writing books for beginners

The Best Writing Books For Beginners 2024 (My 10 Favorites)

Being a beginner writer is overwhelming. There are so many options, and beginners often don’t know where to start. It seems like every blog and YouTube video is recommending a different set of tools, resources, and books for writers.

There are a lot of good books out there, but what are the best writing books for beginners?

Here are the best writing books for beginners:

The Secrets of Action Screenwriting

Writing a breakout novel workbook.

• Save the Cat

The 38 Most Common Fiction Writing Mistakes

Writing for emotional impact, secrets of story, dialogue secrets, act two secrets.

• Scene Secrets

Supporting Character Secrets

I’ve kept a running list of my favorite writing books ever since I started over 20 years ago. In this post, I’m going to share with you my top 10.

My Criteria for Choosing the 10 Best Writing Books for Beginners

Table of Contents

Here are my criteria for choosing these 10 books.

My criteria: I’ve actually read the book, learned a ton, and consistently apply its principles and practices to my writing on a regular basis. The book consolidates practical, clear, and concrete writing lessons that have transformed my writing.

Not my criteria: I listen to the recommendations of other people but, if I’m completely honest, I think a lot of their recommendations are trash. Not that the books themselves are bad, but they don’t have the practical insight and tools that have helped me when I sit down at my keyboard to type.

Here’s also what was NOT my criteria:

• What I thought were popular books (popularity doesn’t equal good or helpful)
• What I thought you expected to hear (There are some surprises on the list)
• What I thought you might buy through one of my affiliate links (I’ve only listed books that I personally own and use regularly)
• What bestselling authors or popular authors say (There are many decent writing books out there. These are by far the best I’ve come across)
• What I wanted you to believe, like my own books (I didn’t put any of my own books on the list)
• Pretty book covers (Some of the book covers on the list look terrible and cheap. I didn’t choose the books for appearance; I chose them for content)

My ultimate criteria was: did this book change my life as a writer, level up my skills, and help me to write a better story?

If so, it made the list.

The 10 Best Writing Books For Beginners in 2023 (My Personal List)

My list has changed some over the last two decades, but most of the books on here have remained largely the same.

If I could go back 20 years and give my younger self 10 books on writing, these are the books I would gift.

Yes, this is a screenwriting book.

Trust me, it doesn’t matter. This is by far the best writing book I have ever read in my life. It’s my absolute favorite and that’s why I listed it first. It’s a gold mine of practical understanding of what a story is and how to write a really good one.

There are so many tools and techniques in this book, I really think that it should be an entire course that’s into the hundreds of dollars.

I 100% believe it’s that valuable. If you only get one book on this list, please do yourself a favor and go get this book right now.

I read all of these books on this list every time that I write a new novel, but this is by far the one that I read the most intensely and from which I apply the most tools and techniques.

Here are the book details:

My biggest takeaways from the book are all the specific and practical writing techniques such as how to build out scenes from your theme, connect your characters, and connect internal conflict to external conflict…

I could literally go on for days. This is also the book that gave me my favorite definition of story.

I put this book second because this is the oldest book on my list.

I’ve literally had it for three decades and go back to it time and time again to make sure that I understand and apply the techniques to my stories.

Yes, it’s a workbook, which means there’s an actual book that goes with it.

I’ve read that book, too, and honestly, I prefer the workbook. It has the same information and, in my opinion, the information is more effectively communicated in the workbook.

There are practical exercises with writing techniques very clearly laid out.

Basically, the book goes over the main elements of a blockbuster or best-selling story from one of the best literary agents in the world.

Book Details :

Save The Cat

Oh look, another screenwriting book.

This is a very popular book among writers and screenwriters because it is a simple and straightforward outline of a successful story.

I really like that this book gives you a complete approach to outlining the major plot points of a novel or script.

It really covers everything from the start of the novel all the way to the conclusion.

My biggest takeaway is the 15-point outline or “beat sheet” for the major events of the story.

I also really enjoyed the idea of the different sections of a story that he calls thesis, antithesis, and synthesis. I just think it’s a good framework for understanding what needs to happen in each segment of the story.

There are a couple of cool techniques like “save the cat” (from which the book got its title) and “pope in a pool” that I have never forgotten and continue to use in all of my stories.

This is one of the most beginner-friendly writing books I’ve ever read.

It covers a lot of ground but it does so very clearly and with good examples. The other thing I really like about this book is that it teaches you 38 practical writing lessons that, to get elsewhere, you’d have to read (at least) 5 and 10 separate books.

As a beginning writer, it’s a very approachable book with easy-to-understand and apply lessons.

And, just like the title suggests, by reading the book you can avoid some of the most common writing mistakes. That, in and of itself, is invaluable.

My biggest takeaways are the simple lessons that save you a lot of time and pain as a writer learning the ropes.

This is more of a dense book so not one that I would start with, which is why I put it here in the middle of the list.

But, it’s a really good book that can take your writing to a much deeper and more impactful level. There are tons of tools here to add emotional depth to your characters, scenes, and stories.

Add it to your beginner writer bookshelf.

Book Details:

What I love about this book is how it helps you break or build out a story based on the theme.

The model in the story is called the thematic method. It’s all about how to develop a very connected story that is layered and powerful. You learn how to create characters, secondary characters, and scenes that all include the “DNA” of the story.

It’s another very practical book full of useful tools for writers. Storytelling is, after all, the most important part of being a novelist.

This book is a gold mine of dialogue techniques.

I really can’t explain how thorough and complete your education about dialogue will be after reading this book. Super practical, super actionable, and incredibly informative.

Tons of examples make applying the techniques to your own writing as easy as possible.

You will learn more about dialogue from this one book than from a whole collection of other books on the same topic.

Dialog is a key element in writing a story because most scenes include some form of dialogue. And many writers really struggle with how to write realistic dialogue that reveals character while also advancing the story.

You can learn so many techniques (over 50) to level up your dialogue from this book. It’s a must-read.

Book details :

As a beginner writer, one of the most important lessons to learn is how to write the middle section of your stories.

This is called act 2 in screenplays.

Don’t be put off by this being another screenwriting book. Again, screenwriters seem to understand the practical structure and techniques to put together a story much better than most novelists or writing teachers.

This book will teach you everything you need to know about what to put in that middle section of your story to:

• Escalate the conflict
• Advance the plot
• Deepen character
• Keep the reader engrossed in the story

In many ways, act two is the story.

At least, it is the most important part of the story because it’s the biggest section where most of the story happens. So, understanding the middle of the story and how to write it well is essential to Your growth as a writer.

This book puts so many different pieces of the story puzzle together for me.

Scene S ecrets

A story is a collection of scenes.

This book explores every angle and aspect of what makes a compelling scene. you’ll find the answers to the following questions: What kinds of scenes do you include in your story and what kinds do you leave out?

What’s the best way to write a scene? What do you actually put in a scene? How do you make scenes more compelling to the reader?

It’s a fantastic addition to your writing library.

This book explains clearly and in detail everything you need to know about how to create secondary characters and subplots for your story.

This is an area where many writers get confused, lost ,and go wildly astray.

You can really shorten your learning curve by reading and applying the ideas in this book.

You’ll learn what secondary characters are, how to create them, and how to interweave subplots into your overall narrative. Lots of examples are included from different genres so that all of the points are super concrete.

A Few Comments About My List of Best Writing Books

You probably noticed that many of the books on the list are written by the same author (William C. Martell).

Martell is a practicing screenwriter and not a novelist.

One of my biggest aha moments as a writer in the last two decades is to realize that screenwriters, in general, seem to have a better grasp on the practical structural techniques of a story.

There are certainly differences between the visual medium of movies and the more personal and intimate experience of writing fiction.

However, I have found that the vast majority of story principles, tools, and techniques cross over very well.

That’s true of fiction and nonfiction.

I’d go so far as to say that I never understood story as well as when I read these “blue books”. You don’t have to believe me, just read the books, (they’re very cheap Kindle books on Amazon), and watch the results you get with your own writing.

