• Become a ferocious self-editor.
• Find a mentor.
• Part 5: Publishing Your Book
• Decide on your publishing avenue.
• Properly format your manuscript.
• Set up and grow your author platform.
• Pursue a Literary Agent
• Writing Your Query Letter
• Part One: Before You Begin Writing Your Book

You’ll never regret—in fact, you’ll thank yourself later—for investing the time necessary to prepare for such a monumental task.

You wouldn’t set out to cut down a huge grove of trees with just an axe. You’d need a chain saw, perhaps more than one. Something to keep them sharp. Enough fuel to keep them running.

You get the picture. Don’t shortcut this foundational part of the process.

Step 1. Establish your writing space.

To write your book, you don’t need a sanctuary. In fact, I started my career o n my couch facing a typewriter perched on a plank of wood suspended by two kitchen chairs.

What were you saying about your setup again? We do what we have to do.

And those early days on that sagging couch were among the most productive of my career.

Naturally, the nicer and more comfortable and private you can make your writing lair (I call mine my cave), the better.

Real writers can write anywhere .

Some authors write their books in restaurants and coffee shops. My first full time job was at a newspaper where 40 of us clacked away on manual typewriters in one big room—no cubicles, no partitions, conversations hollered over the din, most of my colleagues smoking, teletype machines clattering.

Cut your writing teeth in an environment like that, and anywhere else seems glorious.

Step 2. Assemble your writing tools.

In the newspaper business, there was no time to hand write our stuff and then type it for the layout guys. So I have always written at a keyboard and still write my books that way.

Most authors do, though some hand write their first drafts and then keyboard them onto a computer or pay someone to do that.

No publisher I know would even consider a typewritten manuscript, let alone one submitted in handwriting.

The publishing industry runs on Microsoft Word, so you’ll need to submit Word document files. Whether you prefer a Mac or a PC, both will produce the kinds of files you need.

And if you’re looking for a musclebound electronic organizing system, you can’t do better than Scrivener . It works well on both PCs and Macs, and it nicely interacts with Word files.

Just remember, Scrivener has a steep learning curve, so familiarize yourself with it before you start writing.

Scrivener users know that taking the time to learn the basics is well worth it.

Tons of other book-writing tools exist to help you. I’ve included some of the most well-known in my blog po st on book writing software and my writing tools page fo r your reference.

So, what else do you need?

If you are one who handwrites your first drafts, don’t scrimp on paper, pencils, or erasers.

Don’t shortchange yourself on a computer either. Even if someone else is keyboarding for you, you’ll need a computer for research and for communicating with potential agents , edi tors, publishers.

Get the best computer you can afford, the latest, the one with the most capacity and speed.

Try to imagine everything you’re going to need in addition to your desk or table, so you can equip yourself in advance and don’t have to keep interrupting your work to find things like:

• Paper clips
• Pencil holders
• Pencil sharpeners
• Printing paper
• Paperweight
• Tape dispensers
• Cork or bulletin boards
• Reference works
• Space heaters
• Beverage mugs
• You name it
• Last, but most crucial, get the best, most ergonomic chair you can afford.

If I were to start my career again with that typewriter on a plank, I would not sit on that couch. I’d grab another straight-backed kitchen chair or something similar and be proactive about my posture and maintaining a healthy spine.

There’s nothing worse than trying to be creative and immerse yourself in writing while you’re in agony . The chair I work in today cost more than my first car!

If you’ve never used some of the items I listed above and can’t imagine needing them, fine. But make a list of everything you know you’ll need so when the actual writing begins, you’re already equipped.

As you grow as a writer and actually start making money at it, you can keep upgrading your writing space.

Where I work now is light years from where I started. But the point is, I didn’t wait to start writing until I could have a great spot in which to do it.

• Part Two: How to Start Writing a Book

Step 1. Break your book into small pieces.

Writing a book feels like a colossal project, because it is! Bu t your manuscript w ill be made up of many small parts.

An old adage says that the way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time .

Try to get your mind off your book as a 400-or-so-page monstrosity.

It can’t be written all at once any more than that proverbial elephant could be eaten in a single sitting.

See your book for what it is: a manuscript made up of sentences, paragraphs, pages. Those pages will begin to add up, and though after a week you may have barely accumulated double digits, a few months down the road you’ll be into your second hundred pages.

So keep it simple.

Start by distilling you r big book idea from a page or so to a single sentence—your premise. The more specific that one-sentence premise, the more it will keep you focused while you’re writing.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Before you can turn your big idea into one sentence, which can then b e expanded to an outline , you have to settle on exactly what that big idea is.

Step 2. Settle on your BIG idea.

To be book-worthy, your idea has to be killer.

You need to write something about which you’re passionate , something that gets you up in the morning, draws you to the keyboard, and keeps you there. It should excite not only you, but also anyone you tell about it.

I can’t overstate the importance of this.

If you’ve tried and failed to finish your book before—maybe more than once—it could be that the basic premise was flawed. Maybe it was worth a blog post or an article but couldn’t carry an entire book.

Think The Hunger Games , Harry Potter , or How to Win Friends and Influence People . The market is crowded, the competition fierce. There’s no more room for run-of-the-mill ideas. Your premise alone should make readers salivate.

Go for the big concept book.

How do you know you’ve got a winner? Does it have legs? In other words, does it stay in your mind, growing and developing every time you think of it?

Run it past loved ones and others you trust.

Does it raise eyebrows? Elicit Wows? Or does it result in awkward silences?

The right concept simply works, and you’ll know it when you land on it. Most importantly, your idea must capture you in such a way that you’re compelled to write it . Otherwise you will lose interest halfway through and never finish.

Step 3. Construct your outline.

Writing your book without a clear vision of where you’re going usually ends in disaster.

Even if you ’re writing a fiction book an d consider yourself a Pantser* as opposed to an Outliner, you need at least a basic structure .

[*Those of us who write by the seat of our pants and, as Stephen King advises, pu t interesting characters i n difficult situations and write to find out what happens]

You don’t have to call it an outline if that offends your sensibilities. But fashion some sort of a directional document that provides structure for your book and also serves as a safety net.

If you get out on that Pantser highwire and lose your balance, you’ll thank me for advising you to have this in place.

Now if you’re writing a nonfiction book, there’s no substitute for an outline .

Potential agents or publishers require this in your proposal . T hey want to know where you’re going, and they want to know that you know. What do you want your reader to learn from your book, and how will you ensure they learn it?

Fiction or nonfiction, if you commonly lose interest in your book somewhere in what I call the Marathon of the Middle, you likely didn’t start with enough exciting ideas .

That’s why and outline (or a basic framework) is essential. Don’t even start writing until you’re confident your structure will hold up through the end.

You may recognize this novel structure illustration.

Did you know it holds up—with only slight adaptations—for nonfiction books too? It’s self-explanatory for novelists; they list their plot twists and developments and arrange them in an order that best serves to increase tension .

What separates great nonfiction from mediocre? The same structure!

Arrange your points and evidence in the same way so you’re setting your reader up for a huge payoff, and then make sure you deliver.

If your nonfiction book is a memoir , an autobiography , or a biography, structure it like a novel and you can’t go wrong.

But even if it’s a straightforward how-to book, stay as close to this structure as possible, and you’ll see your manuscript come alive.

Make promises early, triggering your reader to anticipate fresh ideas, secrets, inside information, something major that will make him thrilled with the finished product.

While a nonfiction book may not have as much action or dialogue or character development as a novel, you can inject tension by showing where people have failed before and how your reader can succeed.

You can even make the how-to project look impossible until you pay off that setup with your unique solution.

Keep your outline to a single page for now. But make sure every major point is represented, so you’ll always know where you’re going.

And don’t worry if you’ve forgotten the basics of classic outlining or have never felt comfortable with the concept.

Your outline must serve you. If that means Roman numerals and capital and lowercase letters and then Arabic numerals, you can certainly fashion it that way. But if you just want a list of sentences that synopsize your idea, that’s fine too.

Simply start with your working title, then your premise, then—for fiction, list all the major scenes that fit into the rough structure above.

For nonfiction, try to come up with chapter titles and a sentence or two of what each chapter will cover.

Once you have your one-page outline, remember it is a fluid document meant to serve you and your book. Expand it, change it, play with it as you see fit—even during the writing process .

Step 4. Set a firm writing schedule.

Ideally, you want to schedule at least six hours per week to write your book.

That may consist of three sessions of two hours each, two sessions of three hours, or six one-hour sessions—whatever works for you.

I recommend a regular pattern (same times, same days) that can most easily become a habit. But if that’s impossible, just make sure you carve out at least six hours so you can see real progress.

Having trouble finding the time to write a book? News flash—you won’t find the time. You have to make it.

I used the phrase carve out above for a reason. That’s what it takes.

Something in your calendar will likely have to be sacrificed in the interest of writing time . 

Make sure it’s not your family—they should always be your top priority. Never sacrifice your family on the altar of your writing career.

But beyond that, the truth is that we all find time for what we really want to do.

Many writers insist they have no time to write, but they always seem to catch the latest Netflix original series, or go to the next big Hollywood feature. They enjoy concerts, parties, ball games, whatever.

How important is it to you to finally write your book? What will you cut from your calendar each week to ensure you give it the time it deserves?

• A favorite TV show?
• An hour of sleep per night? (Be careful with this one; rest is crucial to a writer.)

Successful writers make time to write.

When writing becomes a habit, you’ll be on your way.

Step 5. Establish a sacred deadline.

Without deadlines, I rarely get anything done. I need that motivation.

Admittedly, my deadlines are now established in my contracts from publishers.

If you’re writing your first book, you probably don’t have a contract yet. To ensure you finish your book, set your own deadline—then consider it sacred .

Tell your spouse or loved one or trusted friend. Ask that they hold you accountable.

Now determine—and enter in your calendar—the number of pages you need to produce per writing session to meet your deadline. If it proves unrealistic, change the deadline now.

If you have no idea how many pages or words you typically produce per session, you may have to experiment before you finalize those figures.

Say you want to finish a 400-page manuscript by this time next year.

Divide 400 by 50 weeks (accounting for two off-weeks), and you get eight pages per week. 

Divide that by your typical number of writing sessions per week and you’ll know how many pages you should finish per session.

Now is the time to adjust these numbers, while setting your deadline and determining your pages per session.

Maybe you’d rather schedule four off weeks over the next year. Or you know your book will be unusually long.

Change the numbers to make it realistic and doable, and then lock it in. Remember, your deadline is sacred.

Step 6. Embrace procrastination (really!).

You read that right. Don’t fight it; embrace it.

You wouldn’t guess it from my 200+ published books, but I’m the king of procrastinators .

Don’t be. So many authors are procrastinators that I’ve come to wonder if it’s a prerequisite.

The secret is to accept it and, in fact, schedule it.

I quit fretting and losing sleep over procrastinating when I realized it was inevitable and predictable, and also that it was productive.

Sound like rationalization?

Maybe it was at first. But I learned that while I’m putting off the writing, my subconscious is working on my book. It’s a part of the process. When you do start writing again, you’ll enjoy the surprises your subconscious reveals to you.

So, knowing procrastination is coming, book it on your calendar .

Take it into account when you’re determining your page quotas. If you have to go back in and increase the number of pages you need to produce per session, do that (I still do it all the time).

But—and here’s the key—you must never let things get to where that number of pages per day exceeds your capacity.

It’s one thing to ratchet up your output from two pages per session to three. But if you let it get out of hand, you’ve violated the sacredness of your deadline.

How can I procrastinate and still meet more than 190 deadlines?

Because I keep the deadlines sacred.

Step 7. Eliminate distractions to stay focused.

Are you as easily distracted as I am?

Have you found yourself writing a sentence and then checking your email? Writing another and checking Facebook? Getting caught up in the pictures of 10 Sea Monsters You Wouldn’t Believe Actually Exist?

Then you just have to check out that precious video from a talk show where the dad surprises the family by returning from the war.

That leads to more and more of the same. Once I’m in, my writing is forgotten, and all of a sudden the day has gotten away from me.

The answer to these insidious timewasters?

Look into these apps that allow you to block your email, social media, browsers, game apps, whatever you wish during the hours you want to write. Some carry a modest fee, others are free.

• Freedom app
• FocusWriter

Step 8. Conduct your research.

Yes, research is a vital part of the process, whether you’re writing fiction or nonfict i on .

Fiction means more than just making up a story .

Your details and logic and technical and historical details must be right for your novel to be believable.

And for nonfiction, even if you’re writing about a subject in which you’re an expert—as I’m doing here—getting all the facts right will polish your finished product.

In fact, you’d be surprised at how many times I’ve researched a fact or two while writing this blog post alone.

The last thing you want is even a small mistake due to your lack of proper research .

Regardless the detail, trust me, you’ll hear from readers about it.

Your credibility as an author and an expert hinges on creating trust with your reader. That dissolves in a hurry if you commit an error.

My favorite research resources:

• World Almanacs : These alone list almost everything you need for accurate prose: facts, data, government information, and more. For my novels, I often use these to come up with ethnically accurate character names .
• The Merriam-Webster Thesaurus : The online version is great, because it’s lightning fast. You couldn’t turn the pages of a hard copy as quickly as you can get where you want to onscreen. One caution: Never let it be obvious you’ve consulted a thesaurus. You’re not looking for the exotic word that jumps off the page. You’re looking for that common word that’s on the tip of your tongue.
• WorldAtlas.com : Here you’ll find nearly limitless information about any continent, country, region, city, town, or village. Names, monetary units, weather patterns, tourism info, and even facts you wouldn’t have thought to search for. I get ideas when I’m digging here, for both my novels and my nonfiction books.

Step 9. Start calling yourself a writer.

Your inner voice may tell you, “You’re no writer and you never will be. Who do you think you are, trying to write a book?”

That may be why you’ve stalled at writing your book in the past .

But if you’re working at writing, studying writing, practicing writing, that makes you a writer. Don’t wait till you reach some artificial level of accomplishment before calling yourself a writer.

