How to Write a Book – Fiction

Getting a book published is the easiest step but getting it read and worth reading is the challenge.

If you are just starting out on your literary journey, here are some things that should be considered in order to get your book published and read.

Read:

Before you begin to write your own book, you need to first get inspired and know the basic construction of a fiction novel. If you have a knack for a certain genre, read the most popular books in that genre. If you just want to tell a story without any technicalities, read two short novellas and at least two books that match the genre of your story.

Buy an Idea Notebook:

If you are really serious about writing a book, you must get a notebook as soon as possible. Buying a notebook makes you determined to write the book as well as keeps all your ideas intact, without which there will be hazards in the writing process.

Determine the Genre and Subject:

Before you begin writing, it is of the utmost importance to first determine the genre, or at the very least, have a vague idea of it. Is it science fiction, fantasy, romance, or comedy? You need to get the genre and the subject determined before you proceed. It may also be the case that you just want to write a book, the idea for which was sparked by any book you had read or because of the utter pleasure of writing. In that case, you need to know at least what you want to write about and the story you want to tell. Determining a book’s genre and subject gives you a proper direction towards it. If the story is already in your head and does not match any particular genre, it is preferable to skip to the next point.

Brainstorm and Jot-Down Ideas:

Once you are done choosing your preferred genre (or have not), it is advisable to jot down your ideas. Brainstorm and write down ideas that can contribute to your story. If you already have an abstract plot in your head, get your idea notebook and write in it all the vague ideas as well as other important details that you will need for the book. You can also use rough sketches for jotting down ideas. The clearer your ideas and concepts, the better.

Rough Outline:

Once you are done jotting down ideas, start using the ideas to make a rough outline of your story. Use the ideas as part of the bigger picture or as little details in the story, whichever you find suitable. Edit as many times as you want to get a brilliant story that satisfies you. Refer to all the books you have read if ever you feel you are stuck, and the rough outline shall help you out, but make it a point to never steal from other ideas in some book you are referring to. Referring indicates knowledge, while stealing indicates plagiarism.

Rough Draft:

Once you are done organising the ideas into a story, it is now time to start your writing phase. Be sure you have divided your story into chapters beforehand so that it is easier for you to write the chapters. To divide the story outline into chapters, all you need to do is write the outline in a detailed form and use brackets to denote the division of chapters. The opening bracket indicates the start of the chapter, and the closing bracket indicates the end. Now use them to divide your story into chapters. You can also write down the outline of chapters beforehand so that it becomes easier for you to write. Also keep the notebook at hand; you will always need it until you complete your book.

Final Draft:

After you have finished the rough draft, read it by yourself or show it to other bibliophiles and note down the mistakes you have made. Be sure to edit the rough draft until you get your desired results. Once you have done that and also corrected grammatical errors, make the final draft of the book and fix all the errors that haunted your rough draft previously.

Publish:

Once you have completed the final draft, start searching for publishers who are willing to publish your book. It may take a while, but keep up the struggle, and you will have your own book in a few months.

Thus, here you have all that you need to begin your book-writing journey with. Now, get yourself ready to begin the journey, and soon you will have a book with your name on it.