There are a lot of good books on writing that I didn’t include in this list that many other people include on their list, like Writing Down the Bones , On Writing Well , War of Art , and I could go on.

What I found in my own journey is that after reading a few of these books about the main elements of a story (characters, conflict, plot, etc.) all the other books on the same subject mostly said the same thing.

Even if they did say a few extra little things that helped, those books never seemed to leapfrog me ahead in my understanding of story or my ability to write a good yarn.

The exception were the books on my list in this post.

These are the books that have stayed with me for many years, some of them for the entire two decades. Every time I write a new novel, I go back to them and reread them to make sure that I understand their ideas and apply their techniques.

I think you’ll find them amazing books that will level up your writing.

There are no shortcuts to being a great writer. The key seems to be to write a lot and read a lot, get feedback and continually push yourself to improve.

These 10 books are the best books to get you to great writing faster.

Honorable Mentions for Writing Fiction

On W riting

Part memoir and part writing instruction, Stephen King’s book on writing is fabulous.

If you are interested in his story interspersed with some very clear and practical writing advice, please do check it out. I consider it an essential book in any writer’s library.

However, it’s not a book that I return to over and over again to reread.

That’s why it’s not on the main top 10 list. But it’s still very good.

Plot and Structure

James Scott Bell has several good books on writing that are practical and useful.

You might check out some of his books and see if any of them resonate with you. I actually really like this book and it was helpful for my understanding of plot and structure.

It’s just not a book that I go back to year after year.

Best Nonfiction Writing Book for Beginners

I didn’t want to leave the nonfiction writers out of this list. So, I made a very short list of what I consider to be the best nonfiction writing books for beginners.

100 Ways to Improve Your Writing

There are so many nuggets of information here on how to write faster, keep readers engaged and simply write better. All of the tips are very short and actionable so it’s a quick and easy read.

How to Write and Sell Simple Information for Fun and Profit: Your Guide to Writing and Publishing Books, E-Books, Articles, Special Reports, Audio Programs, DVDs, and Other How-To Content

This is literally a book about how to write other how-to books. I’ve never read a more simple, straightforward, and practical book on how to create a very valuable resource for others.

If and when you write your book, you’ll probably want to know some good eBook Marketing Strategies .

What’s the Overall Best Writing Book for Beginners?

I’d say without a doubt it’s the Secret to Action Screenwriting .

It just covers all the bases of a story (and I mean all). The book is incredibly thorough in covering all of the essential story elements.

It doesn’t matter if you write screenplays or novels or in which genre you write.

This book is the key to taking your storytelling to a whole new level. It will literally teach you more than most other writing books combined.

Final Thoughts: The Best Writing Books for Beginners

Those are the 10 best writing books for beginners (plus lots of other freebies and recommendations). I truly believe you’ll find these books to be fantastic resources that you’ll be using decades from now.

What to Read Next:

• What Courses To Take To Become a Writer (Solved)
• The Best Thesaurus for Writers (Best 9 Tested & Solved)
• 15 Best Software for Writing a Book With Pictures (Solved)
• My Most Recommended Tools for Writers

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5 best books on writing for beginners and beyond

Whether you’re starting out in creative writing or looking to fine-tune your writing craft, there are a wealth of reference books out there..

Here are five that I find invaluable:

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers – Renni Browne and Dave King

The first time I flicked through Self-Editing for Fiction Writers , I was unimpressed. A chapter on Show Don’t Tell? Pleeeeeease. Are you also going to tell me not to use adverbs ?

Then I actually read the chapter on Show Don’t Tell and realised I’d never fully understood Show Don’t Tell before. Every chapter of Self-Editing for Fiction Writers is like that.

Renni Browne and Dave King explain the fundamentals of writing in a way that’s clear, comprehensive and yet also concise.

Having a problem with POV? Check this book. Dialogue a bit dodgy? Check this book.

I refer to this book at least once a month. I also recommend it to fellow writers more than any other writing book.

The Story Grid – Shawn Coyne

While Self-Editing for Fiction Writers is about the nuts and bolts of writing, The Story Grid zooms you upwards 26,000ft. Shawn Coyne’s book is all about helicopter-view, big-picture storytelling.

It’s also the solution to the hardest question you’ll have as a writer, “Why don’t people find my fiction compelling?”

(Trust me, I’ve been there.)

Shawn Coyne details narrative arcs and genre beats, and gives writers a framework to begin editing (truly editing, not polishing) their novel.

I am not kidding when I say that The Story Grid method was the only way I was able to make it through the final rewrite of my debut thriller, Dead Ringer .

On Writing – Stephen King

Ever noticed how many creative writing books are by writers you’ve never heard of?

This is the reason I rate Stephen King’s On Writing . Love him or hate him, you can’t argue with his success.

Some of King’s advice I agree with, some I don’t (King is far more of a pantser than I will ever be), but there’s plenty to chew over.

Most cheering, perhaps, is the account of King’s journey to publication and success. It’s a reminder of how much of this life is perseverance .

Writing Down the Bones – Natalie Goldberg

Writing Down the Bones is the book I return to when I need a shot of inspiration. Creative writing books can be dry. “Do this. Don’t do this.”

Natalie Goldberg, by contrast, is your effervescent fairy godmother. With chapter titles like “Writing is not a McDonald’s Hamburger”, Writing Down the Bones is all about learning to love the creative process.

Goldberg’s philosophy is that writing is a type of meditation and sessions of “freewriting”, where you write and write and write without stopping, can unleash your creativity.

This isn’t the way I write, typically, but it’s a good way of battling writer’s block or forcing a start to a new project when you feel overwhelmed.

2k to 10k: How to write faster, write better, and write more of what you love – Rachel Aaron

If Writing Down the Bones is airy-fairy, 2k to 10k is just-the-facts-ma’am. It’s also the craft book that best describes the way I write. If ever I find myself floundering, it’s usually because I’ve strayed from Rachel Aaron’s triangle .

Aaron’s story is pretty incredible: as a new mother with limited time to write and deadlines looming, she had to figure out a way to write a lot, fast. I doubt I will ever be cracking 10,000 words a day like Aaron, but by using her strategies, I easily started boosting my daily word count by 500 words or more.

What are those strategies? Write during your most creative hours; plan your stories with a detailed outline; figure out what you’re going to write ahead of time (daydreaming is better done when queueing at the bank, not at your desk; plot holes are better untangled in note form, not when you’re halfway through a scene); and pack your novel full of things you can’t wait to write.

Which writing craft books do you come back to time and again? Let me know your recommendations in the comments.

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You're ready to learn how to write a book…

And as a first-time author, you're nervous about this new journey because you want first-time success (who doesn't?).

But today's publishing industry has become noisy . There is endless information out there on how to write a book, and with the rise of self-publishing , it can be overwhelming, to say the least.

If you’re ready to take the leap, become an author , and learn how to write a book the right way, start with this resource to get your wheels in motion.

As a first-time bestselling author, I can tell you that writing my first book was one of the most rewarding and challenging experiences of my life.

I experienced a lot of growth and pushed through many hurdles, and being able to learn how to publish is something I am truly proud of.

And I'm ready to share the steps of how to write a book with you, so that you can go on to write a book of your own, and find success as a first-time author.

Ready to learn how to write a book? Let's get to it!

Need A Nonfiction Book Outline?