A cop in uniform and on duty is a cop whether he’s actively enforced the law yet or not. A carpenter is a carpenter whether he’s ever built a house.

Self-identify as a writer now and you’ll silence that inner critic —who, of course, is really you. 

Talk back to yourself if you must. It may sound silly, but acknowledging yourself as a writer can give you the confidence to keep going and finish your book.

Are you a writer? Say so.

• Part Three: The Book-Writing Itself

Step 1. Think reader-first.

This is so important that that you should write it on a sticky note and affix it to your monitor so you’re reminded of it every time you write.

Every decision you make about your manuscript must be run through this filter.

Not you-first, not book-first, not editor-, agent-, or publisher-first. Certainly not your inner circle- or critics-first.

Reader-first, last, and always .

If every decision is based on the idea of reader-first, all those others benefit anyway.

When fans tell me they were moved by one of my books, I think back to this adage and am grateful I maintained that posture during the writing.

Does a scene bore you? If you’re thinking reader-first, it gets overhauled or deleted.

Where to go, what to say, what to write next? Decide based on the reader as your priority.

Whatever your gut tells you your reader would prefer, that’s your answer.

Whatever will intrigue him, move him, keep him reading, those are your marching orders.

So, naturally, you need to know your reader. Rough age? General interests? Loves? Hates? Attention span?

When in doubt, look in the mirror . 

The surest way to please your reader is to please yourself. Write what you would want to read and trust there is a broad readership out there that agrees.

Step 2. Find your writing voice.

Discovering your voice is nowhere near as complicated as some make it out to be.

You can find yours by answering these quick questions :

• What’s the coolest thing that ever happened to you?
• Who’s the most important person you told about it?
• What did you sound like when you did?
• That’s your writing voice. It should read the way you sound at your most engaged.

That’s all there is to it.

If you write fiction and the narrator of your book isn’t you, go through the three-question exercise on the narrator’s behalf—and you’ll quickly master the voice.

Here’s a blog I posted that’ll walk you through the process .

Step 3. Write a compelling opener.

If you’re stuck because of the pressure of crafting the perfect opening line for your book, you’re not alone.

And neither is your angst misplaced.

This is not something you should put off and come back to once you’ve started on the rest of the first chapter.

Oh, it can still change if the story dictates that . But settling on a good one will really get you off and running.

It’s unlikely you’ll write a more important sentence than your first one , whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction. Make sure you’re thrilled with it and then watch how your confidence—and momentum—soars.

Most great first lines fall into one of these categories:

1. Surprising

Fiction : “It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.” —George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four

Nonfiction : “By the time Eustace Conway was seven years old, he could throw a knife accurately enough to nail a chipmunk to a tree.” —Elizabeth Gilbert, The Last American Man

2. Dramatic Statement

Fiction : “They shoot the white girl first.” —Toni Morrison, Paradise

Nonfiction : “I was five years old the first time I ever set foot in prison.” —Jimmy Santiago Baca, A Place to Stand

3. Philosophical

Fiction : “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” —Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

Nonfiction : “It’s not about you.” —Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life

Fiction : “When I finally caught up with Abraham Trahearne, he was drinking beer with an alcoholic bulldog named Fireball Roberts in a ramshackle joint just outside of Sonoma, California, drinking the heart right out of a fine spring afternoon. —James Crumley, The Last Good Kiss

Nonfiction : “The village of Holcomb stands on the high wheat plains of western Kansas, a lonesome area that other Kansans call ‘out there.’” —Truman Capote, In Cold Blood

Great opening lines from other classics may give you ideas for yours. Here’s a list of famous openers .

Step 4. Fill your story with conflict and tension.

Your reader craves conflict, and yes, this applies to nonfiction readers as well.

In a novel, if everything is going well and everyone is agreeing, your reader will soon lose interest and find something else to do.

Are two of your characters talking at the dinner table? Have one say something that makes the other storm out.

Some deep-seeded rift in their relationship has surfaced—just a misunderstanding, or an injustice?

Thrust people into conflict with each other . 

That’ll keep your reader’s attention.

Certain nonfiction genres won’t lend themselves to that kind of conflict, of course, but you can still inject tension by setting up your reader for a payoff in later chapters. Check out some of the current bestselling nonfiction works to see how writers accomplish this.

Somehow they keep you turning those pages, even in a simple how-to title.

Tension is the secret sauce that will propel your reader through to the end . 

And sometimes that’s as simple as implying something to come.

Step 5. Turn off your internal editor while writing the first draft.

Many of us perfectionists find it hard to write a first draft—fiction or nonfiction—without feeling compelled to make every sentence exactly the way we want it.

That voice in your head that questions every word, every phrase, every sentence, and makes you worry you’re being redundant or have allowed cliches to creep in—well, that’s just your editor alter ego.

He or she needs to be told to shut up .

This is not easy.

Deep as I am into a long career, I still have to remind myself of this every writing day. I cannot be both creator and editor at the same time. That slows me to a crawl, and my first draft of even one brief chapter could take days.

Our job when writing that first draft is to get down the story or the message or the teaching—depending on your genre.

It helps me to view that rough draft as a slab of meat I will carve tomorrow .

I can’t both produce that hunk and trim it at the same time.

A cliche, a redundancy, a hackneyed phrase comes tumbling out of my keyboard, and I start wondering whether I’ve forgotten to engage the reader’s senses or aimed for his emotions.

That’s when I have to chastise myself and say, “No! Don’t worry about that now! First thing tomorrow you get to tear this thing up and put it back together again to your heart’s content!”

Imagine yourself wearing different hats for different tasks , if that helps—whatever works to keep you rolling on that rough draft. You don’t need to show it to your worst enemy or even your dearest love. This chore is about creating. Don’t let anything slow you down.

Some like to write their entire first draft before attacking the revision. As I say, whatever works.

Doing it that way would make me worry I’ve missed something major early that will cause a complete rewrite when I discover it months later. I alternate creating and revising.

The first thing I do every morning is a heavy edit and rewrite of whatever I wrote the day before. If that’s ten pages, so be it. I put my perfectionist hat on and grab my paring knife and trim that slab of meat until I’m happy with every word.

Then I switch hats, tell Perfectionist Me to take the rest of the day off, and I start producing rough pages again.

So, for me, when I’ve finished the entire first draft, it’s actually a second draft because I have already revised and polished it in chunks every day.

THEN I go back through the entire manuscript one more time, scouring it for anything I missed or omitted, being sure to engage the reader’s senses and heart, and making sure the whole thing holds together.

I do not submit anything I’m not entirely thrilled with .

I know there’s still an editing process it will go through at the publisher, but my goal is to make my manuscript the absolute best I can before they see it.

Compartmentalize your writing vs. your revising and you’ll find that frees you to create much more quickly.

Step 6. Persevere through The Marathon of the Middle.

Most who fail at writing a book tell me they give up somewhere in what I like to call The Marathon of the Middle.

That’s a particularly rough stretch for novelists who have a great concept, a stunning opener, and they can’t wait to get to the dramatic ending. But they bail when they realize they don’t have enough cool stuff to fill the middle.

They start padding, trying to add scenes just for the sake of bulk, but they’re soon bored and know readers will be too.

This actually happens to nonfiction writers too.

The solution there is in the outlining stage , being sure your middle points and chapters are every bit as valuable and magnetic as the first and last.

If you strategize the progression of your points or steps in a process—depending on nonfiction genre—you should be able to eliminate the strain in the middle chapters.

For novelists, know that every book becomes a challenge a few chapters in. The shine wears off, keeping the pace and tension gets harder, and it’s easy to run out of steam.

But that’s not the time to quit. Force yourself back to your structure, come up with a subplot if necessary, but do whatever you need to so your reader stays engaged.

Fiction writer or nonfiction author, The Marathon of the Middle is when you must remember why you started this journey in the first place.

It isn’t just that you want to be an author. You have something to say. You want to reach the masses with your message.

Yes, it’s hard. It still is for me—every time. But don’t panic or do anything rash, like surrendering. Embrace the challenge of the middle as part of the process. If it were easy, anyone could do it.

Step 7. Write a resounding ending.

This is just as important for your nonfiction book as your novel. It may not be as dramatic or emotional, but it could be—especially if you’re writing a memoir.

But even a how-to or self-help book needs to close with a resounding thud, the way a Broadway theater curtain meets the floor .

How do you ensure your ending doesn’t fizzle ?

• Don’t rush it . Give readers the payoff they’ve been promised. They’ve invested in you and your book the whole way. Take the time to make it satisfying.
• Never settle for close enough just because you’re eager to be finished. Wait till you’re thrilled with every word, and keep revising until you are.
• If it’s unpredictable, it had better be fair and logical so your reader doesn’t feel cheated. You want him to be delighted with the surprise, not tricked.
• If you have multiple ideas for how your book should end, go for the heart rather than the head, even in nonfiction. Readers most remember what moves them.
• Part Four: Rewriting Your Book

Step 1. Become a ferocious self-editor.

Agents and editors can tell within the first two pages whether your manuscript is worthy of consideration. That sounds unfair, and maybe it is. But it’s also reality, so we writers need to face it.

How can they often decide that quickly on something you’ve devoted months, maybe years, to?

Because they can almost immediately envision how much editing would be required to make those first couple of pages publishable. If they decide the investment wouldn’t make economic sense for a 300-400-page manuscript, end of story.

Your best bet to keep an agent or editor reading your manuscript?

You must become a ferocious self-editor. That means:

• Omit needless words
• Choose the simple word over one that requires a dictionary
• Avoid subtle redundancies , like “He thought in his mind…” (Where else would someone think?)
• Avoid hedging verbs like almost frowned, sort of jumped, etc.
• Generally remove the word that —use it only when absolutely necessary for clarity
• Give the reader credit and resist the urge to explain , as in, “She walked through the open door.” (Did we need to be told it was open?)
• Avoid too much stage direction (what every character is doing with every limb and digit)
• Avoid excessive adjectives
• Show, don’t tell
• And many more

For my full list and how to use them, click here . (It’s free.)

When do you know you’re finished revising? When you’ve gone from making your writing better to merely making it different. That’s not always easy to determine, but it’s what makes you an author. 

Step 2. Find a mentor.

Get help from someone who’s been where you want to be.

Imagine engaging a mentor who can help you sidestep all the amateur pitfalls and shave years of painful trial-and-error off your learning curve.

Just make sure it’s someone who really knows the writing and publishing world. Many masquerade as mentors and coaches but have never really succeeded themselves.

Look for someone widely-published who knows how to work with agents, editors, and publishers .

There are many helpful mentors online . I teach writers through this free site, as well as in my members-only Writers Guild .

Step 1. Decide on your publishing avenue.

In simple terms, you have two options when it comes to publishing your book:

1. Traditional publishing

Traditional publishers take all the risks. They pay for everything from editing, proofreading, typesetting, printing, binding, cover art and design, promotion, advertising, warehousing, shipping, billing, and paying author royalties.

2. Self-publishing

Everything is on you. You are the publisher, the financier, the decision-maker. Everything listed above falls to you. You decide who does it, you approve or reject it, and you pay for it. The term self-publishing is a bit of a misnomer, however, because what you’re paying for is not publishing, but printing. 

Both avenues are great options under certain circumstances. 

Not sure which direction you want to take? Click here to read my in-depth guide to publishing a book . It’ll show you the pros and cons of each, what each involves, and my ultimate recommendation.

Step 2: Properly format your manuscript.

Regardless whether you traditionally or self-publish your book, proper formatting is critical.

Because poor formatting makes you look like an amateur .

Readers and agents expect a certain format for book manuscripts, and if you don’t follow their guidelines, you set yourself up for failure.

Best practices when formatting your book:

• Use 12-point type
• Use a serif font; the most common is Times Roman
• Double space your manuscript
• No extra space between paragraphs
• Only one space between sentences
• Indent each paragraph half an inch (setting a tab, not using several spaces)
• Text should be flush left and ragged right, not justified
• If you choose to add a line between paragraphs to indicate a change of location or passage of time, center a typographical dingbat (like ***) on the line
• Black text on a white background only
• One-inch margins on the top, bottom, and sides (the default in Word)
• Create a header with the title followed by your last name and the page number. The header should appear on each page other than the title page.

If you need help implementing these formatting guidelines, click here to read my in-depth post on formatting your manuscript .

Step 3. Set up your author website and grow your platform.

All serious authors need a website. Period.

Because here’s the reality of publishing today…

You need an audience to succeed.

If you want to traditionally publish, agents and publishers will Google your name to see if you have a website and a following.

If you want to self-publish, you need a fan base.

And your author website serves as a hub for your writing, where agents, publishers, readers, and fans can learn about your work.

Don’t have an author website yet? Click here to read my tutorial on setting this up.

Step 4. Pursue a Literary Agent.

There remain a few traditional publishers (those who pay you and take the entire financial risk of publishing your book rather than the other way around) who accept unsolicited submissions, but I do NOT recommend going that route. 

Your submission will likely wind up in what is known in the business as the slush pile. That means some junior staff member will be assigned to get to it when convenient and determine whether to reject it out of hand (which includes the vast majority of the submissions they see) or suggest the publisher’s editorial board consider it.

While I am clearly on record urging you to exhaust all your efforts to traditionally publish before resorting to self-publishing (in other words, paying to be printed), as I say, I do not recommend submitting unsolicited material even to those publishers who say they accept such efforts.

Even I don’t try to navigate the publishing world by myself, despite having been an author, an editor, a publisher, and a writing coach over the last 50 years.

That’s why I have an agent and you need one too.

Many beginning writers naturally wonder why they should share any of their potential income with an agent (traditionally 15%). First, they don’t see any of that income unless you’re getting your 85% at the same time. And second, everyone I know in the business is happy to have someone in their corner, making an agent a real bargain.

