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Many beginner writers find it complicated to craft their dream book because they feel overwhelmed by the extensive, intricate work it requires. When self-doubt, perfectionism, and lack of guidance combine, it becomes more difficult for them to write even a single line. And lastly, their dream of becoming a successful writer gets shelved.
If you search for “how to write a book for beginners” every other day online and get perplexed by loads of advice, here is a detailed and comprehensive guide to writing the book confidently!
Let us dive in to understand what it takes for a newbie to write a book.
Page Contents
Section 1: Initial Preparations for Writing a Book
Book writing is not just about sitting at your desktop for long hours and writing a story. It is somewhat of a daunting task that requires focus and practice. It has several intricacies. Therefore, it is not similar to writing an essay or a blog post that someone can accomplish in a few days. You might need to spend a few weeks researching and developing an outline for the book.
Before beginning a book, these are some preparations that you would need to do. These step-by-step techniques ensure that you are on the right track and everything is flowing smoothly in the book-writing process.
1. Research
Research is the spine of any book. It determines the quality, credibility, and authenticity of your work. Whether you write fiction or non-fiction, you need to research it properly to make sense of your writing.
For fiction writing, you might need to confirm and clarify the historical facts and figures, check if arguments are logical, and if things are coherent with each other. You can use search engines or journals and magazines if the internet does not provide you with the accurate information you need.
Another type of research you would need to do is to finalize the theme or topic of the book. You would need to see what people are reading nowadays and the structure of books doing well in that genre.
2. Set realistic goals
Book writing is not a race. It is a marathon. So, you would need to set realistic goals for each phase. Like everyday word count goals or monthly chapter goals. These goals will motivate you and keep you in check whether you are performing as expected.
Beginners need to calm down and set realistic goals because ebook writing is already a demanding task that can weigh them down. Remember to write line by line and piece by piece and have rational expectations from themselves.
3. Dedicated writing space and tools
Having a sacred writing space is necessary to maintain focus in writing. But it does not need to be the fanciest and most luxurious table and chairs. It can be your kitchen table, a couch, or a small study table where you can place your laptop.
What matters is the space you select must be comfortable enough for you to write and think creatively. If your home is cluttered and cramped, you can head to the nearest cafe or restaurant for some peaceful time to work on your book.
Another tip is to harness the necessary tools and apps to build your workflow. There are several writing apps and tracking software you can use to enhance your working efficiency. Or you can use Post-it notes to make an outline or brainstorm ideas quickly.
Section 2: Book Planning
If you ask any expert how to start writing a book for beginners, he would suggest planning the entire book plot or outline of the content before jumping on the actual writing.
Book planning gives you some structure to follow. From choosing the appropriate theme to crafting a compelling outline, a solid plan can make a book hit the best-seller list. Following are some tips to start planning your book from scratch.
1. Choose the right theme and find the big idea to write about
To begin a book, you must explore some potential themes/genres or topics you are interested in writing about.
There are two ways to do it:
● Follow what interests you: You must pick the genre or theme you are interested in. You will spend so much time writing and researching that theme that if it does not interest you, you will not be able to study it well.
● Research what people are reading nowadays: A look on Google or Amazon’s Best Seller Page to look for prominent books in your selected genre or topic. You can skim through the contents of these books or read blurbs/preface to grab the idea of what they are writing about. Once you see what they are writing about, then you can write a book that is unique in the genre.
● Consider societal issues: Writing on social issues has been trending for a long time now. You can also select themes around social justice, inequality, environmental issues, and racial differences. Or incorporate these themes into your writing to make them deep and purposeful.
2. Make an outline
Making an outline is the most crucial step to give your book a structure. Even if you are a pantser (the one who writes freely without any outline), having some idea about how the story will flow gives your book a structure.
There are several methods to make an outline for writing books for beginners. Like;
● The 3-act structure is the most basic technique that constructs a story. Consisting of build-up, climax, and resolution, it gives an idea of how to start writing a book for beginners.
● The snowflake method starts with a basic idea that gradually expands into a detailed story in various directions. It is feasible for people who love to think freely without any strategic method.
● A summary outline consists of a summary of the main plot points or incidents that help design their intricate details.
● Clustering is the same as it suggests. It explores the connections between many plot lines, characters, and ideas to develop a more cohesive storyline.
● Index Cards Outlining is for many writers who arrange and edit the scenes, plot lines, and twists of the book. Index cards are the perfect option because they allow you to swap the content hassle-free.
3. Set deadlines for each milestone
Writing a book for beginners can become more feasible and organized if they become disciplined. Setting realistic and challenging deadlines for themselves will help them exercise their skills.
The best method is to set significant milestones like a specific word count till the end of the month, finishing a chapter, or reaching halfway through the book. When you complete a milestone, you can reward yourself with a fancy dinner or hang out with loved ones.
Section 3: Writing the Book
Now comes the actual writing of the book. It is the step that you have been preparing for all along. If you are a newbie in the writing field, the first draft or blank page might be haunting for you. You believe you cannot write a good story because your inner critic continuously tells you that you are an amateur.
For those writers, here are some quick tips so they can get started with their first draft of the book.
1. The first draft will always be imperfect
Remember that the first draft is just for dumping what you know about the story, what are the main events or twists and how the story will shape. It will not be perfectly polished ever. Even the most experienced writers do not consider the first draft their final manuscript.
The quality of writing the first draft is hidden in editing it thoroughly. Keep your readers in mind and write as they like. It will make your writing more compelling and fascinating. Understand what they love to read about and then craft the story around it.