Here’s how to write a book in 12 steps:

• Develop a writer’s mindset a. Hold yourself accountable to writing your book b. Give yourself permission to be a writer c. Announce your intention to write a book
• Create a book writing space
• Choose your book writing software a. Google Drive b. Grammarly c. Evernote d. A notebook & pen
• Determine your book's topic a. Identify your target reader b. Write about something that intrigues you c. Research potential topics d. Choose a topic you can write about quickly
• Create a book outline a. Create a mindmap b. Write a purpose statement c. Create a working title d. Write an elevator pitch for your book e. Draft a working outline for your book f. Fill in the gaps with more research g. Frameworks on how to write your book
• Finish writing your manuscript a. Break your book writing into small chunks b. Build the momentum to finish writing your book c. Collaborate with others
• Include front & back matter a. Preface or introduction b. Foreward c. Testimonials d. Author Bio e. Glossary f. Notes g. Images
• Edit your book a. Self-edit your book b. Hire a professional book editor c. Re-write sections of your book's draft using your editor's feedback d. Finalize your book title
• Choose a compelling book cover
• Format your book
• Prepare to launch your book a. Build your book's launch team b. Develop a marketing mindset c. Create a book launch strategy
• Publish your book
• How To Write A Book: FAQs

In this article, we'll start with the basics. While the steps in this phase may seem to be unrelated to actually learning how to write a book , they are very important.

In fact, setting yourself up for success will help you build the foundation needed to start writing a book .

We'll talk about developing a writer's mindset to get you in a frame of mind that's conducive to writing. Then, we'll discuss how to create a writing space that will boost your writing productivity, and how to choose the best book-writing software for your needs.

Here are some tips for success as you write a book:

• Develop a writer's mindset . This is all about embracing a mentality that will inspire you to start (and finish) writing your book.
• Create a writing space . This is all about how to set up the ideal writing environment that fits your routine.
• Use a tool to write your book . This is all about deciding on what you will use to write your book.
• Get support . A strong support network, a community of peers, and a book-writing coach could be the difference between a published book and an unfinished manuscript.
• Use templates where you can. We provide you with a proven book outline template in this post. But there are templates for cover layouts, formatting, and more. Don't recreate the wheel! Use these and build upon them to make them your own.

1. Develop a Writer’s Mindset

Learning how to write a book takes time, work, and dedication. It’s easy to romanticize becoming a bestseller like J.K. Rowling or Octavia Butler. However, every author has a story on how they started out and overcame adversity to get where they are today.

For example, Rowling, who had no job and was on welfare at the time, would take her children to a coffee shop and write.

Butler, who was a dishwasher and potato chip inspector at the time, would wake up at two or three in the morning to write and wrote herself mantras to keep her focused on her goals.

The first steps in learning how to write a book are overcoming mindset blocks, dealing with self-doubt as a writer , and developing a healthy frame of mind that will help you with your writing goals .

Let’s review three things you can do to circumvent roadblocks and crush challenges to keep you focused on your goal.

Hold yourself accountable to writing your book

It’s not good enough to write only when inspiration strikes. There will be days when writing is the last thing you want to be doing.

But you have to treat your writing as if it were a job, or a duty. This means holding yourself accountable, taking action, and showing up every day.

Here's how to hold yourself accountable to writing:

• Set a writing goal. If you don't have a goal, procrastination will get the best of you. Determine a writing goal, including how many days a week you intend to set aside time to write, and set a deadline or due date for when you'd like to have parts of your book.
• Block off chunks of time to write every week.  If you’re looking for a place to start, consider one to two hours per day five days per week. The more often you write, the more you’ll develop a habit for it, and making time for writing won't be that much of a struggle.
• Set a daily word count goal.  Consider how many words you want to write each week. Use this Word Count Calculator to determine the goal you should aim for, depending on the type of book you are writing. For example, if your goal is 3,000 words per week and you have five chunks of time blocked off to write per week, then you’d need to write 600 words per day to achieve your weekly goal.

I write early in the morning before I do anything else for 1-2 hours. I find that as I go throughout the day and work on other projects my mind isn’t as fresh or sharp by the end of the day. However, sometimes I have ideas throughout the day that I jot down in Evernote to jump-start the next morning with a working outline.

Give yourself permission to be a writer

This might sound silly, but it's true: in order to learn how to write a book, you need to give yourself permission to be a writer. Many aspiring authors get stuck in their mindset, which prevents them from initiating and completing their writing projects.

Even successful authors feel like they aren't good enough. Acknowledge your feelings, but then shake them off, and move on with your day.

Hear this : You don't have to be an expert to learn how to write a book. You don't have to feel 100% confident to be a good writer. You don't even have to be all-knowing to teach others about your experiences or knowledge.

Here's how to give yourself permission to be a writer:

• Get inspiration from other writers . When you're just starting to learn how to write a book, you might feel alone in your journey. But take comfort in the fact that other successful writers all started at the bottom, just like you. Many of them overcame seemingly impossible hurdles, but persisted with their writing dreams, anyway. Research some of your favorite authors, and read up on their stories to discover the issues they overcame to find success.
• Accept where you are . Acknowledge your feelings of self-doubt, and then release them. It's okay to experience moments of feeling discouraged, but it's important that you don't let those feelings hold you back. Accept that you are beginning your journey and that this is a learning process.
• Use positive affirmations . Your thoughts have a huge influence on your abilities. What you think starts to become your reality, so make your thoughts good. Use positive affirmations about yourself and your writing abilities to pump yourself up. You can even read inspirational writing quotes from famous authors for motivation.
• Overcome imposter syndrome . Even expert authors and writers feel like imposters every now and again. While it's okay to experience feeling inferior, you have to eventually get over those thoughts and push on towards your goals. Connect with other aspiring writers, get yourself a mentor, and join writers conferences or writing communities.

Announce your intention to write a book

The best way to hold yourself accountable for your work is to let others know your goals. Is there someone you trust or a group of people in your network you can appoint to check in on your progress?

Perhaps there is someone who is a seasoned writer who can serve as a mentor. If so, try to have regular check-ins with this person.

One way to keep these meetings consistent is to schedule a lunch or coffee date. Talk about your progress and perhaps any challenges you’re facing. They may be able to bring a fresh perspective.

I told my wife, Ariele, and several of my closest teammates from work about my intentions to write my first book. We had regular check-ins to talk about progress. Everyone helped keep me motivated and had different feedback for me. Without them, it would have been a lot more difficult to write Inbound Content in the timeframe I did.

2. Create a Book Writing Space

The second step in how to write a book has to do with your environment. Where you choose to write will have a major impact on your writing productivity.

Find creative spaces where you can produce your best writing.

Sure, some might argue that they can write anywhere as long as they have the tools to write. But where we choose to write plays a huge role in our writing motivation and focus.

Questions to think about: Where do you work best? What surroundings inspire you most? Identify them and make it a best practice to work there consistently.

Here are creative writing spaces to write your book:

• Coffee shops (classic)
• Beautiful park or somewhere in nature
• A dedicated writing nook at home

My main writing location is the dinette in my Airstream. I do my best work when traveling; I wrote the manuscript for my book in six weeks as I traveled the U.S. and worked full time from the road.

3. Choose your Book-Writing Software

The next step in how to write a book has to do with writing tools.

In 1882, Mark Twain sent to a publisher the first manuscript to be written on a piece of technology that would transform the writing industry: the typewriter.

Nowadays, we have computers with word processing and the internet where you can find an endless assortment of useful book-writing software and apps that are meant to help you be an efficient and effective writer. If you're writing a novel, check out this guide to novel-writing software .

You may be tempted to overload on apps because you think it’ll help elevate your writing. But honestly, less is more . The truth is that the right tools and even self-publishing companies make writing and publishing easier and more enjoyable.

Instead of overwhelming you with all the possible apps in existence, below is a list of three tools I recommend adding to your writing toolkit today (and they’re free).

Google Drive

Google Drive is one of the most versatile cloud storage services available today. But Google Drive is so much more than cloud storage. Here’s a list of ways you can use Google Drive to help you write your book:

• You can organize all aspects of your project in folders (research, outline, manuscript drafts, etc.)
• You can host files for your projects like images, photos, etc.
• You can use Google Docs as a word processor. And we have a book writing template , specifically for Google Docs.
• You can enable offline access and work on your files even when you don’t have an internet connection, such as when you’re traveling.
• You can collaborate easily with others, avoiding version control issues.
• You can access it from just about any device (laptop, smartphone, tablet, you name it).