I don’t want to have to personally represent myself and my work. I want to stay in my creative lane and let a professional negotiate every clause of the contract and win me the best advance and rights deal possible.

Once under contract, I work directly with the publishing house’s editor and proofreader, but I leave the financial business to my agent.

Ultimately, an agent’s job is to protect your rights and make you money. They profit only when you do.

That said, landing an agent can be as difficult and painstaking as landing a publisher. They know the market, they know the editors, they know what publishers want, and they can advise you how to put your best foot forward.

But how do you know who to trust? Credible, trustworthy agents welcome scrutiny. If you read a book in your genre that you like, check the Acknowledgments page for the agent’s name. If the author thinks enough of that person to mention them glowingly, that’s a great endorsement.

If you’re writing in the inspirational market, peruse agents listed in The Christian Writer’s Market Guide . If you’re writing for the general market, try The Writer’s Market . If you know any published authors, ask about their agents.

The guides that list agents also include what they’re looking for, what they specialize in, and sometimes even what they’re not interested in. Study these to determine potential agents who ply their trade in your genre. Visit their websites for their submission guidelines, and follow these to a T.

They may ask for a query letter, a synopsis, a proposal, or even sample chapters. Be sure not to send more or less than they suggest. 

The best, and most logical place to start is by sending them a query letter. Query simply means question, and in essence the question your letter asks is whether you may send them more.

Step 5: Writing Your Query Letter.

It’s time to move from author to salesperson.

Your query letter will determine whether a literary agent asks to see more, sends you a cordial form letter to let you down easy, or simply doesn’t respond.

Sadly, many agents stipulate on their websites that if you hear nothing after a certain number of weeks, you should take that as an indication that they’re not interested. Frankly, to me, this is frustrating to the writer and lazy on the part of the agent. Surely, in this technological age, it should be easy to hit one button and send a note to someone who might otherwise wonder if the query reached the agent at all.

But that’s the reality we deal with.

So, the job of your one-page single-spaced email letter is to win a response—best case scenario: an invitation to send more: a proposal or even the manuscript. 

Basically, you’re selling yourself and your work. Write a poor query letter and an agent will assume your book is also poorly written.

Without being gimmicky or cute, your letter must intrigue an agent. 

Your query letter should:

• Be addressed to a specific person (not to the staff of the agency or “To Whom It May Concern”)*
• Present your book idea simply
• Evidence your style
• Show you know who your readers are
• Clarify your qualifications
• Exhibit flexibility and professionalism

*If you see a list of agents in a firm, choose one from the middle or bottom of the list. It could be that they get less personal mail than the person whose name is on the door. Who knows? That you single them out may make them see your query in a more favorable light.

For some great advice on writing a query letter, check this out: https://janefriedman.com/query-letters/  

• You Have What It Takes to Write a Book

Writing a book is a herculean task, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done.

You can do this .

Take it one step at a time and vow to stay focused. And who knows, maybe by this time next year you’ll be holding a published copy of your book. :)

I’ve created an exclusive writing guide called How to Maximize Your Writing Time that will help you stay on track and finish writing your book.

Get your FREE copy by clicking the button below.

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How to Write a Book in 12 Simple Steps [Free Book Template]

POSTED ON Nov 28, 2023

Written by Justin Champion

You're ready to learn how to write a book…

And as a first-time author, you're nervous about this new journey because you want first-time success (who doesn't?).

But today's publishing industry has become noisy . There is endless information out there on how to write a book, and with the rise of self-publishing , it can be overwhelming, to say the least.

If you’re ready to take the leap, become an author , and learn how to write a book the right way, start with this resource to get your wheels in motion.

As a first-time bestselling author, I can tell you that writing my first book was one of the most rewarding and challenging experiences of my life.

I experienced a lot of growth and pushed through many hurdles, and being able to learn how to publish is something I am truly proud of.

And I'm ready to share the steps of how to write a book with you, so that you can go on to write a book of your own, and find success as a first-time author.

Ready to learn how to write a book? Let's get to it!

Need A Nonfiction Book Outline?

Here's how to write a book in 12 steps:

• Develop a writer’s mindset a. Hold yourself accountable to writing your book b. Give yourself permission to be a writer c. Announce your intention to write a book
• Create a book writing space
• Choose your book writing software a. Google Drive b. Grammarly c. Evernote d. A notebook & pen
• Determine your book's topic a. Identify your target reader b. Write about something that intrigues you c. Research potential topics d. Choose a topic you can write about quickly
• Create a book outline a. Create a mindmap b. Write a purpose statement c. Create a working title d. Write an elevator pitch for your book e. Draft a working outline for your book f. Fill in the gaps with more research g. Frameworks on how to write your book
• Finish writing your manuscript a. Break your book writing into small chunks b. Build the momentum to finish writing your book c. Collaborate with others
• Include front & back matter a. Preface or introduction b. Foreward c. Testimonials d. Author Bio e. Glossary f. Notes g. Images
• Edit your book a. Self-edit your book b. Hire a professional book editor c. Re-write sections of your book's draft using your editor's feedback d. Finalize your book title
• Choose a compelling book cover
• Format your book
• Prepare to launch your book a. Build your book's launch team b. Develop a marketing mindset c. Create a book launch strategy
• Publish your book
• How To Write A Book: FAQs

In this article, we'll start with the basics. While the steps in this phase may seem to be unrelated to actually learning how to write a book , they are very important.

In fact, setting yourself up for success will help you build the foundation needed to start writing a book .

We'll talk about developing a writer's mindset to get you in a frame of mind that's conducive to writing. Then, we'll discuss how to create a writing space that will boost your writing productivity, and how to choose the best book-writing software for your needs.

Here are some tips for success as you write a book:

• Develop a writer's mindset . This is all about embracing a mentality that will inspire you to start (and finish) writing your book.
• Create a writing space . This is all about how to set up the ideal writing environment that fits your routine.
• Use a tool to write your book . This is all about deciding on what you will use to write your book.
• Get support . A strong support network, a community of peers, and a book-writing coach could be the difference between a published book and an unfinished manuscript.
• Use templates where you can. We provide you with a proven book outline template in this post. But there are templates for cover layouts, formatting, and more. Don't recreate the wheel! Use these and build upon them to make them your own.

1. Develop a Writer’s Mindset

Learning how to write a book takes time, work, and dedication. It’s easy to romanticize becoming a bestseller like J.K. Rowling or Octavia Butler. However, every author has a story on how they started out and overcame adversity to get where they are today.

For example, Rowling, who had no job and was on welfare at the time, would take her children to a coffee shop and write.

Butler, who was a dishwasher and potato chip inspector at the time, would wake up at two or three in the morning to write and wrote herself mantras to keep her focused on her goals.

The first steps in learning how to write a book are overcoming mindset blocks, dealing with self-doubt as a writer , and developing a healthy frame of mind that will help you with your writing goals .

Let’s review three things you can do to circumvent roadblocks and crush challenges to keep you focused on your goal.

Hold yourself accountable to writing your book

It’s not good enough to write only when inspiration strikes. There will be days when writing is the last thing you want to be doing.

But you have to treat your writing as if it were a job, or a duty. This means holding yourself accountable, taking action, and showing up every day.

Here's how to hold yourself accountable to writing:

• Set a writing goal. If you don't have a goal, procrastination will get the best of you. Determine a writing goal, including how many days a week you intend to set aside time to write, and set a deadline or due date for when you'd like to have parts of your book.
• Block off chunks of time to write every week.  If you’re looking for a place to start, consider one to two hours per day five days per week. The more often you write, the more you’ll develop a habit for it, and making time for writing won't be that much of a struggle.
• Set a daily word count goal.  Consider how many words you want to write each week. Use this Word Count Calculator to determine the goal you should aim for, depending on the type of book you are writing. For example, if your goal is 3,000 words per week and you have five chunks of time blocked off to write per week, then you’d need to write 600 words per day to achieve your weekly goal.

I write early in the morning before I do anything else for 1-2 hours. I find that as I go throughout the day and work on other projects my mind isn’t as fresh or sharp by the end of the day. However, sometimes I have ideas throughout the day that I jot down in Evernote to jump-start the next morning with a working outline.

Give yourself permission to be a writer

This might sound silly, but it's true: in order to learn how to write a book, you need to give yourself permission to be a writer. Many aspiring authors get stuck in their mindset, which prevents them from initiating and completing their writing projects.

Even successful authors feel like they aren't good enough. Acknowledge your feelings, but then shake them off, and move on with your day.

Hear this : You don't have to be an expert to learn how to write a book. You don't have to feel 100% confident to be a good writer. You don't even have to be all-knowing to teach others about your experiences or knowledge.

Here's how to give yourself permission to be a writer:

• Get inspiration from other writers . When you're just starting to learn how to write a book, you might feel alone in your journey. But take comfort in the fact that other successful writers all started at the bottom, just like you. Many of them overcame seemingly impossible hurdles, but persisted with their writing dreams, anyway. Research some of your favorite authors, and read up on their stories to discover the issues they overcame to find success.
• Accept where you are . Acknowledge your feelings of self-doubt, and then release them. It's okay to experience moments of feeling discouraged, but it's important that you don't let those feelings hold you back. Accept that you are beginning your journey and that this is a learning process.
• Use positive affirmations . Your thoughts have a huge influence on your abilities. What you think starts to become your reality, so make your thoughts good. Use positive affirmations about yourself and your writing abilities to pump yourself up. You can even read inspirational writing quotes from famous authors for motivation.
• Overcome imposter syndrome . Even expert authors and writers feel like imposters every now and again. While it's okay to experience feeling inferior, you have to eventually get over those thoughts and push on towards your goals. Connect with other aspiring writers, get yourself a mentor, and join writers conferences or writing communities.

Announce your intention to write a book

The best way to hold yourself accountable for your work is to let others know your goals. Is there someone you trust or a group of people in your network you can appoint to check in on your progress?

Perhaps there is someone who is a seasoned writer who can serve as a mentor. If so, try to have regular check-ins with this person.

One way to keep these meetings consistent is to schedule a lunch or coffee date. Talk about your progress and perhaps any challenges you’re facing. They may be able to bring a fresh perspective.

I told my wife, Ariele, and several of my closest teammates from work about my intentions to write my first book. We had regular check-ins to talk about progress. Everyone helped keep me motivated and had different feedback for me. Without them, it would have been a lot more difficult to write Inbound Content in the timeframe I did.

2. Create a Book Writing Space

The second step in how to write a book has to do with your environment. Where you choose to write will have a major impact on your writing productivity.

Find creative spaces where you can produce your best writing.

Sure, some might argue that they can write anywhere as long as they have the tools to write. But where we choose to write plays a huge role in our writing motivation and focus.

Questions to think about: Where do you work best? What surroundings inspire you most? Identify them and make it a best practice to work there consistently.

Here are creative writing spaces to write your book:

• Coffee shops (classic)
• Beautiful park or somewhere in nature
• A dedicated writing nook at home

My main writing location is the dinette in my Airstream. I do my best work when traveling; I wrote the manuscript for my book in six weeks as I traveled the U.S. and worked full time from the road.

3. Choose your Book-Writing Software

The next step in how to write a book has to do with writing tools.

In 1882, Mark Twain sent to a publisher the first manuscript to be written on a piece of technology that would transform the writing industry: the typewriter.

Nowadays, we have computers with word processing and the internet where you can find an endless assortment of useful book-writing software and apps that are meant to help you be an efficient and effective writer. If you're writing a novel, check out this guide to novel-writing software .

You may be tempted to overload on apps because you think it’ll help elevate your writing. But honestly, less is more . The truth is that the right tools and even self-publishing companies make writing and publishing easier and more enjoyable.

Instead of overwhelming you with all the possible apps in existence, below is a list of three tools I recommend adding to your writing toolkit today (and they’re free).

Google Drive

Google Drive is one of the most versatile cloud storage services available today. But Google Drive is so much more than cloud storage. Here’s a list of ways you can use Google Drive to help you write your book:

• You can organize all aspects of your project in folders (research, outline, manuscript drafts, etc.)
• You can host files for your projects like images, photos, etc.
• You can use Google Docs as a word processor. And we have a book writing template , specifically for Google Docs.
• You can enable offline access and work on your files even when you don’t have an internet connection, such as when you’re traveling.
• You can collaborate easily with others, avoiding version control issues.
• You can access it from just about any device (laptop, smartphone, tablet, you name it).

Plus, Google will give you 15GB of free storage just for signing up.

If you’re new to Google Drive, here’s a list of resources that can turn you into a pro. (FYI, if you have a Gmail account, you have a Google Drive account.)

Grammarly is an editing tool that helps you identify grammatical errors, typos, and incorrect sentence structure in your writing.

Download the web extension and Grammarly will edit most anything you type in a web browser (yes, it will work with Google Docs).

You can check out this Grammarly review if you're on the fence about this one.

Inspiration can strike at any time. Capture those thoughts and ideas as they happen in Evernote . You can even sync Google Drive and Evernote. I recommend doing this, especially on your mobile device.

A Notebook & Pen

Don't underestimate the power of good ole' fashioned pen and paper when it comes to learning how to write a book, which is arguably the only essential writing tool out there.

Even if you write your entire manuscript on a trusty writing software program, you'll still want to have a dedicated notebook available for the times when inspiration strikes and you can't access a computer.

Every writer should have a notebook handy for random ideas and thoughts. You can jot these down in your notebook, then revisit them and digitally store them in your book-writing software when you're back at the computer.

4. Determine Your Book Topic

Now we'll move on to how to actually start writing a book. This is the part that seems simple, but can be more difficult than you realize.

However, once you get through the process of actually writing your book, you will gain momentum to finish it, and eventually publish it.

Learning how to write a book starts with an idea. Shat's your book idea ?

Maybe you already know exactly what you want to write about. Or maybe you have a million ideas floating on in your head, but you don't know exactly where to start.

One of the most common pieces of advice for aspiring first-time authors is: “Write what you know.” A simple phrase that’s meant to be helpful, yet it begs so many questions.

