How To Write A Book?

For many people, writing a book has been a lifelong dream, yet one that’s always seemed just out of reach. Indeed, as we reveal in our publishing podcast Bestseller, roughly 80% of Americans have wanted to write and publish a book at some point — but fewer than 0.1% have actually done it.

So what’s the secret formula that will unlock your creativity and show you how to write a book that will make your dreams come true? Some authors would tell you that there is no single path to authorship, as every writer’s journey is unique.

We’d counter with this: almost every bestselling author will have highly effective writing patterns and habits that help them reach their goals. If you want to write a book of your very own, all you have to do is emulate them!

To help you achieve just that, we've put together this 15-step guide to how to write a book, chock full of information and advice from the most prolific, successful writers in the business. Whether you’ve been an aspiring author since childhood or since five minutes ago, this article will give you all the knowledge you need to write a book and do it well.

1. Find your “big idea”

The one thing you absolutely need to write a book is, of course, an idea. If you don't have that, you'll never get past the first page of your draft.

You may already know what you want to write about, or you may be at a total loss. Either way, you can settle on a “big book idea” by asking yourself a few simple questions:

• What do I want to write about?

• What do I feel is important to write about?

• Who will want to read about this story/subject?

• Will I be able to carry out this idea effectively?

Your answers to these questions will help you narrow it down to your best options. For example, if you have several different ideas for a book, but only one that you're truly passionate about and feel you can pull off, then voilà — there's your premise!

On the other hand, if you lack ideas, these questions should steer you in a firmer direction. Think about the kinds of books you love to read, as well as books that have made a significant impact on you. In all likelihood, you'll want to write a book in a similar vein.

Tools to help you find an idea

If you're really grasping at straws, consider using creative writing prompts or even a plot generator to get the ball rolling! You might stumble upon an interesting concept or story element that sparks a “big idea” for your book. (And if you're still uninspired even after trying these tools, you may want to reconsider whether you really want to write a book after all.)

2. Research your genre

Once you've found your big idea, the next step is to research your genre. Again, if you're writing the sort of book you like to read, you already have a leg up! Reading books in your genre is by far the best way to learn how to write in that genre yourself.

But if not, you'll want to select a couple of representative titles and analyze them. How long are they and how many chapters do they have? What does the story structure look like? What are the major themes? Perhaps most importantly, do you think you can produce a book with similar elements?

3. Create an outline

If you want to write a great book, you need to outline it first. This is especially important if it's your first book since you need a solid blueprint to rely on when you get stuck! (Because believe us, you will get stuck.)

So how do you go about creating that outline for your book? We actually have a whole other post on the subject, but here are the essentials:

• Pick a format that works for you. There are so many different types of outlines: the free-flowing mind map, the rigorous chapter-and-scene outline, the character-based outline, and so on. If one approach doesn't work for you, try another! Any kind of plan is better than none.

• Have a beginning, middle, and end. Way too many authors go into writing a book with a strong notion of how their story should start... yet their middle is murky and their ending, nonexistent. Take this time to flesh them out and connect them to one another. Remember: the best books have endings that feel “earned,” so you should try to be building toward it from the start!

• Consider your conflict points. Conflict is at the heart of any good book — it draws in the reader, conjures tension and emotion, and ultimately reflects the themes and/or message you want to convey. You don't have to know exactly where your conflict will manifest, but you should have a pretty good grasp of how it works throughout your book.

• Get to know your characters. If you haven't done much character development yet, your outline is the perfect opportunity to do so. How will your characters interact in the story, and how will these interactions demonstrate who they are and what matters to them?

4. Start off strong

Let's get into the actual writing and make a dent in your first draft. One of the most important parts of writing a book is starting the story! It's no exaggeration to say your first few pages can make or break your book — if these pages aren't good enough, many readers will lose interest, possibly never returning to your book again.

5. Focus on substance

Many writers believe that the key to writing an amazing book is style: impressive vocabulary, elaborate sentences, figurative language that would make Shakespeare swoon.

We're here to dissuade you of that notion. While style is great (as long as your prose doesn't start to become purple), the substance is far more important when writing a book — hence why you should focus primarily on your plot, characters, conflict(s), and themes.

Make sure your book is all killer, no filler

Of course, that's easier said than done, especially once you've already started writing. When you get to a patchily outlined section, it's tempting to keep writing and fill out the page with literary gymnastics. But that's exactly what this content is: filler. And if you have too much of it, readers will become frustrated and start to think you're pretentious.

This is another reason why outlining is so important. You need to KNOW your story in order to stay on track with it! But besides outlining, here are a few more tips for making substance a priority:

• Every sentence must do one of two things — reveal character or advance the action. This advice comes straight from Kurt Vonnegut, and it's 100% true: if a sentence doesn't accomplish one or both of those things, try removing it. If the passage still makes sense, leave it out.

• Be conscious of your pacing. Slow pacing is a symptom of excess description. If the events of your book seem to move like molasses, you're probably using too much style and not enough substance.

• Use a writing tool to reduce flowery language. Speaking of great American novelists, Hemingway is a fantastic tool to help you write like the man himself! Simply paste your writing into the app and Hemingway will suggest ways to make your prose more concise and effective.