Plus, Google will give you 15GB of free storage just for signing up.

If you’re new to Google Drive, here’s a list of resources that can turn you into a pro. (FYI, if you have a Gmail account, you have a Google Drive account.)

Grammarly is an editing tool that helps you identify grammatical errors, typos, and incorrect sentence structure in your writing.

Download the web extension and Grammarly will edit most anything you type in a web browser (yes, it will work with Google Docs).

You can check out this Grammarly review if you're on the fence about this one.

Inspiration can strike at any time. Capture those thoughts and ideas as they happen in Evernote . You can even sync Google Drive and Evernote. I recommend doing this, especially on your mobile device.

A Notebook & Pen

Don't underestimate the power of good ole' fashioned pen and paper when it comes to learning how to write a book, which is arguably the only essential writing tool out there.

Even if you write your entire manuscript on a trusty writing software program, you'll still want to have a dedicated notebook available for the times when inspiration strikes and you can't access a computer.

Every writer should have a notebook handy for random ideas and thoughts. You can jot these down in your notebook, then revisit them and digitally store them in your book-writing software when you're back at the computer.

4. Determine Your Book Topic

Now we'll move on to how to actually start writing a book. This is the part that seems simple, but can be more difficult than you realize.

However, once you get through the process of actually writing your book, you will gain momentum to finish it, and eventually publish it.

Learning how to write a book starts with an idea. Shat's your book idea ?

Maybe you already know exactly what you want to write about. Or maybe you have a million ideas floating on in your head, but you don't know exactly where to start.

One of the most common pieces of advice for aspiring first-time authors is: “Write what you know.” A simple phrase that’s meant to be helpful, yet it begs so many questions.

If you're struggling with a book idea, try jumpstarting your creativity by experimenting with these writing prompts .

Whether you’re writing a non-fiction how-to guide or a fictional post-apocalyptic thriller, you need to form a connection with your audience — and you can do that through emotion. The best way to create emotion with your reader is to understand them.

Here's how to determine what you want to write about and how to write it in a meaningful way.  

Identify your target reader

The key to producing meaningful content is understanding your reader. You can do this by creating a reader persona — a semi-fictional representation of your ideal audience.

To get started with your reader persona, consider answering the following questions:

• What’s the reader’s age? Are you writing a self-help book geared towards mature adults, or are you writing a guide for teenagers? The age of your reader will set the tone for your writing and book's context.
• What’s the reader’s education level? Are you writing a book for PhD candidates, or for recent high school graduates? Depending on the answer, your writing style, verbiage, and word choice will vary.
• Does the reader prefer visuals? Think about your book's potential topic and if visuals like charts, graphs, tables, illustrations , screenshots, or photographs will be expected.
• What is this reader interested in? When you write a book, it's less about what you want to say, and more about what your reader needs to know. As you start to brainstorm a topic and write your book, always have a reader-centric approach.

The more you know about your reader, the better experience you can create for them.

When you start learning how to write a book, you have to make your book about the reader. What do they need to know in order to learn what you have to say?

My main audience is marketers and business owners at small-to-medium-sized businesses. They’re strapped for time and don’t need another theoretical resource. They value real-world examples to help visualize what tips and strategies look like in action.

Write about something that intrigues you

You need to write about something that spikes your curiosity, something that keeps you coming back day after day. Something that lights you up and that you're invested in.

I can’t stress the importance of this enough. If you choose a topic to write about for the wrong reason, don’t expect to create something that people will love.

You need to be able to stick with it through dry spells and bouts of non-inspiration. Your own desire to hear the story will be what drives you through learning how to write a book.

Research potential topics

In our digital age, we can conveniently research topics from the comfort of our own homes.

Google makes it easy to research just about any topic.

Here’s a list of ways to research your book concept on Google:

• What content already exists? Are there already books written on this topic? If so, which ones performed well? Why did they perform well? Is there anything interesting about their content that enhances the reader’s experience? Is the market over-saturated on this topic?
• What influencers exist on the subject? Are there well-known authors on this topic? Who are they? What can you learn from them?
• What do you need to learn? Are there specific things you need to learn to create a rich, meaningful narrative (ex. geography, culture, time period, etc.)?

I performed extensive research before writing the manuscript for Inbound Content. It was important for me to understand what content was already out there, which content was performing well, and most importantly, how could I make my book unique. This is exactly why I included homework after each chapter to help my readers build an action plan that they could implement immediately, something I noticed wasn’t typical in other marketing books.

Choose a topic you can write about quickly

Writing your first book is invaluable because it's a serious learning experience. The process of actually writing a book and completing it will make this book a personal success for you, because of how much you will learn about yourself and your craft in the process.

Don't get hung up on a topic. If you're struggling with deciding what to write about first, go with the topic that you know best. Choose a topic or experience that you can write about quickly, with limited resources.

Here's how to find a topic you can write about quickly:

• Write what you can teach right now. If you had to teach a lesson on something right at this second, what could you confidently teach? This is a topic you know well, that requires limited additional research, and what you can quickly create content for.
• Write about a powerful experience. Each individual is unique in their experiences. Everyone has gone through something that changed them. Reflect on your life and think about one experience that sticks out about your life.
• Write about a life lesson. What has life taught you? What unique observations have you made about the world? You can use this information to learn how to write a memoir .

5. Write A Book Outline

Once you know what you want to write about, you’re probably eager to start writing. But you need a writing guide first.

Let’s review what you can do to create a clear book outline for your book that you can use as a roadmap.

Create a mindmap

You have an idea, now it's time to hone in on just exactly what that idea is. With a mindmap , you can drill your topic down into sub-topics. It will help you get all of your ideas out and onto paper.

Here are the steps to mindmap your book's topic:

• Get a blank piece of paper and pen.
• Set a timer for 10 minutes.
• Write your topic in the middle of the page.
• Jot down all of your ideas related to your book's topic.
• Do not stop writing until the timer goes off.

Once you have mindmapped your idea, you should have a full page of brainstormed thoughts, ideas, and concepts. You can then review what you've written, and begin to organize them. This will come in handy when it comes time to actually start plugging in content for your book outline.

Write a purpose statement

In one sentence describe the purpose of your book. A strong purpose statement will explain to readers why they should consider reading your book. For me, I was writing a book to grow my business .

This will also help you stay focused as you begin drafting your outline and writing your book. When you have trouble solidifying what your book is about , review your purpose statement.

Inbound Content‘s purpose statement: People who read this book will learn a step-by-step process on how to do content marketing the inbound way.

Create a working title

A working title is a temporary title used during the production of your book. Identifying your book by giving it a name can help set the direction.

Once you finish your work you can revisit the title and update accordingly. Don't get too hung up on this step; think of the title as a placeholder. It isn't permanent, but it will be helpful to begin with one in mind.

If you need help thinking of a working title, use our Book Title Generator .

Write an elevator pitch for your book

An effective elevator pitch should last no longer than a short elevator ride of 30 seconds. For context, 30 seconds equals about 65-70 words.

Having a prepared elevator pitch will come in handy throughout your book-writing process. It will help you nail your book's purpose and topic, and it will help the concept become crystal clear not only for yourself as the writer, but for your potential readers, too.

As you ask family and friends to hold you accountable to writing, and as you connect with fellow writers, authors, and mentors, you will be asked about your book. Having a prepared elevator pitch will help you nail the answer without hesitation, each and every time.

Draft a working outline for your book

The next step in learning how to write a book is drafting a working book outline. Just like the working title you created, this outline is a work in progress. The outline can change throughout your writing process, and that's okay!

However, it's super helpful to start with an outline so that you know where to begin, and have a general roadmap for where to go as you start writing.

Use the related concepts and sub-topics you organized in your mindmap, and start plugging in some content into your outline.

Your outline will do wonders for you once you start writing. It can help you avoid writer's block , and increase your writing momentum and productivity. Instead of wondering what to write about in the next chapter of your book, you'll already have an idea of where to start with your book's outline.