If you're struggling with a book idea, try jumpstarting your creativity by experimenting with these writing prompts .

Whether you’re writing a non-fiction how-to guide or a fictional post-apocalyptic thriller, you need to form a connection with your audience — and you can do that through emotion. The best way to create emotion with your reader is to understand them.

Here's how to determine what you want to write about and how to write it in a meaningful way.  

Identify your target reader

The key to producing meaningful content is understanding your reader. You can do this by creating a reader persona — a semi-fictional representation of your ideal audience.

To get started with your reader persona, consider answering the following questions:

• What’s the reader’s age? Are you writing a self-help book geared towards mature adults, or are you writing a guide for teenagers? The age of your reader will set the tone for your writing and book's context.
• What’s the reader’s education level? Are you writing a book for PhD candidates, or for recent high school graduates? Depending on the answer, your writing style, verbiage, and word choice will vary.
• Does the reader prefer visuals? Think about your book's potential topic and if visuals like charts, graphs, tables, illustrations , screenshots, or photographs will be expected.
• What is this reader interested in? When you write a book, it's less about what you want to say, and more about what your reader needs to know. As you start to brainstorm a topic and write your book, always have a reader-centric approach.

The more you know about your reader, the better experience you can create for them.

When you start learning how to write a book, you have to make your book about the reader. What do they need to know in order to learn what you have to say?

My main audience is marketers and business owners at small-to-medium-sized businesses. They’re strapped for time and don’t need another theoretical resource. They value real-world examples to help visualize what tips and strategies look like in action.

Write about something that intrigues you

You need to write about something that spikes your curiosity, something that keeps you coming back day after day. Something that lights you up and that you're invested in.

I can’t stress the importance of this enough. If you choose a topic to write about for the wrong reason, don’t expect to create something that people will love.

You need to be able to stick with it through dry spells and bouts of non-inspiration. Your own desire to hear the story will be what drives you through learning how to write a book.

Research potential topics

In our digital age, we can conveniently research topics from the comfort of our own homes.

Google makes it easy to research just about any topic.

Here’s a list of ways to research your book concept on Google:

• What content already exists? Are there already books written on this topic? If so, which ones performed well? Why did they perform well? Is there anything interesting about their content that enhances the reader’s experience? Is the market over-saturated on this topic?
• What influencers exist on the subject? Are there well-known authors on this topic? Who are they? What can you learn from them?
• What do you need to learn? Are there specific things you need to learn to create a rich, meaningful narrative (ex. geography, culture, time period, etc.)?

I performed extensive research before writing the manuscript for Inbound Content. It was important for me to understand what content was already out there, which content was performing well, and most importantly, how could I make my book unique. This is exactly why I included homework after each chapter to help my readers build an action plan that they could implement immediately, something I noticed wasn’t typical in other marketing books.

Choose a topic you can write about quickly

Writing your first book is invaluable because it's a serious learning experience. The process of actually writing a book and completing it will make this book a personal success for you, because of how much you will learn about yourself and your craft in the process.

Don't get hung up on a topic. If you're struggling with deciding what to write about first, go with the topic that you know best. Choose a topic or experience that you can write about quickly, with limited resources.

Here's how to find a topic you can write about quickly:

• Write what you can teach right now. If you had to teach a lesson on something right at this second, what could you confidently teach? This is a topic you know well, that requires limited additional research, and what you can quickly create content for.
• Write about a powerful experience. Each individual is unique in their experiences. Everyone has gone through something that changed them. Reflect on your life and think about one experience that sticks out about your life.
• Write about a life lesson. What has life taught you? What unique observations have you made about the world? You can use this information to learn how to write a memoir .

5. Write A Book Outline

Once you know what you want to write about, you’re probably eager to start writing. But you need a writing guide first.

Let’s review what you can do to create a clear book outline for your book that you can use as a roadmap.

Create a mindmap

You have an idea, now it's time to hone in on just exactly what that idea is. With a mindmap , you can drill your topic down into sub-topics. It will help you get all of your ideas out and onto paper.

Here are the steps to mindmap your book's topic:

• Get a blank piece of paper and pen.
• Set a timer for 10 minutes.
• Write your topic in the middle of the page.
• Jot down all of your ideas related to your book's topic.
• Do not stop writing until the timer goes off.

Once you have mindmapped your idea, you should have a full page of brainstormed thoughts, ideas, and concepts. You can then review what you've written, and begin to organize them. This will come in handy when it comes time to actually start plugging in content for your book outline.

Write a purpose statement

In one sentence describe the purpose of your book. A strong purpose statement will explain to readers why they should consider reading your book. For me, I was writing a book to grow my business .

This will also help you stay focused as you begin drafting your outline and writing your book. When you have trouble solidifying what your book is about , review your purpose statement.

Inbound Content‘s purpose statement: People who read this book will learn a step-by-step process on how to do content marketing the inbound way.

Create a working title

A working title is a temporary title used during the production of your book. Identifying your book by giving it a name can help set the direction.

Once you finish your work you can revisit the title and update accordingly. Don't get too hung up on this step; think of the title as a placeholder. It isn't permanent, but it will be helpful to begin with one in mind.

If you need help thinking of a working title, use our Book Title Generator .

Write an elevator pitch for your book

An effective elevator pitch should last no longer than a short elevator ride of 30 seconds. For context, 30 seconds equals about 65-70 words.

Having a prepared elevator pitch will come in handy throughout your book-writing process. It will help you nail your book's purpose and topic, and it will help the concept become crystal clear not only for yourself as the writer, but for your potential readers, too.

As you ask family and friends to hold you accountable to writing, and as you connect with fellow writers, authors, and mentors, you will be asked about your book. Having a prepared elevator pitch will help you nail the answer without hesitation, each and every time.

Draft a working outline for your book

The next step in learning how to write a book is drafting a working book outline. Just like the working title you created, this outline is a work in progress. The outline can change throughout your writing process, and that's okay!

However, it's super helpful to start with an outline so that you know where to begin, and have a general roadmap for where to go as you start writing.

Use the related concepts and sub-topics you organized in your mindmap, and start plugging in some content into your outline.

Your outline will do wonders for you once you start writing. It can help you avoid writer's block , and increase your writing momentum and productivity. Instead of wondering what to write about in the next chapter of your book, you'll already have an idea of where to start with your book's outline.

Fill in the gaps with more research

After your working outline is completed, it's important to do further research on your topic so that you can fill in any areas that you missed or forgot to include in your original outline.

Do not get too caught up in your research that it prevents you from writing your book. Take some time to research, but set a limit. Always go back to writing.

Here's how to research when writing a book:

• Use online resources by doing a Google search on your topic.
• Read other books that have been written about your topic.
• Listen to expert interviews, podcasts, and audiobooks related to your topic.
• Read scholarly articles and academic journals within the subject or industry.
• Search archives, collections, historical journals, data records, and newspaper clippings to get clear on events, dates, and facts about your topic, especially if you're writing about the past.

Frameworks on how to write your book

If your book can follow a framework, this will make it easier to keep your writing organized and relevant.

By choosing a format or structure for your book's topic, you'll be able to align your outline in a way that will be helpful when you start to write each chapter.

Most nonfiction books can fall into a specific framework, or a blend of frameworks. It's better to start with a specific framework, then tweak it as needed as you continue writing.

Here are common nonfiction book frameworks to consider when writing a book:

• Modular: Use this framework if you have a lot of information or concepts that can be grouped into similar topics, but don't need to be presented in a specific order.
• Reference: Use this framework if your book will be used as a reference that makes it easy for readers to quickly find the information they need.
• Three Act Structure: Use this framework if you plan to use storytelling in your book, where you have three main parts like a Set Up, Rising Action, and Resolution.
• Sequential: Use this framework if your book reads like a “how to” with a specific set of steps.
• Compare & Contrast: Use this framework if you need to show your reader how two or more ideas or concepts are similar to or different from one another.
• Problem & Solution: Use this framework if readers need to be able to clearly identify a problem and understand the solution.
• Chronological: Use this framework if each main section of your book represents a specific time or order of events.
• Combination: If your book will fall under two or more of the above frameworks, then you will need to use a combination framework that's adjusted to your book's specific topic.

6. Finish Writing Your Book Draft

For many, the hard part isn't getting started with how to write a book… it's in actually finishing it!

Commit to finishing your rough draft , and you're already succeeding!

Here are our top tips to keep the momentum going as you start taking action after learning exactly how to write a book.

Break your book writing into small chunks

Now that you have your book's outline and framework, it's time to get started with writing.

Like a marathon, your manuscript is essentially a puzzle made up of many smaller like-themed pieces. Your finished book may be 262 pages long, but it’s written one word or thought at a time. Pace yourself and stick to your consistent writing schedule.

If you approach your book writing by focusing too much on the larger picture, you can get overwhelmed. Write chapter-by-chapter.

Start with baby steps by chunking your writing into small pieces. Set milestones, and celebrate the small wins.

Here are some tips for breaking your writing into small pieces:

• Write one chapter at a time . Focus on one piece at a time, not the entire puzzle!
• Set deadlines to complete each chunk of writing . Break your goal down into smaller sections, then set individual deadlines for each section.
• Structure your writing time. Follow a routine for writing that includes time for research (if needed) and review. For example, if you dedicate two hours each day towards your book, set 30 minutes aside to review your outline so you know what you're writing about, then 30 minutes to research anything that you need to clarify, then one hour to actually write.
• Celebrate small goals. As you accomplish milestones towards your end goal, schedule and celebrate your small accomplishments. It can be something as simple as going out to dinner, buying yourself a small gift, or doing a little dance.

Build the momentum to finish writing your book

Learning how to write a book can be difficult.

When you're in the weeds with writing your book, there will be days you want to give it all up.

There will also be times when you have writer's block, and even though you know what you should be writing about, it all sounds wrong as you re-read what you've written in your head.

Here's how to fight writer's block and increase your writing momentum:

• Don't edit as you write. Writing and editing require your brain to work in two very different ways, so don't do it! It'll slow you down, and keep you at a standstill. Keep writing, and save the editing for later.
• Switch up your scenery. If you usually write at home in your own writing space, maybe it's time to freshen up your writing environment. Try writing in a public park, or at a coffee shop or library on the days when writing is the last thing you feel like doing.
• Take a break. It's okay if you're too mentally worn-out to write. Take a small break, and then get back to it. When we say small break, we mean take a day or two off from writing (not a month or two!).
• Get creative inspiration elsewhere. Binge-watch an exciting new show, read a novel, take a walk in nature, go to an art gallery, or be around people you love. While you aren't writing when you do these things, it can help your brain reset and recharge so you can return to your book.
• Write about something else. Sometimes, when we're so engulfed in our book's topic, it can be self-limited. If you're feeling less excited about writing when it comes to your book, maybe it's time to flex your writing muscles in a different way. Try doing some creative writing exercises, journal, or write a poem.
• Supercharge your writing with AI . AI tools, such as ChatGPT , are here to empower your writing journey. They can help you generate ideas, overcome writer's block, and streamline your writing process. By integrating AI into your writing workflow, you can access instant feedback and suggestions, helping you build momentum and stay focused on completing your book.

Related: I Wrote A Book! Now What?

Collaborate with others

There's strength in numbers when it comes to accomplishing a huge task.

And, more importantly, it can help you feel less isolated in what can be a very solitary act. Writing a book can be lonely!

Let’s review three things you can do to collaborate with others when writing your book.  

Connect with your original accountability partner or group

A great example of finding accountability partners is through a group or self-publishing company much like what Self-Publishing School does with their Mastermind Community on Facebook.

Attend a writer's conference

Sharing space and networking with other writers can do wonders for your own writing habits and momentum. By attending writer's conferences, you'll be in a room full of people just like you.

Not only will you be able to network with and learn from expert authors who have been where you are, but you'll also be able to meet fellow aspiring writers going through the same process as you.

Collaborate with thought leaders on your subject

Ideal for nonfiction writers, this collaboration could mean asking well-known people in your industry to write a quote that brings value to your content.

Pro tip: When promoting your book launch on social media, consider creating a buzzworthy piece of content like an engaging blog article and have your audience share it.

7. Include Front & Back Matter

Now it's time to put on your marketing pants and spread the word about your book!

There are elements outside of your book’s content that you’ll need to write, such as a preface, foreword, notes, etc. I suggest waiting until after you’ve written your book. This way, not only can you better connect them to your story, but you won’t waste time editing them in case you make changes to your manuscript.

Let’s review eight final touches you may or may not need to wrap up your book.

Preface or Introduction

Draw in your readers with a compelling story. This could be a personal anecdote related to your topic. Tell them what the book is about and why it is relevant to them (think of your reader persona from earlier).

A foreword is typically written by another author or thought leader of your particular industry. Getting someone credible to write this can add a lot of value to your readers.

Testimonials

Just like with the foreword, try and find respected, well-known people in your space and have them write a review about your book. The best way to promote yourself is to have someone else speak on your behalf.  

How do you want to be portrayed to your audience? Readers love knowing personal details of an author’s life, such as your hobbies, where you live, or what inspired you to write this book.

Pro tip: The author bio on the flap of your book might be one of the first things people read when deciding whether or not to read our book. Keep it short, but make sure it packs a punch (just like your elevator pitch).

A glossary is an alphabetical list of terms or words relating to a specific subject, text, or dialect with corresponding explanations. If you are writing nonfiction, especially a topic that uses a lot of lingo or uncommon words, make sure to include a glossary to create a better experience for your readers.

If you are writing nonfiction, keep track of your sources as you research and write. A clear bibliography will only add to your value and credibility.

Being nonfiction that was based on a lot of research and experiments, I made sure to include a notes section in Inbound Content. It included citations, stats, image sources, etc.

Using images is a nice addition to your content. Images can create a more engaging experience for the reader while improving the communication of hard-to-grasp concepts.

8. Edit Your Book

The next step in learning how to write a book is editing. This involves self-editing first, then having a thorough professional edit done.

