So You Want to Write a Book: Three Tips to Help You Get Started

Treat Writing Like a Job

“When I get a minute”; “When I put the kids to bed”; “Any chance I get”; “When I’m on vacation”; “A couple times a week.” Sound familiar? These vague promises to write are the roadblocks to your success. No matter how crazy your schedule is, block out two to four consistent times each week that you will spend writing. Only writing. Maybe the house is pretty quiet from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. on Saturdays. Take those times, and stick with them like your job depends on it! (Because it does.)

Know Your Story—and Your Characters

Let’s say you’re building a new house. Would you hire a contractor who wanted to just “jump right in” and start construction without first researching the property, creating blueprints, and laying the foundation? Probably not. The same should be true of your writing. Many new writers are so caught up in their ideas that they want to immediately dive into the story, get to the exciting scenes, and start sending those pages out to family and friends at best, agents and publishers at worst. Bad move. Your first couple of months should focus on developing your characters; they’re where your story will come from. Figure out what motivates your characters by delving into their desires and fears. Create an outline of your story that will serve as a roadmap throughout the writing process. This will save you months of frustration, rewrites, and editorial headaches.

Spy on the World Around You

Successful books all have one thing in common: They offer fresh, unique perspectives on a world that can become all too dull. This means that you, as a writer, can’t simply rehash old ideas and clichés. Describing a character’s frame of mind as a “rollercoaster of emotions,” for example, can doom you to an agent’s slush pile (with good reason). Carry a notebook with you. Jot down observations throughout your day. Who knows? That old man wearing a fedora and carrying a bag of oranges down the street may inspire a character in your book. Or the rant you go on about your boss’s latest injustice may become a humorous chapter in your memoir. Refer to your notebook often during the times you set aside for writing. Borrow from it at will to create a book that could be written by no one but you.

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1. How long does it take to write a novel?
2. Tips to creating believable dialogue
3. YOUR LOGLINE: How to write back of your book copy that will SELL your book!
4. Finding a character’s motivation…
5. Developing a character’s voice…