Fill in the gaps with more research

After your working outline is completed, it's important to do further research on your topic so that you can fill in any areas that you missed or forgot to include in your original outline.

Do not get too caught up in your research that it prevents you from writing your book. Take some time to research, but set a limit. Always go back to writing.

Here's how to research when writing a book:

• Use online resources by doing a Google search on your topic.
• Read other books that have been written about your topic.
• Listen to expert interviews, podcasts, and audiobooks related to your topic.
• Read scholarly articles and academic journals within the subject or industry.
• Search archives, collections, historical journals, data records, and newspaper clippings to get clear on events, dates, and facts about your topic, especially if you're writing about the past.

Frameworks on how to write your book

If your book can follow a framework, this will make it easier to keep your writing organized and relevant.

By choosing a format or structure for your book's topic, you'll be able to align your outline in a way that will be helpful when you start to write each chapter.

Most nonfiction books can fall into a specific framework, or a blend of frameworks. It's better to start with a specific framework, then tweak it as needed as you continue writing.

Here are common nonfiction book frameworks to consider when writing a book:

• Modular: Use this framework if you have a lot of information or concepts that can be grouped into similar topics, but don't need to be presented in a specific order.
• Reference: Use this framework if your book will be used as a reference that makes it easy for readers to quickly find the information they need.
• Three Act Structure: Use this framework if you plan to use storytelling in your book, where you have three main parts like a Set Up, Rising Action, and Resolution.
• Sequential: Use this framework if your book reads like a “how to” with a specific set of steps.
• Compare & Contrast: Use this framework if you need to show your reader how two or more ideas or concepts are similar to or different from one another.
• Problem & Solution: Use this framework if readers need to be able to clearly identify a problem and understand the solution.
• Chronological: Use this framework if each main section of your book represents a specific time or order of events.
• Combination: If your book will fall under two or more of the above frameworks, then you will need to use a combination framework that's adjusted to your book's specific topic.

6. Finish Writing Your Book Draft

For many, the hard part isn't getting started with how to write a book… it's in actually finishing it!

Commit to finishing your rough draft , and you're already succeeding!

Here are our top tips to keep the momentum going as you start taking action after learning exactly how to write a book.

Break your book writing into small chunks

Now that you have your book's outline and framework, it's time to get started with writing.

Like a marathon, your manuscript is essentially a puzzle made up of many smaller like-themed pieces. Your finished book may be 262 pages long, but it’s written one word or thought at a time. Pace yourself and stick to your consistent writing schedule.

If you approach your book writing by focusing too much on the larger picture, you can get overwhelmed. Write chapter-by-chapter.

Start with baby steps by chunking your writing into small pieces. Set milestones, and celebrate the small wins.

Here are some tips for breaking your writing into small pieces:

• Write one chapter at a time . Focus on one piece at a time, not the entire puzzle!
• Set deadlines to complete each chunk of writing . Break your goal down into smaller sections, then set individual deadlines for each section.
• Structure your writing time. Follow a routine for writing that includes time for research (if needed) and review. For example, if you dedicate two hours each day towards your book, set 30 minutes aside to review your outline so you know what you're writing about, then 30 minutes to research anything that you need to clarify, then one hour to actually write.
• Celebrate small goals. As you accomplish milestones towards your end goal, schedule and celebrate your small accomplishments. It can be something as simple as going out to dinner, buying yourself a small gift, or doing a little dance.

Build the momentum to finish writing your book

Learning how to write a book can be difficult.

When you're in the weeds with writing your book, there will be days you want to give it all up.

There will also be times when you have writer's block, and even though you know what you should be writing about, it all sounds wrong as you re-read what you've written in your head.

Here's how to fight writer's block and increase your writing momentum:

• Don't edit as you write. Writing and editing require your brain to work in two very different ways, so don't do it! It'll slow you down, and keep you at a standstill. Keep writing, and save the editing for later.
• Switch up your scenery. If you usually write at home in your own writing space, maybe it's time to freshen up your writing environment. Try writing in a public park, or at a coffee shop or library on the days when writing is the last thing you feel like doing.
• Take a break. It's okay if you're too mentally worn-out to write. Take a small break, and then get back to it. When we say small break, we mean take a day or two off from writing (not a month or two!).
• Get creative inspiration elsewhere. Binge-watch an exciting new show, read a novel, take a walk in nature, go to an art gallery, or be around people you love. While you aren't writing when you do these things, it can help your brain reset and recharge so you can return to your book.
• Write about something else. Sometimes, when we're so engulfed in our book's topic, it can be self-limited. If you're feeling less excited about writing when it comes to your book, maybe it's time to flex your writing muscles in a different way. Try doing some creative writing exercises, journal, or write a poem.
• Supercharge your writing with AI . AI tools, such as ChatGPT , are here to empower your writing journey. They can help you generate ideas, overcome writer's block, and streamline your writing process. By integrating AI into your writing workflow, you can access instant feedback and suggestions, helping you build momentum and stay focused on completing your book.

Related: I Wrote A Book! Now What?

Collaborate with others

There's strength in numbers when it comes to accomplishing a huge task.

And, more importantly, it can help you feel less isolated in what can be a very solitary act. Writing a book can be lonely!

Let’s review three things you can do to collaborate with others when writing your book.  

Connect with your original accountability partner or group

A great example of finding accountability partners is through a group or self-publishing company much like what Self-Publishing School does with their Mastermind Community on Facebook.

Attend a writer's conference

Sharing space and networking with other writers can do wonders for your own writing habits and momentum. By attending writer's conferences, you'll be in a room full of people just like you.

Not only will you be able to network with and learn from expert authors who have been where you are, but you'll also be able to meet fellow aspiring writers going through the same process as you.

Collaborate with thought leaders on your subject

Ideal for nonfiction writers, this collaboration could mean asking well-known people in your industry to write a quote that brings value to your content.

Pro tip: When promoting your book launch on social media, consider creating a buzzworthy piece of content like an engaging blog article and have your audience share it.

7. Include Front & Back Matter

Now it's time to put on your marketing pants and spread the word about your book!

There are elements outside of your book’s content that you’ll need to write, such as a preface, foreword, notes, etc. I suggest waiting until after you’ve written your book. This way, not only can you better connect them to your story, but you won’t waste time editing them in case you make changes to your manuscript.

Let’s review eight final touches you may or may not need to wrap up your book.

Preface or Introduction

Draw in your readers with a compelling story. This could be a personal anecdote related to your topic. Tell them what the book is about and why it is relevant to them (think of your reader persona from earlier).

A foreword is typically written by another author or thought leader of your particular industry. Getting someone credible to write this can add a lot of value to your readers.

Testimonials

Just like with the foreword, try and find respected, well-known people in your space and have them write a review about your book. The best way to promote yourself is to have someone else speak on your behalf.  

How do you want to be portrayed to your audience? Readers love knowing personal details of an author’s life, such as your hobbies, where you live, or what inspired you to write this book.

Pro tip: The author bio on the flap of your book might be one of the first things people read when deciding whether or not to read our book. Keep it short, but make sure it packs a punch (just like your elevator pitch).

A glossary is an alphabetical list of terms or words relating to a specific subject, text, or dialect with corresponding explanations. If you are writing nonfiction, especially a topic that uses a lot of lingo or uncommon words, make sure to include a glossary to create a better experience for your readers.

If you are writing nonfiction, keep track of your sources as you research and write. A clear bibliography will only add to your value and credibility.

Being nonfiction that was based on a lot of research and experiments, I made sure to include a notes section in Inbound Content. It included citations, stats, image sources, etc.

Using images is a nice addition to your content. Images can create a more engaging experience for the reader while improving the communication of hard-to-grasp concepts.

8. Edit Your Book

The next step in learning how to write a book is editing. This involves self-editing first, then having a thorough professional edit done.

The success of your book will depend on its quality, and a thoroughly edited book is a solid way to increase your book's quality.