The success of your book will depend on its quality, and a thoroughly edited book is a solid way to increase your book's quality.

Even the best writers require editing, so don't feel discouraged by this process. In the end, you'll be glad you followed the editing process, and will have a completed, error-free book that you can be proud of.

Self-edit your book

Remember when we told you not to edit your book as you wrote? Well, now's your time to shine in the editing department.

Once your book is written, it's time to go through and read it line-by-line.

We recommend printing your entire manuscript out on paper, then going through each page and making edits. This will make it easy to spot errors, and will help you easily implement these changes into your manuscript.

There's a specific strategy to self-editing; if you start this process blindly, it can be overwhelming, so make sure you understand how it works before diving in.

Here are some tips to self-edit your book successfully:

• Read your manuscript aloud as you edit.
• Start with one chapter at a time.
• First, go through and edit the chapter for structure revisions.
• Second, find opportunities for improving the book's readability.
• Third, make edits for grammar and word choice.

Once you complete your self-edit, you can make your revisions on your manuscript, then get ready for the next round of edits.

Hire a professional book editor

The next step in learning how to write a book is handing your book off to a professional book editor .

As meticulous as you may be, there are bound to be some grammatical or spelling errors that get overlooked. Also, a professional editor should be able to give you feedback on the structure of your writing so you can feel confident in your final published draft.

There are many different types of editing , so think carefully to determine who you should hire.

Re-write sections of your book's draft using your editor's feedback

Now it's time to improve your book using your editor's feedback. Don't be discouraged when you get your manuscript back full of edits, comments, and identified errors.

Think of these edits as opportunities to improve your book. You want to give your reader a polished, well-written book, and to do this, you need to edit and re-write.

This doesn't mean you have to re-write your entire book. You simply have to go through your editor's feedback, and make any revisions you think are necessary.

If there is something you don't agree with your editor on, that's okay. In the end, it is your book, and you are in control of what you want to add or take out of the manuscript.

Just be sure your revisions are coming from a place of sound reasoning, and not pride.

Finalize your book title

If you haven't done so already, it's time to revisit the working title you created for your book earlier in the process.

You need to finalize your book's title before you move on to the next steps!

If you need help deciding on a title, cast a vote with your target readers and mentors in your author network. Send an email out, post a social media announcement , or reach out through text with people that are considered your book's ideal reader.

Get feedback on your title by asking people to vote for their favorite. Include the top three choices, then use the crowdsourced results to narrow it down even more.

Once you have a title selected, don't worry too much if you're not 100 percent sold on it yet. Even if the title turns out to not be effective, you can always change the title depending on the publishing platform you select.

9. Choose a Compelling Book Cover

Don’t judge a book by its cover? Please.  People are definitely judging your book by its cover. 

The book cover design is generally the first thing that will pique a reader’s interest.

You can find freelance graphic designers to create a compelling book cover for you on many online marketplace sites like Upwork, Reedsy , and Snappa . You can even check with a local graphic design artist for a more hands-on approach.

Tips for creating an effective book cover:

• Whitespace is your friend.  Make it a best practice to choose a design that pops, but doesn’t distract.
• Make it creative (non-fiction) or emotional (fiction).  Do your best to connect the art to the story or use it to enhance the title.
• Consider a subtitle.  Think if this as a one-sentence descriptor on what this book is about.
• Test two or three designs.  Send a few designs to your trusted accountability group to get their honest first impressions and feedback.

Keeping these best practices in mind, I chose a cover for Inbound Content that was simple but made the title pop and let the subtitle provide the promise to the reader.

10. Format Your Book

Now that you’ve written your manuscript, it’s time to format it so you can visualize the final product — your book!

Formatting your book is an important step in learning how to write a book, because it has to do with how your book will appear to the reader. A successfully formatted book will not cut off text, incorrect indentations, or typeset errors when printed or displayed on a digital device.

If you've already decided to go with self-publishing vs traditional publishing , this is all on you. But if you're not tech-savvy and don't have the time to learn how to format your own book, you can hire a professional to do this part for you.

If you know how to format a book correctly and to fit your book distributor's specifications, you can do so in Word or Google Docs. You can also use a program like Vellum Software or Atticus .

Otherwise, we recommend hiring someone to do this professionally, as it's one of the most important aspects to get right. Check out Formatted Books if that's the case for you.

11. Prepare to Launch Your Book

Before you hit “Publish” it's time to do the groundwork to start prepping for your book's launch, and your ongoing book launch and book marketing strategy.

There are a few steps involved in this process, which we'll outline below.

Build your book's launch team

This is an ongoing step that you can start doing when you are finished with your rough draft. As you send your book to the editor, designer, and formatter, you can organize a launch team in the meantime.

Your book's launch team is essentially a group of individuals who are considered your target readers. They will help you promote your book, and will be actively involved in the launch process of your book.

Develop a marketing mindset

It's time to start shifting your mindset from writing to book marketing . Think about your strengths and areas of growth when it comes to sales and marketing.

Acknowledge any fears or self-limiting thoughts you have, then push past them by remembering your book's purpose. Know that the power of sharing your knowledge and experience through your book is stronger than any fear that might hold you back.

It's important to understand in the marketing phase that your mindset has a huge role in the success of your book. You can write the best book in the world, but if you don't channel some energy towards marketing, no one will know it exists.

Here are six ways to market your book:

• Paid advertisements
• Free advertisement opportunities
• Local or in-person events
• Content marketing on Google and Amazon
• Be a guest on podcasts and websites
• Speaker opportunities

Create a book launch strategy

There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to your launch strategy, so it's important to draft up a plan before you publish your book.

Your launch strategy is basically how you plan to create momentum with your book. Think of it like a business launch. There's always a big celebration to announce the launch of the business. It's the same for your book.

12. Publish Your Book

The self-publishing process steps will vary on whether you are publishing your book as an eBook only, or whether you plan to publish it as a print book .

It will also vary depending on which self-publishing companies you plan to work with. There are many self-publishing platforms to choose from, including KDP on Amazon and IngramSpark .

If you plan to work with a different book publisher , you'll want to follow their guidelines. You should also learn how to copyright a book to protect yourself against plagiarism.

Once you've hit publish on your platform, you can start implementing your launch strategies and marketing strategies, which we'll cover in the next section.

FAQs: How To Write A Book

If you read through this guide and have specific questions on how to write a book, here are some other questions we get often.

How long does it take to write a book?

How long it takes to write a book depends on a number of factors. on average, it takes self-published authors anywhere from 3-6 months, but that can be shorter or longer depending on your writing habits, work ethic, time available, and much more.

How much do authors make?

There is no set amount that an author can make. It depends on many factors, such as the book genre , topic, author's readership and following, and marketing success.

For a full report on this, please read our report on Author Salary

Writing a book is not a get-rich-quick strategy by any means. While learning how to write a book can help you grow your business through techniques like a book funnel , unless you sell hundreds of thousands of copies of books, you likely will not earn six figures from book sales alone.

How much money does an author make per book?

The money an author makes per book sold is calculated by the royalty rate. The royalty rate varies depending on the publishing medium, and company.

Use this Book Royalty Calculator to get a better idea of your potential earnings.

How much does it cost to write and publish a book?

With Amazon self-publishing and other self-publishing platforms, the cost to publish is actually free. However, it costs money to hire professionals that actually produce a high-quality book that you will be proud of.

For full details, read this guide on Self-Publishing Costs .

Can anyone write a book?

Yes, anyone can learn how to write a book. And thanks to the rise of technology and self-publishing, anyone can publish a book as well!

Traditional publishers used to serve as the gatekeepers to publishing, holding the power to determine which books would be published. This prevented many stories from being shared, and many talented authors from being recognized.

Thankfully, this antiquated system is no longer the only option. This also means that because anyone can technically publish a book, it is extremely important that you create a quality, professional book that's of the highest standard.

You Wrote A Book!

And that’s it! Those are the steps to take to learn how to write a book from start to finish.

You can and will write your first book if you put forth the effort. You’re going to crush this!

Trust the process, create a consistent writing schedule, and use this practical guide to help you through the journey of learning how to write a book.

Are you ready to write your book?

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How to Write a Novel: Writing a Book in 4 Steps

Writing a book doesn’t have to be hard. Here’s a simple 4 part process for how to write a novel to go from a book idea to published novel, including tips for plotting, planning, writing, and publishing.

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Sharing is caring!

Today I am going to share with you my simple system for how to write a novel. Writing a novel does not have to be difficult or overwhelming – and it can be a lot of fun and very rewarding!

When I started writing my first novel at age 14, I had no idea how to actually sit down and write a novel. Even so, I spent most of my summer vacation that year typing away each day like a mad person does whenever they have a good story idea.

Within a few weeks of daily writing, my novel was complete. I still vividly remember that sweet feeling of accomplishment when it was finished. I was 14 and holding an entire manuscript in my hands!

Trust me when I tell you there is nothing like that I-just-wrote-a-book feeling!

Seriously, finishing the book you are writing will make you feel like you are free, full of joy, and so immensely happy and proud!

Be careful though: You may even feel like you can fly and that maybe you have secretly possessed super powers all these years. You might feel powerful and wise. You might even think you are ready to rule the world.

Other side effects include running to the nearest mountain top and yelling, “I JUST FINISHED MY NOVEL!!!!!!” at the top of your lungs.

You may also find yourself writing with way too many exclamation points, which you as a writer know is not grammatically correct or necessary!

Needless to say, it’s a pretty incredible feeling when you finish writing your novel.

Even if you do not publish your first novel, you will still have that sense of accomplishment from writing a book – and you will be ready to write many more books after that first one!

All You Need is This Simple Method for How to Write a Novel

What I’m about to share with you on how to write a novel comes from 22 years of daily writing-like-a-madman practice. Over the years, I’ve developed a sort of system to how I write novels and other books. Today I am sharing my method with you so that you too can get over that hurdle of writing your first novel and just get it written.

Don’t worry though: it’s not complicated. I like to keep things simple, and don’t believe in making things more complex than things actually need to be for the process for novel writing. Albert Einstein says it well:

“Everything must be made as simple as possible. But not simpler.” ― Albert Einstein

It’s never a good idea to make the novel writing more complicated than it actually needs to be. However, it’s not as simple as “Just sit down and write!”

If that actually worked, I would just say “Just sit down and write” and you would write your novel and likely this whole article and entire blog would have no need to exist. Obviously, there is more to writing a novel than just sitting down and typing out random words as they enter your head.

For me, when it comes to writing a book, I think it’s helpful to have a plan that functions like a road map. This way, if you get lost, you know how to identify where you are, find your destination, and follow the path to getting that book written!

Using the map analogy, think of it as a treasure map with your finished and published book the final destination.

Along the way, we’ll be making a few stops to ensure the process goes smoothly. Should you ever get off the path in your writing, you will be able to see where you left off and get back on track.

This 4 part guide goes through everything you need to start writing your book – and also the important steps to ensure you actually sit down and write to finish your novel. By breaking it down into 4 parts, it is no longer as quite the preposterous task to write a novel as it may seem at first.

Writing your novel doesn’t have to be hard or overwhelming and can be a lot easier than you might think!

So, are you ready to write your novel? If you follow the process and steps I share in this article, I promise you really will be writing a novel! All you have to do is sit down at your computer or laptop and actually write it!

Let’s get on to it, shall we?

How to Write a Novel: From Idea to Draft to Final Book

To help simplify the novel writing process, we’ve organized this article to break it down into 4 sections. Each of these sections shares specific actionable steps you can do in order to begin writing your novel – and actually make sure it gets finished!

Here are the 4 Parts of the Process for Writing a Book:

Part 1: Creative Brainstorming, Research & Planning – A VERY IMPORTANT STEP!

Part 2: Writing the First Draft – How to Reach Your Goals and Get Unstuck

Part 3 : Revising and Editing – From Good to Great

Part 4: Publishing and Marketing – Sharing Your Novel with the World!

By breaking down the process into these 4 parts and the small steps to follow in each part of the process, the entire undertaking of writing a novel seems a lot less overwhelming. Using these steps can help you make writing your novel a much more fun and enjoyable experience, as it should be!

Writing a novel can be a very exciting and satisfying experience – even if you don’t have any intentions of becoming a best selling author. {Although, that IS always the dream for many of us!}

Part 1: Gathering and Organizing Ideas for Writing Your Novel

Your novel all starts with an idea. For many writers, you may find you have a LOT of ideas. Finding a way to gather and organize all of your ideas is very important.

While the amount of structure you need for organizing these ideas is often a matter of personal preference, having everything haphazardly jotted down in a notebook can sometimes make the novel writing process a lot more difficult than it needs to be!

A little organization can go a long way to help you maintain focus while writing and stay motivated to see your novel from idea to completion.

Step 1: The Creative Brainstorm

The creative brainstorm part of writing is my favorite part of any idea I have for a book I am writing, whether it is a non-fiction book or a fictional narrative novel.

Where you as a writer find inspiration might be different from other writers of course, but I have always strongly believed INSPIRATION IS EVERYWHERE.

Here are some ways I like to come up with initial ideas for writing fiction novels:

• Create a Mind Map : A mind map is a great way to come up with different ideas for your novel. See our article How to Create a Mind Map for Your Novel  for some ideas and inspiration.
• Draw Sketches : In addition to writing, I also love doodling and drawing, so sometimes it can be fun for me to draw sketches of the characters or important scenes in the book. Don’t worry if you aren’t a fantastic artist – sometimes just getting the idea expressed visually with stick figures can be helpful for turning it into words later.
• Music Soundtrack : Sometimes when I write certain scenes and books, I like to have appropriate music playing in the background to bring the right mood and feeling to my writing. For example, if I were writing a sad tragic love story, I would probably head on over to a website like 8tracks.com and type in “sad love songs” as a keyword to search for.
• Pinterest Boards: As someone who is a visual learner, I find that the more visual imagery and inspiration I use, the more descriptive and vivid my writing will be. You can pin pictures of the types of clothes your characters wear or even photos of different places and scenes where your story takes place.