2. Set a daily word count
Setting a daily word count target will keep you in check. It can be anywhere between a few hundred words to 2000-3000. Consider when your energies are at their peak, and you can be maximum productive and give yourself a realistic word count that you can follow.
Ask yourself questions like,
● At what time am I free and energized to write?
● What tasks can I drop or keep on hold to carve out some time for writing?
● Can I balance my writing routine with other responsibilities?
Answering these questions will help you understand yourself better, and you can set a daily word count that you can meet.
3. Shut Down Your Inner Editor
Since you are writing the first draft at this stage, you should not listen to your inner editor. Do not get caught in polishing every sentence of every page. The aim is to unload everything you know about the story.
Slowing down the urge to edit will enhance your natural writing flow. Execute your outline as planned, and write freely. You will have sufficient time to edit and fix every loophole and gap in later drafts.
This step is crucial for the development of your characters and storyline as well. Writing the story as fast as you can enhance its rawness so you can polish it in later drafts.
Section 4: Editing Phase
Now, it is the time to wear your expert editor hat and furiously chop your entire manuscript. Furthermore, construct the whole thing again to remove any mistakes and gaps. In this phase, you will judge your writing and make necessary edits wherever necessary.
1. Take a break and then revise
Taking a break after writing the first draft has a significant impact. You can leave the manuscript for a couple of days and then return to it with fresh eyes to edit it better. Omit any needless words, paragraphs, or maybe entire chapters if they are not serving the purpose.
Taking a step back from your writing detaches your emotions from your manuscript and prepares your mind to identify issues and problems effectively.
2. Do big-picture edits or structural changes
Structural changes include editing the pacing, content, and plot to make the book more engaging. Additionally, it removes redundancies as well. This step is crucial for maintaining the coherence of the chapters and making them flow logically.
You can keep this checklist at your side when you start working on big-picture edits.
● Does the story flow logically?
● Is the pace of the story fast or slow? Is there any scene dragging?
● Are there enough plot twists to keep the readers engaged?
● Are the characters progressing correctly?
● Are dialogues, descriptions, and monologues incorporated appropriately?
3. Line edits and final proofreading
It includes the final round of edit in which you will read the entire manuscript line-by-line to look for grammar and language mistakes. Additionally, you modify words where they do not fit. Furthermore, ensure there is no unnecessary repetition of dialogue, and the delivery style is consistent throughout the entire book.
Then comes the proofreading. During this stage, you will look for minute mistakes and sentence-level errors. Additionally, another way to enhance your manuscript is to get it checked by a professional editor and proofreader. Importantly, their feedback and suggested changes hold more weight than anyone else.
Section 5: Publishing the Book
So now you have put due hard work into researching, outlining, and writing the perfect content for your book. It’s when you will put out your months of hard work for people to buy and read.
Following is a brief guide to publishing your book as a beginner.
1. Pick the best suitable publishing options
There are a number of publishing options you can choose based on your preferences. The most common routes are:
● Traditional Publishing:
In traditional publishing, the publisher carries all the responsibilities from book cover design to distribution, promotion, selling of books, and managing payments. However, the one major downside is the established cream of professional big names working in traditional publishing. Consequently, it can be tricky to break the glass ceiling for a newbie.
● Self-Publishing:
In this method, you are the decision-maker of everything. It gives freedom to design, market, price, and distribute your book in the manner you want. But one major drawback is that you might face a lack of support around you as a newbie. Not having experience in marketing and distribution can lead to some challenges.
So, the best approach is to weigh all the pros and cons of both routes and then select the one that suits your conditions.
2. Format the book and get the cover designed
Whatever publishing route you select, however, ensure that your final document is free from any mistakes and formatting errors. If you ignore this step, consequently, it will make you look like a slacker.
To polish the manuscript to its perfection, check that,
● The font is readable
● Sentences have the appropriate length
● The alignment is correct
● Every page is numbered
● The document provides a proper header and footer.
● The document has references or citations in a readable manner wherever applicable.
3. Promote your book
There are tons of methods to promote your book effectively. The most common and effective is setting up a website and building social media channels to gain an audience. This fan base would be your potential customers. Consequently, whatever publishing route you select, you will need a website and social media presence to make yourself a credible writer.
Following are some additional ways to promote your books yourself.
● Create a YouTube channel and talk about your skills and the work you have done.
● Start blogging and generate the following
● Start a podcast or be a guest on an already-established podcast to market your expertise as a writer
● Link with other experts in the industry and build connections
● Use effective book launch strategies and give premium discounts
● Get endorsements and reviews from celebrity authors to gain more eyeballs.
● Give interviews and conduct giveaways to create a necessary buzz for your book.
How McZell Book Writing Can Help You in Writing and Publishing Your Book?
If you are still wondering how to write a book with no experience, McZell Book Writing is the 360-degree solution to all your writing needs. They have talented and skilled writers who can write your dream book in the manner you want. From non-fiction to business and technical, these writers are experts at accurate and plagiarism-free writing in every genre. You can get your work done 100% plagiarism-free and factually correct writing.
Conclusion
It is overwhelming for the new writer to write a book from scratch. Since a lot of intricate work is involved in researching, outlining, and writing the book, it requires a deep understanding of all the nuances that come into play.
So, with this comprehensive guide, your eternal search for “how to write a book and get it published” has concluded. Along with these actionable strategies, you must have enough passion, enthusiasm, and skills to write a full-fledged book. And, if you are a newbie writer, you will need some supervision and advice from industry experts to write your first book.