Even the best writers require editing, so don't feel discouraged by this process. In the end, you'll be glad you followed the editing process, and will have a completed, error-free book that you can be proud of.

Self-edit your book

Remember when we told you not to edit your book as you wrote? Well, now's your time to shine in the editing department.

Once your book is written, it's time to go through and read it line-by-line.

We recommend printing your entire manuscript out on paper, then going through each page and making edits. This will make it easy to spot errors, and will help you easily implement these changes into your manuscript.

There's a specific strategy to self-editing; if you start this process blindly, it can be overwhelming, so make sure you understand how it works before diving in.

Here are some tips to self-edit your book successfully:

• Read your manuscript aloud as you edit.
• Start with one chapter at a time.
• First, go through and edit the chapter for structure revisions.
• Second, find opportunities for improving the book's readability.
• Third, make edits for grammar and word choice.

Once you complete your self-edit, you can make your revisions on your manuscript, then get ready for the next round of edits.

Hire a professional book editor

The next step in learning how to write a book is handing your book off to a professional book editor .

As meticulous as you may be, there are bound to be some grammatical or spelling errors that get overlooked. Also, a professional editor should be able to give you feedback on the structure of your writing so you can feel confident in your final published draft.

There are many different types of editing , so think carefully to determine who you should hire.

Re-write sections of your book’s draft using your editor’s feedback

Now it's time to improve your book using your editor's feedback. Don't be discouraged when you get your manuscript back full of edits, comments, and identified errors.

Think of these edits as opportunities to improve your book. You want to give your reader a polished, well-written book, and to do this, you need to edit and re-write.

This doesn't mean you have to re-write your entire book. You simply have to go through your editor's feedback, and make any revisions you think are necessary.

If there is something you don't agree with your editor on, that's okay. In the end, it is your book, and you are in control of what you want to add or take out of the manuscript.

Just be sure your revisions are coming from a place of sound reasoning, and not pride.

Finalize your book title

If you haven't done so already, it's time to revisit the working title you created for your book earlier in the process.

You need to finalize your book's title before you move on to the next steps!

If you need help deciding on a title, cast a vote with your target readers and mentors in your author network. Send an email out, post a social media announcement , or reach out through text with people that are considered your book's ideal reader.

Get feedback on your title by asking people to vote for their favorite. Include the top three choices, then use the crowdsourced results to narrow it down even more.

Once you have a title selected, don't worry too much if you're not 100 percent sold on it yet. Even if the title turns out to not be effective, you can always change the title depending on the publishing platform you select.

9. Choose a Compelling Book Cover

Don’t judge a book by its cover? Please.  People are definitely judging your book by its cover. 

The book cover design is generally the first thing that will pique a reader’s interest.

You can find freelance graphic designers to create a compelling book cover for you on many online marketplace sites like Upwork, Reedsy , and Snappa . You can even check with a local graphic design artist for a more hands-on approach.

Tips for creating an effective book cover:

• Whitespace is your friend.  Make it a best practice to choose a design that pops, but doesn’t distract.
• Make it creative (non-fiction) or emotional (fiction).  Do your best to connect the art to the story or use it to enhance the title.
• Consider a subtitle.  Think if this as a one-sentence descriptor on what this book is about.
• Test two or three designs.  Send a few designs to your trusted accountability group to get their honest first impressions and feedback.

Keeping these best practices in mind, I chose a cover for Inbound Content that was simple but made the title pop and let the subtitle provide the promise to the reader.

10. Format Your Book

Now that you’ve written your manuscript, it’s time to format it so you can visualize the final product — your book!

Formatting your book is an important step in learning how to write a book, because it has to do with how your book will appear to the reader. A successfully formatted book will not cut off text, incorrect indentations, or typeset errors when printed or displayed on a digital device.

If you've already decided to go with self-publishing vs traditional publishing , this is all on you. But if you're not tech-savvy and don't have the time to learn how to format your own book, you can hire a professional to do this part for you.

If you know how to format a book correctly and to fit your book distributor's specifications, you can do so in Word or Google Docs. You can also use a program like Vellum Software or Atticus .

Otherwise, we recommend hiring someone to do this professionally, as it's one of the most important aspects to get right. Check out Formatted Books if that's the case for you.

11. Prepare to Launch Your Book

Before you hit “Publish” it's time to do the groundwork to start prepping for your book's launch, and your ongoing book launch and book marketing strategy.

There are a few steps involved in this process, which we'll outline below.

Build your book’s launch team

This is an ongoing step that you can start doing when you are finished with your rough draft. As you send your book to the editor, designer, and formatter, you can organize a launch team in the meantime.

Your book's launch team is essentially a group of individuals who are considered your target readers. They will help you promote your book, and will be actively involved in the launch process of your book.

Develop a marketing mindset

It's time to start shifting your mindset from writing to book marketing . Think about your strengths and areas of growth when it comes to sales and marketing.

Acknowledge any fears or self-limiting thoughts you have, then push past them by remembering your book's purpose. Know that the power of sharing your knowledge and experience through your book is stronger than any fear that might hold you back.

It's important to understand in the marketing phase that your mindset has a huge role in the success of your book. You can write the best book in the world, but if you don't channel some energy towards marketing, no one will know it exists.

Here are six ways to market your book:

• Paid advertisements
• Free advertisement opportunities
• Local or in-person events
• Content marketing on Google and Amazon
• Be a guest on podcasts and websites
• Speaker opportunities

Create a book launch strategy

There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to your launch strategy, so it's important to draft up a plan before you publish your book.

Your launch strategy is basically how you plan to create momentum with your book. Think of it like a business launch. There's always a big celebration to announce the launch of the business. It's the same for your book.

12. Publish Your Book

The self-publishing process steps will vary on whether you are publishing your book as an eBook only, or whether you plan to publish it as a print book .

It will also vary depending on which self-publishing companies you plan to work with. There are many self-publishing platforms to choose from, including KDP on Amazon and IngramSpark .

If you plan to work with a different book publisher , you'll want to follow their guidelines. You should also learn how to copyright a book to protect yourself against plagiarism.

Once you've hit publish on your platform, you can start implementing your launch strategies and marketing strategies, which we'll cover in the next section.

FAQs: How To Write A Book

If you read through this guide and have specific questions on how to write a book, here are some other questions we get often.

How long does it take to write a book?

How long it takes to write a book depends on a number of factors. on average, it takes self-published authors anywhere from 3-6 months, but that can be shorter or longer depending on your writing habits, work ethic, time available, and much more.

How much do authors make?

There is no set amount that an author can make. It depends on many factors, such as the book genre , topic, author's readership and following, and marketing success.

For a full report on this, please read our report on Author Salary

Writing a book is not a get-rich-quick strategy by any means. While learning how to write a book can help you grow your business through techniques like a book funnel , unless you sell hundreds of thousands of copies of books, you likely will not earn six figures from book sales alone.

How much money does an author make per book?

The money an author makes per book sold is calculated by the royalty rate. The royalty rate varies depending on the publishing medium, and company.

Use this Book Royalty Calculator to get a better idea of your potential earnings.

How much does it cost to write and publish a book?

With Amazon self-publishing and other self-publishing platforms, the cost to publish is actually free. However, it costs money to hire professionals that actually produce a high-quality book that you will be proud of.

For full details, read this guide on Self-Publishing Costs .

Can anyone write a book?

Yes, anyone can learn how to write a book. And thanks to the rise of technology and self-publishing, anyone can publish a book as well!

Traditional publishers used to serve as the gatekeepers to publishing, holding the power to determine which books would be published. This prevented many stories from being shared, and many talented authors from being recognized.

Thankfully, this antiquated system is no longer the only option. This also means that because anyone can technically publish a book, it is extremely important that you create a quality, professional book that's of the highest standard.

You Wrote A Book!

And that’s it! Those are the steps to take to learn how to write a book from start to finish.

You can and will write your first book if you put forth the effort. You’re going to crush this!