Step 2: Planning Your Novel

Now that we have all of our inspiration, we’re ready to plan the actual writing of our novel.

There is no wrong way to plan a novel, and the process you use to plan out the scenes and chapters for each part of your novel is often up to your own individual preferences.

However, it is SO VERY IMPORTANT to have some type of planning before you start writing those first words.

Without a plan, it is too easy to become derailed and get lost while writing. Instead of sticking to the scenes you already have figured out, you might instead find your mind – and your characters, wandering about aimlessly.

Having a plan can help you stay focused, and meet your goals for writing your novel in a set specific period of time. When you know where you’re going, it is a LOT easier to get there!

Here are some popular methods for planning your fiction novel:

The Outline Method : I like to use an outline for my novels, as it gives me a specific series of events. If I already created a mind map for the novel, I will export the mindmap to outline format and then import into my writing software so I can create a proper outline. Your outline can be as detailed or as brief as you like, so don’t worry about whether or not it is long enough.

The Index Card Method: I do not use the index card method myself much, but for some authors and writers, it is what they swear by! The Index Card Method is where you write down different scenes onto index cards. You can then sort and arrange them as necessary. If you are using a software program such as Scrivener, this allows you to do the process digitally, which can make it a little less messy!

The Planning Calendar Binder Method: Some writers find it helpful to actually plan their novel just like they would plan out their week or even a special event like a wedding or other big celebration. While this method requires more work upfront, it can actually help you save a lot of time later down the road! Using this method, you would use a 3 ring binder and include a calendar with dates and writing goals, as well as detailed information for writing your novel, such as character profiles and fact sheets.

Whatever method that works for you and you are comfortable with is the best one to choose.

The main goal of planning is to know what you are writing about, so that when you go to sit down at the computer to start typing, you don’t get stuck or waste time backtracking.

As I wrote in my article on how to reach your word count goals , it’s very important to have clear and complete thoughts when writing, as this helps the words flow easily when you actually sit down and write.

Most of our time spent sitting down to write should be actually typing and getting the words down. You do not want to be sitting at your computer or laptop keyboard and struggling to figure out what it is you are trying to say while writing!

Step 3: Building a Strong Foundation

Now that we have all of our inspiration, and our plan for what we are writing about, it’s time to start building a strong foundation before you actually begin writing your book.

A strong foundation is what helps you avoid weak characters, weak plot points, and weak conflicts in your novel.

Think of it as the “vision before the revision”. This part of the planning process is basically to go back and do any revisions to the characters or plot line now – before you start writing.

It is in this step of writing a novel that I will conduct the character development interview questions  and think about whether there may be any points in my novel that could be stronger.

By really analyzing your plot and characters now, it can help save you a lot of hassle and headaches later!

Now is a good time to also do any supplemental research your novel might need before you start writing. If you do your research now, you will be able to reduce the amount of time you are distracted by fact checking.

No writer wants to disappear into research and get lost in the black hole known as the internet later while writing!

For example, if you are writing a historical romance novel set in the Civil War period, you will want to do your history fact checking NOW, before you start writing!

The same goes for if you are writing about a specific location, medical condition, profession, or other information specific type of research that needs to be done.

Even if you are not writing anything specific that requires a heap of research, you may want to double check your plot again just to be sure there isn’t anything you are not familiar with.

Trust me when I say this: You do not want to be mid-sentence as you write the critical scene when your main character is rushed to the hospital – only to be wondering what the standard procedure is for treating a gunshot wound!

The less research you do while writing, the more productive you will be and the better your writing will flow through the story. Take notes now, so that later you don’t need to worry about other things later and you can focus on fully writing your story and the lives of your characters.

Once you have all of your planning and research ready – it’s finally time to get to the good part: actually writing your novel instead of just thinking about how to write the novel !

Part 2: Writing The First Draft of Your Novel

The first draft of your novel is the most exciting part to write. The best part? You don’t need to write perfectly at this point, because we will be doing our editing and revising in a later step.

In fact, it’s usually best to write with zero editing and revising when you first start – this way you can get through your word counts faster. Before you know it, you’ll be on the track to a completed book without getting stuck on trying to come up with something “perfect” right off the bat.

Being a perfectionist at this point can be dangerous to your writing and the outcome of your novel, so it’s best to ignore any and all concerns about grammar, spelling, and what to keep or cut out at this point.

Writing your first draft can be done in 3 simple steps:

Step 1: Set a Daily Word Count Writing Goal

Most novels are somewhere between 40,000 and 75,000 words. By setting a daily word count goal, it can help you stay on task to actually finishing writing the novel within a given timeframe.

Giving yourself a deadline is one of the best ways to stay on track, especially when many writers tend to work from home or on the go. It is not like you have a boss who is breathing down your neck to make sure you finish your assignment on time.

In this case, you need something to guide you and motivate you to actually get to the work of writing, and this is where keeping a daily word count can be so useful! Having a daily word count can help you stick to a writing schedule .

In order to set a daily word count, you’ll want to estimate a rough amount for how many words you want your book to be, and then determine how soon you want your first draft finished.

Once you have these two things figured out, simply divide the number of words by the number of days. Now you know how many words to write each day in order to finish writing your book!

Step 2: Start Where You Are Ready to Start

Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to start writing your novel with the first sentence of chapter 1.

Sometimes writing the beginning of a novel can be too daunting. Starting somewhere mid-point in the story takes off the pressure of having to have your story start out perfectly.

There are many writers who will actually even begin at the very end where all the action and conflict happens. This can set you up for the tone and style for the rest of the events leading up to the main action scenes.

As long as you have a plan for how many words you want to write each day, and a good plan for how your story needs to progress from Point A to Point B all the way to the final conclusion, you can write whatever it is you feel like writing.

Just write, stick to the loose ideas of your scenes, and let it flow as naturally as you possibly can.

Step 3: Don’t Panic if You Get Stuck

I think one of every writer’s greatest fears is that you start writing a book, it goes great, and then you get hit with the most severe case of writer’s block, where you’ve written your characters into the world’s most predictable and boring corner and you see no way out.

It can be scary to think about, but getting stuck while writing can happen to almost anyone.

Now is NOT the time to go back and rewrite anything.

Just refer to your original roadmap, outline, or other plan for this novel and keep writing until you get to the finish line.

Remember this most important tip while writing your novel’s first draft: DO NOT EDIT. DO NOT REVISE. JUST KEEP WRITING UNTIL YOU ARE FINISHED.

Don’t worry if the chapters and scenes don’t flow into one another as smoothly as they should.

Whatever you do, don’t go backwards and delete pages and pages of work .

You can always save your document as a copy, rather than possibly destroy something that would be useful later when you enter the revising phase of writing your novel.

If you get stuck, take a break for about 15-20 minutes. Walk around. Take a stretch. Sometimes moving around or even taking a break to take a quick shower can help you regroup and get back to writing.

You can also always skip around to different sections. It’s OK if you lose steam on writing the third chapter, so decide to write Chapter 7 instead – AS LONG AS YOU GO BACK to chapter 3 and finish writing that part of the book at some point!

Step 4: Write as Badly as You Possibly Can

If the feeling of being stuck is still there after a short break, challenge yourself to write towards your word count goals anyways. Remember: What you are writing at this moment doesn’t have to be good. This is only the rough draft .

This is so important, it bears repeating: It’s only a rough draft of your novel.

Writing badly is better than writing nothing!

Since this is a rough draft, you can make mistakes. You can write terribly. You’ll have plenty of time to fix problems and make changes when we get to the next part of the novel writing process. Instead of getting hung up and not writing, just write as badly as humanly possible.

You won’t like your writing when you do it this way, but at least you’ll like that you aren’t staring at a blank screen.

So yes, I fully support and encourage that you embrace the art of writing terribly! Instead of writing well, try to write as terribly as you can! It’s one of the best ways to actually get words down on the page.

Seriously : If you can’t write well, write as terribly as you can.

Use every cliche in the book you can think of. 🙂

As someone who frequently writes thousands of words a day, I tend to use the “write as badly as possible” trick to get things written that ordinarily would still be unwritten.

If I didn’t write all the times I got stuck or times I didn’t really feel like writing, there would be a lot of things I would have never written. Sometimes you just have to write as horribly as you can, get out the horrible-ness and then get back to work.

Will you have to do more for the revising and editing process when this happens? Yes, of course.

But at least you will have something to revise and edit! You cannot edit a blank screen!

Step 4: Don’t Give Up

The difference between the writers who publish books and the ones who don’t is mostly whether one writer gave up or not. Staying motivated as a writer is very important!

Sure, some writers are naturally more gifted with the ability to connect words together into stories than others. Being a good writer is no guarantee that you are going to finish writing your novel.

Even the best of storytellers struggle with writing their novels – the difference in whether you actually write is simply a matter of motivation and getting past those creativity blocks.

If you can fight the perfection monsters and just get it all out of your head onto the page, you’re ahead of the crowd.

And if you just keep writing and writing, before you know it, you’ll find it becoming easier and easier to work through those periods where your motivation levels have crashed.

Part 3: Revising and Editing

First of all: If you made it this far, congratulations! Seriously – you just wrote a book!

Maybe your book at this point is not great, and of course we all know it’s not perfect – at least not yet.

But seriously, you wrote a book at the point when you are editing and revising, so this is a MAJOR accomplishment!

The revising and editing process is not nearly as hard as one might think. This is when we take the rough draft of your novel and turn it into the novel masterpiece it deserves to be!

First of all, if you are not already familiar with the differences between revising and editing , it is important to know that they are NOT the same thing!

• Revising means to change, alter, and improve your work.
• Editing means to check for spelling errors, typo, and correct any grammar mistakes.

Here’s the dictionary definition for each, just in case you need to explore further:

In this part of the novel writing process, you are basically doing two things: you are going to read what you wrote, and make any changes as necessary.

The steps during this process can be a bit painful, but it is 1000% absolutely necessary and is what will take your finished book to the professional level ready for publishing.

Step 1: Print Out Your Book and Read It

You may be wondering why on earth I would recommend you actually physically print out your book. Can’t you just read the book on the screen?

Well, I suppose you could, but there tends to be one slight problem with that: you can’t easily add notes and write comments.

Also, it’s worth noting that at this point, after all the hours of sitting at your desk, it will likely be good for you and your eyes to take a rest! No matter how comfortable of an ergonomic office chair you may have – you still need to take breaks from the screen!

For me, printing out the work and reading the novel makes it special, and all the more real to have that physical feeling of a stack of paper in your hand. It also greatly helps reduce the amount of burnout you might experience as a writer.

Give your eyes, your wrists, and your back a rest – print out the book and read it!

Yes, you really should print your finished book – even if it’s not quite technically finished yet!

I like to print my books so that there is about  3″ margin on the right side, and with the lines double spaced. You should be able to specify these print settings in just about any type of word processing software that you might be using.

This gives you enough space for notes and to make any corrections while you read if you desire. Sometimes I read without any intentions of editing, but it never hurts to have a pen handy, especially if you are the type of writer who goes crazy when you find a typo!

Step 2: Ask Yourself What Revisions Are Necessary

Your first draft is unlikely perfect the way you wrote it the first time. Going through the book is important, because it gives you a chance to identify any weak spots in the plot, dialogue and character development.

Here are some of the questions I like to ask during the revision process:

Is it necessary? Often times, we have scenes in our novel that are not absolutely necessary. They don’t move the story forward, they don’t provide any deep enlightenment to the character’s personalities, and some scenes can even be on the boring side. If you have scenes that aren’t necessary, your book may be better off without them entirely.

It is consistent? It’s always important to make sure that everything in your novel is consistent. If you write about your character’s blue eyes in one scene and then three chapters later write about how his eyes are brown, you are going to confuse your reader. These minor details can be easy to catch – but make sure you look for other signs that something may not be consistent. Using the search/replace tool in your word processing software can be helpful for finding any possible mistakes.

Is there enough conflict and character development? All good novels have conflict – a lot of it. Conflict, after all, is what gives us a story! No one wants to read about perfect characters with a perfect life without challenges – who can relate to that? Does your character change and grow enough throughout the book? Is there enough emphasis put on the events that lead to building up the main climax of the story? Do your characters engage in powerful dialogue exchanges ?

Step 3: Make the Changes

Once you identified the scenes that aren’t necessary and any other weak spots in your novel, you are ready to make the changes. I recommend saving your novel as a copy for your revisions – and make multiple backups of your work at this point if you haven’t done so already!

In this step, rewrite any necessary parts of the book which need a little attention. This is not the time to go on a tangent of wild creativity or come up with a whole new storyline – use what you have! Think of this step as polishing a rock to really shine and reveal that it is a diamond!

Step 4: Become a Spelling and Grammar Tyrant:

While grammar can be somewhat relaxed when you write fiction, you still do not want any glaring errors that would cause someone to question your credibility as a writer.

Your word processing software likely already has a built in spell check and grammar checker, however these tools are not always 100% accurate. Be sure that you actually check each and every single word individually as you read through your novel.

Many things can slip through the built-in spell checking tools, so be sure you don’t neglect this very important step!

Step 5: Have Someone Else Read Your Book

At this point, your novel is pretty close to done! However, this is a good time to get a trusted second opinion.

There are many ways to go about this. You can ask a close family member or friend to read your book.

However, keep in mind that family members and friends can sometimes be the worst people to read your work! They can sometimes be too close to you on a personal level to truly give you the objective and unbiased opinions necessary.

You can also join a writing group to gain support and share your work with other writers. This can be very beneficial on many levels. With other writers in a writing group, at least you can be sure they have some knowledge and experience in regards to the novel writing process.

The third, and often best option, is a professional editor. Hiring an editor may seem like an unnecessary expense, however your editor can be your best ally in giving you unbisased and objective opinions on your final novel.

