Getting Started

Writing your first book might seem like an impossible task but it really isn't. Quite

often, the hardest part is just getting started.

Obviously, if you are contemplating writing a book, most likely you have a topic in

mind. The best way to get started is to think long and hard about the story your book

is going to tell. Make notes about pertinent factors that are on your mind that

ultimately will become the subject matter and outline for your book. You can build on

your notes over time as your memory and creative processes serve you.

When in the original development stage, it's a good idea to keep your notebook and a

pen handy because memories and new data will come and go at unspecified times.

Often your thoughts and ideas for the book will be sharper at times than others so it's

advisable to make your notes at the earliest possible opportunity after conceiving

them.

Writing a book is a lot like reading in reverse. You don't know exactly where the story

will take you until you actually begin each writing session. Like reading, when writing,

the story will take on a life of its own but it is up to you to fuel it with stimulating and

interesting content that is relevant to your story.

Every book has a Beginning, Middle and End. The following are tips to get you through

those stages of the book writing process.

Before actually writing your book, you may not know exactly how the story will unfold

until you do physically write it. You should have a general idea of the plot (what the

book is about). How did the plot come to be? That will usually lead you to the

beginning of the book. The beginning is a good place to establish characters,

locations, motives and associations. You don't have to reveal the whole plot at the

beginning of the book and generally it's a good idea not to do so. Just use the

beginning to lay the groundwork.

Next, you will come to the middle of the book which will arise on its own once you

have gotten past the beginning. The middle is actually the majority of the book as the

beginning and end are merely the start and finish. The middle is the place for

suspense, revelations, twists and turns and is essentially the meat of the book.

Before you start writing, you should at least a have a good idea of how the story will

begin. It will be centered around a specific event, timeline or activity. Usually you do

not know what details will unfold in the middle and that is where the beauty of the

magic or muse of writing lies. The middle allows you to build and grow the story from

one sequence of events to another, which is exactly how the story materializes.

You may or may not already know how you want the story to end. You may also find

out that through the intricacies of the plot that the ending turns out entirely different

than you originally imagined.

Some endings leave the reader elated or sad. Some endings are opaque and leave it

up to the reader to discern their meaning. Just be sure that your ending is relevant to

the beginning and middle.

Writing a book is a lengthy process and it is a good idea to discipline yourself to

engage in a regular writing schedule. Do this to the best of your ability as your work

schedule, family and social life allows. It is best to try to write every day if possible.

Try to avoid too many days off between sessions. Writing in close succession will help

with the continuity of the story and also help keep you on track and freshly familiar

with the current subject matter.

Some people prefer to write longhand and then convert it into typed format. Others

prefer to write the whole book on a computer. Either way is fine. It is just a matter of

how your thoughts flow whether writing or typing. If you are exclusively using a

computer, make sure you have a redundant method of saving your work. Be sure to

save it as a computer file but also have a backup by saving it on cloud or external

drive. Computers can and do crash. Don't have all of your hard work that you could

never exactly duplicate at the risk of being permanently erased by a faulty computer.

Always have a backup. If you are writing longhand, keep all of your original drafts;

those are your back-ups.

The self-edit process is a good habit and it will serve two very good purposes.

First, it will allow you to catch spelling and grammatical errors and also allows you to

substitute wording that seems more appropriate and fluid when read. Secondly, when

self-editing, you are reading what you have already written in the previous session

and it usually will put you back into the zone and in sync with the story for

continuation.

When beginning a new writing session, clearly mark where you started that session so

when you end that session, you will know where to begin the self-edit process the

next time you begin to write. You don't have to re-read the whole story every time

you start writing because all previous material will already be self-edited and

reviewed. Just begin the self-edit process from the point that you started writing the

most recent session. Self-editing will get your story in shape and leave much less

work for a professional edit.The self-edit process is a good habit and it will serve two very good purposes.

First, it will allow you to catch spelling and grammatical errors and also allows you to

substitute wording that seems more appropriate and fluid when read. Secondly, when

self-editing, you are reading what you have already written in the previous session

and it usually will put you back into the zone and in sync with the story for

continuation.

When beginning a new writing session, clearly mark where you started that session so

when you end that session, you will know where to begin the self-edit process the

next time you begin to write. You don't have to re-read the whole story every time

you start writing because all previous material will already be self-edited and

reviewed. Just begin the self-edit process from the point that you started writing the

most recent session. Self-editing will get your story in shape and leave much less

work for a professional edit.

The self-edit process is a good habit and it will serve two very good 

First, it will allow you to catch spelling and grammatical errors and also allows you 

substitute wording that seems more appropriate and fluid when read. Secondly, 

self-editing, you are reading what you have already written in the previous 

and it usually will put you back into the zone and in sync with the story 

When beginning a new writing session, clearly mark where you started that session 

when you end that session, you will know where to begin the self-edit process 

next time you begin to write. You don't have to re-read the whole story every 

you start writing because all previous material will already be self-edited 

reviewed. Just begin the self-edit process from the point that you started writing 

most recent session. Self-editing will get your story in shape and leave much 

Reading greatly enhances your writing ability. It helps you to learn structure, flow and

tempo. Every writer's style is different so it is a good idea to expose yourself to as

many authors as you can to help you develop your own style of writing.

There are no set rules for writing a book. Books have been written for thousands of

years in many different languages and formats. When writing your book, remember

IT'S YOUR BOOK. Write it however you like. Just remember to keep it interesting,

informative and entertaining to potential readers. People have to want to continue

reading your book. If you create that desire, then you have written a good book.

It's best to find a calm, quiet place to write where there are minimal distractions. You

will be inside your own head a lot fleshing out the story and it is helpful to be in a

stress-free environment where you can concentrate on your writing.

Of course, this isn't everything you will need to know to write a book. I doubt that

anyone could tell you everything you will need to know. These tips should at least

help you get started and give you an idea of a functional process. Just remember;

Beginning, Middle, End. Beginning, Middle, End. Think about it, make notes about it,

do whatever research is needed for substantiation and Write, Write, Write.