Trust the process, create a consistent writing schedule, and use this practical guide to help you through the journey of learning how to write a book.

Are you ready to write your book?

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The best books on writing for aspiring writers

Ready to get serious about writing? These titles will help.

Great writing can change the world.

And even if your ambitions are less grand, solid writing skills will help you and your business reach its goals.

Each book listed in this article will help you become a better writer in some way. However, better is a vague objective.

That’s why the books below are grouped according to the specific writing skills and areas they will help you improve. These include:

• Writer motivation
• Grammar and style
• Organization
• Examples of great writing
• Idea generation
• and business understanding.

This resource will not only help you improve your craft but also show you how to leverage the skill of writing into so much more. Let's get started.

Best writing books for beginners

You Are a Writer by Jeff Goins

Writing is mostly a mind game. It’s about tricking yourself into becoming who you are. If you do this long enough, you begin to believe it. And pretty soon, you start acting like it. — Jeff Goins

Part memoir, part handbook, Goins delivers one of the most user-friendly reads for aspiring writers.

The book explains what it means to be a writer as the author worked to discover it for themself. One of the main messages is that prioritizing the skill and practice of writing is a must. In the beginning stages, nothing is more important than getting words on a page.

In You Are a Writer, the author also touches upon how to get your work in front of more people, from the basics of building an audience to leveraging that attention for greater writing opportunities.

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Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere. ― Anne Lamott

Lamott is an expert writer with a streak of irreverence towards the standard rules of the craft. This makes for both an entertaining read as well as a hands-on guide to breaking rules well.

Much of Lamott’s advice revolves around the belief that the best writers are the ones who are most aware. They pay attention, ask questions, listen deeply, and capture the moments most people overlook.

This book is handy for writers who are unclear about the style or genre they would like to write because it champions experimentation above all else.

The Writing Life by Annie Dillard

He is careful of what he reads, for that is what he will write. He is careful of what he learns, for that is what he will know. ― Annie Dillard

This short book is a treasure trove of inspirational content.

Although new writers will not find step-by-step instructions on the craft, Dillard does deliver a cohesive, enticing, and at times intimidating look at the process of creating great writing.

One of the overarching messages included in the book is a call not to hold back. At every opportunity, a writer should empty themselves and their ideas on to the page.

The fear that you will run out of ideas or stories is a normal part of the process but one that is easily remedied by following a schedule for input ( reading ) and output (writing).

Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury

Write. Don't think. Relax. ― Ray Bradbury

As one of the most prolific writers of the last century, Bradbury is a voice every writer should read at least once.

Their guide for writers encourages creatives to get lost in their work, not let logic suffocate creativity, and allow ideas to carry them to unexpected places (instead of always trying to control the process).

The author's advice focuses on fiction storytelling but also includes sections on nonfiction and poetry. Regardless of your chosen genre, this resource will help free your creative process.

On Writing by Stephen King

Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work. ― Stephen King

There’s a reason almost every writing resource list mentions this book by Stephen King: it’s that good.

On Writing is an intensely practical book, told through the lens of King’s life stories, and filled with concrete examples of how to transform forgettable sentences into remembered treasures.

Plus, the author has a knack for spinning their insights into motivational pieces so that readers not only come away from the book understanding how to write better, but wanting to commit to the practice as well.

Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg

Writing is the act of discovery. ― Natalie Goldberg

Although writing may be an applied skill, there are also emotional and psychological aspects to it.

Goldberg captures these deeper elements of writing in their book in order to help writers communicate more fully through their words. For the author, great writing is a product of facing difficult subjects head-on and then inviting others onto the journey with you.

One technique mentioned in the book which many new writers find helpful is to write with a pen and paper instead of a computer and keyboard. This tactile element can help connect the writer to their subject while preventing blocks sometimes caused by a blinking cursor.

Best books to improve writing style

The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation by Jane Straus

You don’t have to be an English major to understand grammar and punctuation. You just need rules and guidelines that are easy to understand, with real-world examples. — Jane Straus

You must learn the rules of writing before you can break them.

The Blue Book is an accessible guide that both summarizes and simplifies the rules most of us forgot or never learned in English class. From how to use a comma properly to choosing the appropriate pronouns, this guide is full of actionable information.

What makes this resource extra useful is its collection of activities, examples, and quizzes. Though this book takes some work to get through, you’ll come out the other side a stronger writer.

The Sense of Style by Steven Pinker

Style still matters, for at least three reasons. First, it ensures that writers will get their message across… Second, style earns trust. [Third] it adds beauty to the world. — Steven Pinker

Pinker is a Harvard professor of psychology who writes on how language and the brain connect. One would expect a style guide from such a writer to be dry or academic.

Instead, Pinker delivers a love letter to the craft that explores not only what makes good writing, but why our brains recognize it as such.

Throughout the book, one of the most valuable practices is how the author reverse-engineers what great writers do in specific passages so that new writers can attempt the same moves in their work.

The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White

When a sentence is made stronger, it usually becomes shorter. — William Strunk

This short guide is a rule book for great writing, with most of the principles explained in a page or less.

Brevity, clarity, and purpose drive this resource. If you struggle with long or unclear sentences or aren’t sure how your style should adjust to your topic, this is a must-read.

It’s recommended to pick up a physical copy of this book, since having it within reach will be exceptionally useful during your editing phases.

Best books on writing organization

Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody

Plot, structure, and character transformation. Or what I like to call the ‘Holy Trinity of Story.’ — Jessica Brody

Save the Cat began as a book on screenwriting principles. Then, because of its immense popularity, it spawned into a 7-part series covering multiple genres and formats.

This entry on writing a novel is helpful for both fiction and nonfiction writers as it teaches the basic building blocks of telling stories. It accomplishes this feat by outlining ten genres and showing readers how even the most creative pieces follow pre-made formulas.

This resource will help not only help you organize your writing but also complete projects faster.

Take Off Your Pants by Libbie Hawker

A satisfied reader is all you need for a ‘good’ book. — Libbie Hawker

Hawker’s book is a no fluff guide to writing stories people want to read.

This resource focuses on book-sized writing projects, but all of the author’s tips can be applied to smaller projects simply by truncating the individual elements.

One of the main takeaways from the book is that more detailed outlines make for faster writing. The more time you spend figuring out how your ideas connect, the easier it will be when writing.

On Writing Well by William Zinsser

Writing is thinking on paper. ― William Zinsser

This book is the gold standard for writing great nonfiction.

Nonfiction isn't only about real stories but also ideas, arguments, and data. These elements are just as essential as plot or character are to fiction, and learning how to master them is crucial.

The third section in Zinsser’s book covers particular forms of nonfiction writing, such as interviews and memoirs. This is a great place to start for those looking for a subgenre that aligns with their skills and interests.

Best books for modern writing examples

The Psychology of Money by Morgan Housel

Things that have never happened before happen all the time. ― Morgan Housel

Amazon contains over 90,000 books in their Business & Money category. So how do you write uniquely about a topic that has been covered that many times?

You find what’s interesting about it to you and share that.

Housel’s book is a collection of lessons on why people make the financial choices they do with money, and steps for making better ones.

If you’re looking to cover a well-worn topic, look to this book for clues on how to do it in a refreshing, authentic way.

Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

Hard work is only a prison sentence when you lack motivation. ― Malcolm Gladwell

Gladwell is one of the most prominent writers alive today because they do two difficult things well: challenge assumptions and transition smoothly.

Most of Gladwell’s books address topics people think they know well. But, if you can surprise your readers in some way, you can be sure they will tell others about what they’ve read.

Moving from one idea to another, whether across a paragraph or a page, can be tricky. Gladwell does this with supreme ease, often forgoing "proper" transition phrases altogether. If you'd like to learn how to smooth out your writing, give this title a read.

Ego is the Enemy by Ryan Holiday

Impressing people is utterly different from being truly impressive. ― Ryan Holiday

Many of the books mentioned in this list explain why brevity and conciseness are important to great writing. Holiday embodies these elements.