After your novel is completed, you are ready for the final step: to actually publish and market your book!

Part 4: Publishing and Marketing

The process of publishing and marketing your book is very exciting, but it can be equally terrifying as well!

Fortunately, today there are many publishing options available for all types of writers – whether you choose to self-publish your novel, or submit your novel to a traditional publishing house .

Step 1: Choose Your Publishing Method

There are many ways to publish your book, but it’s important you carefully weigh the pros and cons of the many options in front of you!

With traditional publishing , you will need to submit your manuscript to the publisher according to their specifications, and then wait hopefully for a response! It can be nerve racking to submit your novel to multiple publishers, especially if your novel manuscript is rejected at first.

Keep in mind many now successful authors first faced rejection – so you should not let it disappoint you too much if at first you do not have the results you are hoping for.

Once your novel is accepted by a publisher, it will be very important for you to carefully read your publishing contract. Any contract you sign will be a legally binding agreement, so if you are unsure of the terms and conditions, it may be advisable to consult with an attorney who is well-versed in publishing law.

With self publishing , you are responsible for every aspect of publishing your book. While this is easier than ever thanks to the many options available for writers, it can still be a difficult process, as you are 100% responsible for everything you do and ensuring your book is published and sold.

No matter which method you choose, you will want to very carefully consider what the best choices will be for you and your needs.

Step 2: Build Your Author Platform

Your author platform includes your own website and your social media network channels. There are many things you will want to make sure you include on your author website , which will help you establish credibility as a writer.

While there are endless possibilities for reaching your audience online, keep in mind there are many other things that might distract your audience’s attention! Knowing your novel’s target audience can help you focus on which channels make the most sense to use to reach your readers.

Some of the popular ways you can reach out to potential readers for your book from your website:

Email Marketing : Creating an email newsletter as an author can help you reach your readers directly in their inbox. There are many newsletter ideas for things you can send your readers to keep them engaged and interested in your work as an author.

Pinterest Marketing : Pinterest is an excellent way to reach potential readers for your novel. Read our article on Pinterest Marketing for Authors for some great tips and ideas for how you can use this social network search engine to find your target audience.

Step 3: Begin Marketing Your Book

Even if you are publishing with a major publishing house, it is still very important for you to do the crucial marketing to help you sell copies of your novel.

There are a number of free ways to promote your book, both online and off. If you are in need of ideas for ways you can market your book without spending a lot of money, our post on 50 Free Author Marketing Ideas can help.

You can also consider investing in advertising for your book. Online, this can be done through paid advertisements on a variety of different websites. You may also want to opt for traditional print advertisements, especially in niche-focused materials that would be of interest to the same audience as your readers.

Once you’ve successfully marketed your book and sold enough copies, now for the fun part: You’re ready to write your NEXT novel!

Now That You Know How to Write a Novel, What Are You Waiting For?

It may seem like a daunting task, but I truly do believe you can write your novel. When you break down the process of writing a book down to these 4 parts and follow the steps necessary to see your book to completion, you are well on your way to succeeding as a writer!

You’re ready to stop reading this article and go start out at step #1 and GO WRITE THAT BOOK ALREADY ! I know you can do it, and you are going to feel SO GOOD when it is finally finished!

Now that you know the entire process of how to write a novel, you are ready to get started. My hope is this guide for writing a novel will help you avoid common mistakes, stay focused and on task, and see your story come to life on the pages.

Do you have any experiences with writing a book you would like to share? Any tips to add to our discussion? I would LOVE to hear your thoughts and experiences in the comment section below! Just getting started? Let us know what resources we can add to our website that will help you along your writing journey as an author!

Chelle Stein wrote her first embarrassingly bad novel at the age of 14 and hasn't stopped writing since. As the founder of ThinkWritten, she enjoys encouraging writers and creatives of all types.

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Thank you for this! I needed to see this. I ‘ve done some of the stuff you recommend not to do and it makes sense why I felt stunted and stress when creating a story should be fun.

Thanks Sasha, I’m glad it’s helpful for you!

I so appreciate your kind and thoughtfully planned guide. I’ve read lots of helpful articles as I made my way through my initial attempt at a book. I’ve also been to sites that nearly derailed my whole process. I understand people will be critical. But some of the people assisting are downright vicious toward other peoples works. Worse they were shouting loud enough in my head that I felt like a failure and completely quit at one point. I’m still terrified to share my own work for fear of beheading.

Even so, I’ve written my first novel, I now know some of the pitfalls I failed to avoid. (I look at the work and am imagining myself as the little avatar in the old Atari favorite). I hope someday it will be more than my own guilty pleasure hobby. Likely not to soon though, (Refer to fear mentioned above). But after this article I have faith now.

I will not quit trying because I’ve been dying to write since I was a child watching “The Walton’s” and “Little House on the Prairie.” I never had the guts. At 48 years of age, I reckon, it’s now or never. So what if I end up with nothing but the feeling of knowing “I did that!”

You’re absolutely right I think it’s perhaps the best feeling in the world. Now I made it, one complete novel still in revision. I have also started my second now trying to make a better run of it. I still hope to polish the other in time. But “I did that!” finally. So as my niece says, “Don’t worry, I’m good.”

I still struggle with show not tell and the evil on the nose dialogue. I’m not an idiot, but I’m also a self taught writer with no prior experience. I have a hard time grasping it because they can’t make me see it in other articles. If you have the opportunity I certainly could use some guidance on those.

Either way, I just wanted to tell you where I am at, also how important it is to have a kind voice say, “Hey there you beyond the screen, you got this!” Sincerely, thanks for making me feel like an author and inspiring my smile today!

Thank you, Tisha! I’m glad you found this inspiring and I wish you much success in your writing journey! Keep us updated!

I thank you for the article. I received many great ideas. Why does he have to look so dam good? Jane was working in the library on a brief when the bell on the door rings, she glances standing in the door was the last person she expects to see is Paul standing in the door, slim, handsome, he stoops to enter. Walks confidently to the desk asks about a book. In a flashback, Jane is thinking about all the time he terrorized her. Jane is a 8, singing and dancing to Bonce’ “Put a Ring On It” she inspires to be singing & dancer. How do I bring Paul back into the story?

Loved the article and found it very helpful. I liked the idea of keeping writing and not worrying about whether it’s good or bad at the draft stage. This is great for getting ideas to flow onto the page without standing in your way by being too critical. I also liked the advice of writing scenes whenever they come to you and not necessarily having to start at the beginning. Thanks.

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Author Interviews

Don winslow ends trilogy, and his writing career, with final novel 'city in ruins'.

Scott Simon

NPR's Scott Simon talks to best-selling suspense author Don Winslow about what he says is his final novel, "City in Ruins."

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

Danny Ryan, who's been a Rhode Island mobster, dockworker and fugitive from the law, is now a pillar of the community in Las Vegas. He's got a palatial home to which good citizens come to pay homage and enjoy his hospitality, his young son he loves and the companionship - well, three times a week, anyway - of an accomplished and compelling woman he respects. What could possibly go wrong? "City In Ruins" is the third and final novel in the bestselling Danny Ryan trilogy by Don Winslow. It follows "City On Fire" and "City Of Dreams," and Don Winslow says quite explicitly, "City Of Ruins" is my final book - no loopholes I could detect. He joins us now from Julian, Calif. Thanks so much for being with us.

DON WINSLOW: Thanks for having me. I appreciate it.

SIMON: The book opens with an implosion, a famous old Las Vegas hotel, now owned by Danny Ryan, being brought down from the inside. Is implosion a kind of theme for Danny Ryan's life, too?

WINSLOW: Yeah, it sure is. Looking over the arc of these three books, I think we're looking at a certain kind of self-destruction with dynamite, if you will, or explosives that were laid many years earlier on a long fuse, to torture the metaphor, and so implosion's definitely a theme.

SIMON: In earlier books, Danny had used what I'll just refer to as ill-gotten gains from a criminal enterprise to buy his way into a respectable hotel and gaming enterprise. He's got a dream. In fact, a hotel - I guess it's called the Dream in Italian.

WINSLOW: It is. Yeah, Il Sogno.

SIMON: Tell us about this place he wants to bring into being.

WINSLOW: Well, he wants to bring into being a new kind of megahotel where people walk in and it's literally a dream with images shifting constantly on the walls of beauty and action and all kinds of things. And I think it's reflective of his own dream of trying to create a new kind of life for himself and for his son.

SIMON: What stands in the way?

WINSLOW: Well, a number of things. For one thing, this valuable piece of real estate that this old hotel sat on is critical to power on the Las Vegas Strip. And he basically undermines a rival in order to acquire it. And then it turns out that both Danny and this rival have mob ties from the past that each of them is trying to escape and trying to leave behind him, and neither one of them can. And so those things really get in the way of Danny's dream.

SIMON: You've written so many other books over the years, including "Savages," "The Force," "The Cartel," bestsellers made into screen properties. What's kept you coming back to Danny Ryan?

WINSLOW: You know, it took me almost 30 years to complete this trilogy. You know, it's funny. You look back on your life. When I started the Danny Ryan books, my now-adult and married son was a toddler. What I was - set out to do was to write a fully contemporary crime epic that took its stories and characters, however, from the Greek and Roman classics, principally the Aeneid, but also the Odyssey and the Iliad and certain Greek tragic dramas. I kept failing at it. I would write some of the book, and some of it worked, and a lot of it didn't. And so at times, I was discouraged, thinking that either, A, it was a bad idea, or, B, it was a good idea and I didn't have the chops to carry it out. But I kept coming back to it 'cause I couldn't leave it behind. And then later on, a couple of decades down the road - you know, I live mostly in California - I started to go back to Rhode Island, where a lot of the first book is set, and I fell in love with the place again, and I felt that I could write it, perhaps in a better and more mature way than I could have done 20 years earlier.

SIMON: Did you feel a kinship with Danny?

WINSLOW: I think so. You know, I grew up with a lot of Danny'. I played pond hockey with them. I went to the beaches with them, you know, to the bars and restaurants and all kinds of things. So it's funny how little self-awareness you can have. The second volume of this book, "City Of Dreams," is basically Danny wandering the country trying to find a place to set his feet. I was deep into writing the third book before I looked back on the second book and realized how connected I was to Danny in that regard. You know, I left Rhode Island when I was 17 and spent decades wandering not only the country but the world, doing various kinds of jobs trying to make a living, trying without a notable degree of success to become a writer and finally kind of made that happen and found a place, if you will, to set my feet.

SIMON: You mentioned all the jobs you had. You were a private eye in Times Square.

WINSLOW: Yes, sir.

SIMON: Is that as exciting as it sounds, or is it a lot of keyhole peeping?

WINSLOW: (Laughter) Not too much keyhole peeping, thank God. You know, I didn't do what they call matrimonial work. But, no, it was not romantic at all. I was basically what is known as a street rat. And so I started that by investigating embezzlement and thefts in cinemas and legit movie theaters on Times Square - there were a few in those days - and then graduated, if you want to call it that, to being a troll. I would walk around Times Square trying to get mugged, and there were big tough guys, which I am not, behind me jumping in like riders at the rodeo and then eventually chasing runaways and trying to get to them before the pimps did.

SIMON: By the way, not that I'm interested in doing this, how do you arrange to get mugged?

WINSLOW: (Laughter) Well, for one thing, you arrange to be 5'6 and 130 pounds. That helps. And then you walk around looking like you don't know where you're going, like you're a tourist, with a wallet prominently in your back pants pocket.

SIMON: Wow. Sounds like it was indispensable to your literature.

WINSLOW: In some ways. You know, I mean, I think that being a PI, and then later I did it out in California, out here, on a much higher kind of level. But it got me in that world. I got to know cops and crooks and street people and lawyers and judges and courtrooms and all of that. But I think the most important influence it had on my work was in terms of investigation itself. I learned how to do research. I learned how to interview people. And the same skills that I would have used as an investigator are the skills that I brought to researching the novels.

SIMON: All of this steers us to asking about your goodbye. The acknowledgments you write include hundreds of people, parents...

WINSLOW: Yes.

SIMON: ...readers, old teachers...

WINSLOW: Sure.

SIMON: ...Even your agent.

WINSLOW: Especially my agent. Yeah.

SIMON: And as you say, goodbyes are hard. So why are you retiring?

WINSLOW: It's the confluence of two streams, if you will. One is that having finished this trilogy felt like an ending to me. It felt like, yeah, kind of my life's work. The second, though, major stream, and probably more important one, is that I just think that we're at a time in this country of crisis and a time where democracy is under a severe threat. And I think that the response to that needs to be more immediate than one can do in a novel, you know? You know, I'm not young. I'm 70. And I think whatever energies and time I have are better spent in that fight.

SIMON: Don Winslow, his new and insists his last novel, "City In Ruins." Thanks so much for being with us, and thanks for everything.

WINSLOW: Thank you very much. That's gracious of you to say.

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‘She was like an auntie to me’: Lynne Reid Banks remembered by Michael Morpurgo

The astonishing breadth of her writing was a great inspiration – as was she, in her passionate advocacy for children’s books

Lynne Reid Banks, author of The Indian in the Cupboard, dies aged 94

I t is quite rare to find a writer like Lynne Reid Banks, who tries so many different subjects, and so many different ways of writing. The author of The L-Shaped Room and The Indian in the Cupboard, who died on Thursday aged 94, was a writer I admired and liked a lot – and someone who helped me find a pathway for myself.

I have a huge admiration for the breadth of her writing. Her first novel was for adults, The L-Shaped Room. It was a great hit, and was adapted into a film. Where do you go after that? And the answer was, she didn’t follow the commerce, she didn’t go to Hollywood or spend time just writing film scripts. She went on writing what she cared about.

Then – thank goodness – she turned to writing children’s books, and again, rather quickly became immensely successful with The Indian in the Cupboard. Lynne Reid Banks wrote 48 books, but it isn’t about the numbers, it’s about the fact that she wrote books that are going to be read again and again and again. It’s about the fact she had an individual voice and she tried things out, she experimented. And it’s about the fact that she knew that, as writers for children, we have to pass on the things we’re passionate about.