6. Write “reader-first”

Want to write a book that people will really enjoy (and buy)? Well, this is pretty much the cardinal rule: you should always be thinking about your audience and trying to write “reader-first.”

For example, sometimes you'll have to write scenes that aren't very exciting, but that serve the overall story arc. Don't rush through these scenes just to get them over with! Even if they don't seem interesting to you, they contribute to the reader's experience by building tension and preserving the pacing — and the reader deserves to relish those things.

Create 'fake' people who will want to read your book

When considering your readership, you should also keep a proto-persona in mind for marketing purposes. These are constructed personalities that marketers use to better understand their target customers. The more your book can cater to this hypothetical reader, the easier it will be to sell!

Maybe you're writing a true-crime account for zealous true crime readers. Such readers will have pored over countless criminal cases before, so you need to include unique details to make your case stand out, and craft an extra-compelling narrative to engage them.

idk, try writing some words

Most books about how to write will include what MsBittner, j153e and others have already written.  

I am adding the record of the book below so that you will have the Library of Congress subject headings and the Dewey Decimal Class number to find what your library owns so you can request such books from your library for curbside pick-up.

Pens. (Even if you own a cellphone or a tablet or a laptop, you will need to jot down something.)

A lined notebook for the jottings

Paper for the printer. 

A computer with word-processing software installed.

Backup drives (thumb drives) so you can copy your stuff in case your computer crashes. I find them useful for downloading info from the computer too. [I can hardly wait until Covid-19 restrictions are past history because I have so many notebooks and no personal computer but the cellphone. I need my library's terminal but can't get it.]

The  most recent copy of "Writer's Market" (usually "reference only" at the library, but is available in bookstores and bookstore websites.) for agents and what publishers want. It is probably on-line too.

A desk and a chair with good back and bottom support.

Time to write every day.

A good idea to knead into a good plot.

Interesting characters. 

Courage to begin typing on a blank screen.

Courage to research on your own. Remember that no one will do it for you. Library staff can show you what is available and how you can access it, but you must either put fingers to your keyboard or hire a professional researcher to transfer the data from the libraries to your working area.

You'd need to write a book. Then speak to an agent - most publishers won't accept unsolicited manuscripts. There's plenty of info on most publisher websites around how to get published; eg https://www.penguin.co.uk/company/work-with-us/get...

Good grammar, good story telling, organize, A beginning and an end.

I agree that the medium in which you compose isn't important, except that your submission copy will need to be digital. (The days of mailing away a paper copy are gone.) Computers' word processing programs let you change, edit, and rearrange easily and can create that digital copy, so that's the first thing you need.

Second is the concept. If you were summarizing your story for a TV listing, what would it say? Usually you introduce your main character and what they want or need. Examples: A Kansas farm girl transported to a magical place in a tornado wants nothing more than to go home. A man fighting alcoholism takes his family to winter in an isolated--and possibly haunted--hotel.

Third is an overall plan that's fairly detailed, and where most would-be authors lose it. You need to know what happens in every scene. Who's there, where is it, when does it happen, why does it happen, how does the previous scene lead to it and how does it set up the next scene? Every scene needs to propel the story's plot forward or illuminate something important about the character. There are all kinds of planning methods. I like a spreadsheet.

Fourth is mastery of basic written English. Your question seems literate enough, but trust me, there will be mistakes you have no idea you're making.

Fifth is the will to sit down and do it, regularly, not waiting for the mood or The Muse. Whether it takes you a month or a year, you need to find or make time to write.

There are other things that you'll find helpful, like character bios, beat sheets, an understanding of structure, yada-yada-yada, but that will get you started.

If you decide this is something you want to do, consider joining AbsoluteWrite. It's down right now, moving to a new server, but the owners anticipate it will be back in due time. Lots of how-to and support is available there.

What you USE to write a book is the least important factor. Pen and paper, a typewriter, a word processor, the most up-to-date modern computer - they are only your instruments.

The story is what  matters, and it comes solely from YOU.

There is no "list". At its most basic, all you need is your own imagination, a pad of paper, and a pencil.

Don't spend time wondering how to get it published. This is a total waste of time until your book is actually FINISHED!

Meanwhile, keep reading, as much and as widely as you can.

You're likely referring to writing fiction.

A pen and paper, a typewriter if you like, a computer, an audio recording that you transcribe, all work.  If you're comfortable with the means, then it works for you.

Usually fiction has two primary elements--characters and action; together, they form a plot or story line.  A third component may be a moral or a point of view, e.g. the anti-war perspective in "Slaughterhouse-Five."

A series of 3  x 5 character cards helps, as does a plot outline.  The how-to book "Save the Cat! Writes a Novel" may be helpful.

Writing fiction ought be liberating, as your inner, mostly subconscious, homeostatic monologue is bringing up energy that is resolved, perhaps by intuitive creativity...much as a dream narrative is generated by the same process of resolution.

So, enjoy, keep a regular time of work, e.g. if necessary by going to bed an hour earlier, and rising an hour earlier, to write.  Keep your efforts as a means to raise your self-awareness--so-called "bad work" may be helpful for this.

Share your finished product with some compassionate family and friends--your self-expression is of interest to those who care for you.  If they like it, or even if they don't, 

send a copy to one and another publishers of those authors you like to read.  Also consider publishing online, where your copyrights are respected.

take some writing classes