Here Are 8 Things That You Must Learn Before You Begin.
Writing a book can take time, and many writers do not have the motivation, patience, or the iron will of determination. Before you can think about publishing your book, you need to make the motivation clear.
Ensure that you understand why you want to write before embarking on the journey. It will become your lighting rod when you stray away from the path.
Let us look at eight things that will help promote you from a casual writer to authordom.
Organize Yourself
In the coming days, the writing desk will be your best friend. Choose a place that you are comfortable with.
Your writing desk is the place where your newest ideas will develop. Ensure that your writing desk is well lit and all your writing essentials are within your arm’s reach. Arrange your work desk properly by discarding all unnecessary items.
Replenish your writing gear before they finish. It includes your writing pads, sticky notes, pen, paper, and anything you may require for writing.
Make sure that your writing space is free from distractions. If possible, put a ‘Do Not Disturb’ board outside while working so that friends know that you are busy. Also, complete all your chores ahead of schedule (you do not want anything ruining the flow).
Decide on Your Filing Software
Before you start writing, you need to pick a book writing software. It will help you create and save your work in digital format. You can use the software to outline the story, save ideas for future reference, and even type the text for your drafts.
Moreover, since publishers ask for your book in a digital format, you will have to choose one anyway. Plan and take the time to know the software that you will be working on.
The pain and anguish of losing a manuscript can make any writer depressed. Many writers quit after their physical manuscript is lost.
Hence, ensure that your files are properly backed up. Many writers argue that writing by hand helps to build up the flow. Moreover, make sure that all the chapters and the notes are easy to find for quick reference.
A book writing software can help you with it.
Brainstorm Ideas
Once you have organized your writing tools and the writing space, the next step is to develop the book’s central idea.
Juggle ideas, try to come up with something original, or try a new spin on a popular idea. Identify the genre, and look at the works of famous authors in the field to source inspiration.
Try to extend the idea into a few sentences, then to a paragraph, and finally create a single page outline for the story. It will form the basis for the book.
If you feel that the topic seems too shabby or hard to deliver, look for other ideas. Maintain a journal for your writing ideas. You can look back at it, and find a direction, someday in the future.
Create an Outline
Once you have created a basis for your story, you need to structure it properly. The process is the most time-consuming among all preparatory stages before you begin writing the story and is also the most rewarding.
Set a plot for the fiction book and divide it into different chapters and scenes. Highlight all significant developments in the chapter with bullets (you will need to enlarge it when you write the book). Include subplots, character details, and the setting of your book during the outlining process.
While writing a non-fiction book, divide the book into chapters and structure key points using bullets. Include a reasoning, study, or personal experience in a few words so that you can brush up on the idea while writing it later.
Create a Marketing Strategy
Should you want to reach more readers or want to make a living from writing books, marketing is an absolute must. Many writers ignore marketing or choose to think of it later, after publishing the book. However, a marketing strategy built upon many days of trust helps you connect with readers on a broader scale.
When you interact with readers personally, it feels natural to ask them to buy the book or read it. However, if you approach one fine day, after your book is published, you are approaching a stranger and forcing them to read.
The connections that you build over time will be more helpful. Moreover, you can also plan events and gain more involvement from readers. They become your dedicated fans, sharing everything that you post and aid your marketing plan.
Get Invested in Writing
After organizing all of your thoughts in order, it is finally time to write your book.
Plan on a rough word count of your finished project. Set up a daily word count deadline for yourself to complete the book. No matter what, complete the word count every day to build up a routine.
Every writer has a specific time when their writing skills amplify. Some prefer the night to stay focused; some work better at other times of the day. Make sure you invest this time in writing.
Set up a weekly word count goal, and reward yourself for completing it. However, do not overwork to the point where you can barely stand. Take care of your health.
Try joining some writing clubs, attend writing workshops and literary festivals. It will help you enrich the craft.
Get Early Feedback
Writers need readers to assess their work.
If you have a budding fan list, you can contact them and send them a small sample of your work and get their reaction on the matter. At this time, relatives, friends, and a solid reader base can help you develop the book and remove the clutter.
You can send your first draft to your friends to get their feedback on the book and point out the places where they feel that something is amiss. Sometimes, you will even find them helping you out with ideas that never occurred to you in the first place. Hence, if you have close reader friends, do not miss this step.
Edit and Publish
The first draft of any book is usually dirty. You need to clean it over a few editing cycles to make it appealing to the reader.
After rereading the book and collecting feedback from early readers, edit the document on your second draft. Reread and edit until you feel that it is a definitive book.
Try not to shy away from publishing the book once you have written it. Many writers are afraid to publish their book, and it stays on their shelf, waiting for a reader. You need to understand that it is not the end of the world but a stepping stone to a better book.
After launching your book, you may even start considering to adapt your book to a movie. A screenwriting software can help you write the script for the movie.
Conclusion
Writing a book requires dedication and motivation. You need to stick to it till the end and, in the end, deliver it to the readers.
1 Comment
Nice Blog! Hi, my name is James Allen. I’ve been working as a digital marketer at Synergisticit for the last five years. Our company’s motto is to provide programming languages, which is why we started coding bootcamps in various regions of the USA.