Lynne took on subjects that others didn’t think you ought to include in children’s books – she knew that if you write about these things in the right way with the right voice and you don’t traumatise, then that is what literature should be for young people. My favourite of her books, and the first I read, is The Indian in the Cupboard. The depth and complexity of it is quite extraordinary. It is one of those books that crosses that ridiculous divide made between adults and children. The notion that somehow you stop being one and then become the other is nonsense, and she knew that.

Her writing displayed her extraordinary spirit – a spirit I have tried to imitate in my own work. She wrote about what she wanted to in the way that she wanted to do it, and didn’t follow trends. She was was a wonderful off-piste writer, and a wonderful off-piste person as well. She broke the glass ceiling in all sorts of different ways: before I knew her, she was one of the first female news reporters on British television.

I knew her for about 40 years off and on, and “warm” is the first word that comes to mind when I think of her. She was wholehearted in her appreciation of others, and extremely passionate about children’s art and children’s literature.

We coincided in so many ways. She and I both felt passionately against the way the national curriculum seems to be all about testing and outcomes. If you wish to encourage children to read or paint or do drama, you have to leave room in the day for that, and room in the lives of children to express the creative side of themselves. Lynne knew that instinctively, and I think that may well have been thanks to the time she spent living and teaching on a kibbutz in Israel. She was working out in the open with children, where they were close to nature, growing their sense of the planet around them and their belonging to that planet.

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Her work there was not dissimilar to the work I do with my charity Farms for City Children, through which we give classes of children the chance to spend time on one of our farms, working with them out on the land, digging with them in the vegetable garden and helping them to lamb sheep. Lynne and I had a very close connection about the importance of the land – she felt instinctively that being in nature was something that was very good for children’s welfare and wellbeing. She was talking about that a long time before other people.

Fourteen years my senior, to some extent she was like an auntie to me: very encouraging, never critical. We wouldn’t see each other for five or six years, and then she’d ring up out of the blue, about something I’d said. She gave me good advice, and I always felt that she was encouraging me a little further down some route. If I was being a bit belligerent about the way children are being taught in school, she was encouraging me to do more. I felt like I was a sort of clockwork friend of hers: when we got together, she would wind me up a bit to keep me going.

There won’t be another person who has had the extraordinary life that she had. I shall miss her a lot.

As told to Lucy Knight

• Michael Morpurgo
• Children and teenagers

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Lynne Reid Banks: raising a family on a kibbutz was everything my mother detested

It’s great being old. I can be eccentric, self-indulgent – even offensive

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The indian in the cupboard by lynne reid banks - review, 1000 novels everyone must read: family & self (part one), comments (…), most viewed.

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If You Give a Kid a Notebook, He’s Going to Ask for Time to Write

John Schu is a best-selling author, a children’s librarian and a tireless evangelist for the power of a blank page.

By Elisabeth Egan

Elisabeth Egan is an editor at the Book Review and the author of “A Window Opens.”

When John Schu was admitted to Linden Oaks Hospital in Naperville, Ill., as a teenager, the staff gave him a gray notebook and encouraged him to write in it every day. “I would write a lot in the beginning, but I refused to share anything,” Schu said in a phone interview. “I would do some of the assignments, but I would always say, ‘Nobody can read it.’”

He spent more than two years in outpatient and inpatient programs, receiving treatment for anorexia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, anxiety and depression. “ Louder Than Hunger ,” Schu’s best-selling novel for middle graders, is a fictionalized account of this ordeal (including “the Voice” inside his head, spewing criticism).

But back to that gray notebook. In 1996, while Schu was still at Linden Oaks, he appeared via satellite on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” to talk about his struggles with eating. His mother was in the studio with Winfrey. On her lap, she held the volume containing Schu’s poetry, his goals for the future and a drawing of the inside of his heart.

“My psychiatrist had given my mom my notebook,” Schu said. “I don’t think I was ever honest in my writing after that because I felt betrayed. I became an unreliable narrator.” Thankfully, there was some catharsis in writing his protagonist, Jake Stacey: “Even though I’m not 100 percent Jake, I got to do the assignments I wish I had done when I was hospitalized.”

Now a frequent classroom visitor — he estimates that he speaks to around 1,500 students per week — Schu always emphasizes the importance of writing. “My favorite thing to tell kids is that I don’t write on the computer until I know the whole story,” Schu said. “Every draft is written in a notebook. I show them pictures of my notebooks. I always tell them that my notebook cost $4.83 and it was worth every penny.”

Throughout his 45-minute presentation, Schu scans the faces in front of him, looking for the student who needs a notebook more than anyone else in the audience. He has a certain radar for kids who are going through something, he explained; the ones who, like Jake, have a hard time taking up space. “I can see a heaviness,” Schu said.

Before he leaves, Schu tucks a pen into the spiral of a notebook and gives it to the child he’s chosen. He doesn’t make a big deal of it; he doesn’t want to overwhelm anyone: “I always say to them, ‘When I first start writing, it’s terrifying to fill that first page. I’ve already done that; I filled the whole page with a poem. So the notebook is ready for you, and it’s the most powerful tool.’”

Elisabeth Egan is a writer and editor at the Times Book Review. She has worked in the world of publishing for 30 years. More about Elisabeth Egan

How Carrie Fisher became Hollywood’s master ventriloquist in ‘Postcards From the Edge’

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“Maybe I shouldn’t have given the guy who pumped my stomach my phone number, but who cares?” There is no more quotable novel about Hollywood than Carrie Fisher ’s roman à clef, “Postcards From the Edge.” Fisher’s sentences bristle with caustic, self-effacing humor. Outside of her forays into that galaxy far, far away, that brand of sharp deadpan comedy is perhaps what the former Princess Leia would become best known for. And in her debut novel , the actress-turned-writer makes great use of her enviable way with words.

The Ultimate Hollywood Bookshelf

“Postcards From the Edge” ranks No. 15 on our list of the best Hollywood books of all time.

Whether sketching a scene with brisk efficiency or offering up aphorisms whose insights are all the more piercing for the wit that encases them (“I told him about the Oedipal thing, about my father leaving when I was very young so I knew how to pine for men, but not how to love them”), the “Star Wars” star’s 1987 bestseller remains a raucous, rollicking affair.

It’s true, though, that the novel’s merits may be somewhat eclipsed by the movie adaptation that followed . Directed by Mike Nichols, it starred Meryl Streep and Shirley MacLaine and earned Fisher a BAFTA nomination for best adapted screenplay. Nevertheless, this slice of L.A. life deserves to be celebrated for how it brilliantly works on the page.

Fisher’s protagonist is Suzanne Vale, a modestly successful actress whose journal missives from rehab anchor the first section of the novel. Suzanne’s time surrounded by fellow addicts fumbling their way into sobriety is characterized by a candid lucidity about drug abuse and recovery that is as fresh and revealing today as it was in the late 1980s. “It was like I was a car, and a maniac had gotten behind the wheel. I was driven, and I didn’t know who was driving,” Suzanne explains when describing the moments leading up to the overdose that landed her in the hospital. Decades’ worth of therapy no doubt had helped actress and author alike mine such personal epiphanies for endless cocktail hour-ready anecdotes.

Lest that suggest “Postcards From the Edge” relies on navel-gazing storytelling that borrowed freely from the star’s own very public struggles with addiction, Fisher proves early on to be a master ventriloquist. She deftly juxtaposes Suzanne’s self-deprecating journal entries with the gonzo stream of consciousness ramblings of Alex, a cocaine addict. Convinced he’s above it all and committed to staying only long enough to gather details as fodder for a TV film treatment on rehab (“I wish I could do speed, though. I always wrote better on speed”), the struggling writer serves as a foil to Suzanne. That’s crystal clear once he leaves the center and finds himself high, paranoid and spilling half an ounce of blow in the bathtub of a hotel room in the Valley.

As soon as Suzanne finishes her treatment, Fisher opts to switch voices once more. Meetings with a would-be suitor (“My route to intimacy is routine,” she quips on their first date) and her shrink (“Remember our last session when you said that maybe I shouldn’t date for a while?”) are driven by furiously funny dialogue alone. Those tour de force scenes are a reminder of Fisher’s canny ear for the specific cadence of Angelenos fully immersed in the twinned make-believe worlds of moviemaking and self-delusion.

By the time Suzanne gears up for a return to acting (in a laughable project shooting out in the desert), Fisher shifts to a third-person narrator who can more incisively dissect this young woman’s wayward attempts at getting her career and dating life back together: “Suzanne was in the business of seeming — of entertaining people with her ways of seeming real,” we’re told. “Portraying reality had become her way of experiencing it.”

Thankfully, Fisher’s novel has a structure that careens us back from the edge and toward a place where Suzanne learns how to experience life. We’re taken from the ever-doubting inner thoughts of an addict in rehab, through her slurry of words as she gets out, and into her increasingly coherent actions as observed from the outside. It’s a reminder that Fisher’s writerly gifts extended far beyond her ability to pen a killer sentence.

Yes, “Postcards From the Edge” is awash in delicious one-liners, the kind that make you angry with envy for how effortlessly they skewer all things L.A. But the beauty of this novel comes from the grace with which Fisher approaches her fictional alter ego. In her hands Suzanne’s slow ascent back into a world that has some semblance of normalcy (for a recovering Hollywood actress, at least) is punctured with a sense of humor that stings precisely because it’s so surgically self-directed. So nakedly self-revealing. And, as a result, so wounding and healing in equal measure.

Betancourt is a Los Angeles-based queer Colombian writer and film critic. His latest work, “The Male Gazed: What Hunks, Heartthrobs and Pop Culture Taught Me About (Desiring) Men,” was named one of the best books of 2023 by Time magazine and NPR.

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Carolyn Hax: A second career as an author nets three books, zero spousal support

Dear Carolyn: Is it unreasonable of me to want my spouse to congratulate me? When I retired, I started writing and have now published three books and several magazine articles. While I’m far from a bestseller, my spouse has never said anything positive — or anything at all — when they were published.

I don’t expect flowers or a special dinner, but some kind of recognition would be nice. Am I being unreasonable?

Author: I use this answer sparingly, for obvious reasons, but here I think it’s apt:

The problem lies almost as much in your asking me as it does in your spouse’s silence.

Let’s back all the way up for a sec, to the beginning: What did you say to your spouse about the nonresponse when you published your first book?

First! Book! I mean, newspaper writers write a lot of books — so I know writers of big, little, multiple and best-selling books. And every time it’s a Big Deal. So much work.

About Carolyn Hax

Therefore, a notable thing happened to launch your writing career — and a notable thing did not happen in your marriage in response.

Yet we are talking about it now as if you haven’t broached the subject with your spouse, ever. So I am wondering what you said or did when you first witnessed the yawning void where a loved one’s normal supportive gestures would have been. Even superficial performative ones (in the event of differing tastes).

The response I’d expect is along these lines: “I just did something big; at least, it was big for me — and when you let a milestone like that go by without saying anything to me at all, I was stunned, and I still feel hurt.”

If you haven’t been that direct — if instead you’ve poked and nudged around the subject hoping your spouse would volunteer … something — then we’re long past treating this as a narrowly defined spousal failure to take you out to a celebratory dinner.

Because what you’re telling me here is the time between now and your last real conversation with your spouse can be measured in book publications. It has been at least three book publications since you and your spouse last told each other the truth.

Please give that idea careful thought. Weigh for how long and to what extent your marriage has calcified, then use those two data points to get at the why.

Then invite your spouse to talk. Really talk. And listen.

Congratulations on your new career, by the way, and good luck.

Dear Carolyn: My sister “Wendy” has always been the “marches to her own drummer” sibling. She’s smart, has a terrific job, a loving family, etc., but has always seemed a little out of step with the rest of the world.

Several years ago, “Liz” — another sister — took me aside and said she and her husband had started to think Wendy was somewhere on the autism spectrum. I felt a lot of Wendy-related things immediately click into place in my head and make sense.

Liz feels very strongly that we should say and do NOTHING. My feeling is equally strong in the other direction. I have two dear school friends who weren’t diagnosed with autism until their 50s. Both shared with me their enormous sense of relief and self-acceptance stemming from this diagnosis.

I have even suggested we share our thoughts with Wendy’s husband and allow him to raise the subject with Wendy in some gentle, organic way. Liz nixes this as well. I would really appreciate your thoughts.

— Indiana Sibling

Indiana Sibling: If you can forgive me for not weighing in on whether and what to tell Wendy, then I might have something useful to say about you and Liz.

You are not a “we” here. You are not joined by restrictions on privileged information, because Liz did not give you information that only she has access to or is supposed to have.

Liz didn’t give you information at all, in fact. Not about Wendy. All you got from Liz were her thoughts. You now have your thoughts, which you can give or not to anyone as you see fit.

You and Liz each know as much about Wendy as you ever did.

So, again, there’s no “we” in any conversations you do or don’t have with Wendy about information you don’t have. If you want to talk to Wendy someday about your experiences with your friends and connections you made to Wendy, then that’s your prerogative.

I do recommend talking about this with Liz before saying boo to Wendy, though, if that’s the way you decide to go here — and also saying nothing of Liz to Wendy. That’s basic accountability hygiene.

I also recommend thinking of Wendy in terms of Wendy and not in terms of your other friends. You can be so right about their sense of relief and still be wrong that Wendy will share it.

Maybe get out of your certainty for a bit, and really listen for things Liz understands about Wendy that you don’t (or vice versa). And that Wendy accepts in herself.

More from Carolyn Hax

From the archive:

They refused to host sick dog; mother-in-law is ‘livid’

A stay-at-home mom trapped in a career woman’s life

Estranged dad pressures child who wants ‘no contact ever’

Has breast cancer treatment altered her dating prospects?

Can’t understand why brother blocked your number? Hello?

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