Their books are typically shorter than most nonfiction books, but the remarkable part is how much information Holiday is able to convey in a single sentence. They can tell stories in a few lines that would take other writers several pages.

For those wanting to trim the fat in their writing, this is one author worth studying.

Best books on generating new ideas

Choose Yourself by James Altucher

Diversification is everything. You get past ‘this’ by having lots of 'that's'. ― James Altucher

Altucher is a unique character with a habit of turning random ideas into thriving businesses.

In the book, they explain how anyone can transform their brain into an idea machine: write down ten ideas a day, every day, about anything. Altucher provides dozens of examples to support the argument that the stranger the combination, the more promising the results.

If you struggle to come up with unique ideas or angles to write about, this resource and practice will help.

Steal Like an Artist by Austin Kleon

The best advice is not to write what you know, it’s to write what you like. ― Austin Kleon

The most prolific creators, writers or otherwise, understand how to steal well.

For Kleon, this practice isn't simply taking what others have done and presenting it as your own. Instead, it's understanding how to follow the same processes, chase the same goals, and evoke the same emotions as the original does.

This is an excellent resource for those who want to create like their heroes without copying them.

The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

The most important thing about art is to work. Nothing else matters except sitting down every day and trying. ― Steven Pressfield

Pressfield argues that the enemy of creative work is called resistance. And while it takes many forms, there is always one sure way to overcome it: sit in your chair and write.

Creators will never be completely free from distractions, roadblocks, and fears.

The solution, then, is to push through it. Your best ideas are already there; they just need you to fight for them.

Best books on writing faster

5,000 Words Per Hour by Chris Fox

Planning is your best friend if productivity is your goal. ― Chris Fox

Being able to write large amounts quickly is a skill that can benefit any writer. But scribbling mountains of nonsense isn’t useful. The key is learning how to increase speed while maintaining quality.

Fox has perfected a system for this goal. In their book, they explain how to use a few different tools to help accomplish incredible levels of output. These include writing sprints, dictation software, and timed flow states.

This short, practical guide is an excellent resource on both writing fast and managing your time well.

The Miracle Morning for Writers by Hal Elrod

Most people start the day by checking email, texts, and social media. And most people struggle to be successful. It’s not a coincidence. ― Hal Elrod

Learning to write efficiently is a product of building a schedule that supports your writing habit. This book explains how to accomplish this by structuring the first 2-3 hours of your day completely around writing.

The authors, Hal Elrod and Steve Scott, are both enormously prolific with over 50 books published between them. They’ve homed in on the patterns that work and share them in a strategic way for readers.

A great takeaway from this title is that it identifies writing as a holistic activity. Therefore, creatives who take care of their mental and physical health will, almost by default, be more productive and creative in their writing.

This book will teach you how to write better by Neville Medhora

If you want people to listen to what you have to say, you need to be interesting! — Neville Medhora

This short guidebook (<60 pages) introduces basic copywriting elements that any writer can use to make their content more interesting.

Medhora combines brutal honesty with playful humor to communicate some of the hard trusts writers must face, such as that readers are selfish, easily bored, and pressed for time. Writing that understands these challenges, and solves for them, gets read.

This resource is also a valuable introduction to voice, and how finding yours can supercharge your writing process.

Best books on the business of writing

Real Artists Don’t Starve by Jeff Goins

What got her there was not some lofty dream. It was gradual and persistent action in the right direction. ― Jeff Goins

In this book, Goins challenges the sentiment that people who choose artistic paths must struggle financially.

Chapter by chapter, the author gathers examples of successful artists, writers, and creators and breaks down the business models they use to succeed with their work.

If you want proof that people can make it as a writer without needing to hit a bestseller list, this is for you.

Perennial Seller by Ryan Holiday

Nothing has sunk more creators and caused more unhappiness than this: our inherently human tendency to pursue a strategy aimed at accomplishing one goal while simultaneously expecting to achieve other goals entirely unrelated. ― Ryan Holiday

How do you make something that lasts beyond your lifetime? This is the question Holiday answers with their book by examining common elements from the classics still read today.

Beneath the discussion of enduring work is the theme of funding that work. Despite the rare cases of broke artists becoming famous after their deaths, most of the classic works we still interact with today were popular when they were current.

The more financially successful a project is, the more likely it is to survive. Success isn’t an enemy of creative work — it’s the fuel for it.

How To Make a Living With Your Writing by Joanna Penn

If you love to create new things in the world, you can now earn decent money doing it. — Joanna Penn

Thanks to the internet, there are now dozens of ways to earn money as a writer. The author made most of their income from self-publishing books and making those books available in multiple formats (digital, audio, paperback).

The book covers a host of alternatives, including ways to monetize a blog or newsletter, how to leverage writing into consulting or speaking opportunities, and the best ways to start freelancing.

Turning your words into income is a realistic goal. You just need to know where to start.

Next step for aspiring writers

The books you read will inevitably shape your path as a writer.

They will give you ideas, direction, and guidance. But what they can’t do is write for you. That part is up to you.

If you’re looking for a platform where you can start sharing your words with the world, try Ghost . It’s a simple, fast, and powerful publishing tool built with writers in mind.

— Read this next —

Creator burnout: A guide to sustainable creativity

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Blog • Perfecting your Craft

Last updated on Feb 07, 2023

How to Write a Book (with Tactics from Bestsellers)

What’s the secret formula to tapping into your creativity and writing a book? Some authors would tell you there is no single path to authorship , as every writer’s journey is unique. However, almost every bestselling author will have highly effective writing patterns and habits that help them attain their writing dreams . In this post, we'll share some of their most commonly used tactics for starting and finishing a book.

How to write a book:

1. Start with a book idea you love

2. research by reading genre-prominent books, 3. outline the story, 4. write the opening sentence , 5. write the first draft, 6. set a schedule with achievable goals, 7. find a good writing space, 8. pick a "distraction-free" writing software, 9. finish your draft, 10. edit the manuscript, 11. publish your book for readers to buy.

There's a long, exciting road ahead. So let's get started.

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 grasping at straws, consider free-writing based on a writing prompt or generating a story via 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.)

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Once you've found your big idea, the next step is to research your genre. Again, if you're writing the 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 the novels  and  how many chapters do they have ? What does the  shape of the story look like? What themes and ideas pull the book together? Perhaps most importantly, do you think you can produce a book with similar elements?

Find out what people are reading

You should also conduct market research on Amazon to determine the most  popular  books in your genre. If you want your book to succeed, you'll have to contend with these bestsellers. Go to the  Amazon Best Sellers page  and find your genre in the lefthand sidebar:

Then read those books' blurbs to figure out what really sells. What do they all have in common, and why might readers find them appealing? Does your book hold up to these standards?

Finally, think about how your book can offer something NEW. For example, if you're writing a psychological thriller, will there be a particularly sneaky narrator who's unreliable, or maybe a  series of twists and turns that the reader never sees coming? If your book is nonfiction , do you have a unique take on the subject, or a particularly deep well of knowledge? And so on.

Going above and beyond is the only way to give your book a chance in today's hyper-competitive market. So don't skimp on the genre research, because this will tell you where the bar is and how you can surpass it.

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Many great stories begin with a great outline. 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.)

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Use this template to go from a vague idea to a solid plan for a first draft.

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 spent much time shaping your characters  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?

If you'd like to outline your story directly in a writing app, we recommend using the pre-made templates in the free Reedsy Book Editor. Simply create your account with one click below and start creating the building blocks of your story — right away.  

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The Reedsy Book Editor

Use the Boards feature to plan, organize, or research anything.

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 it ! 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.

First off, you need an opening hook that grabs the reader's attention and makes it impossible for them to look away. Take a look at the first lines of these hit bestsellers:

“Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.” — Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

“Renowned curator Jacques Saunière staggered through the vaulted archway of the museum's Grand Gallery.” — The Da Vinci Code

“If all the Saturdays of 1982 can be thought of as one day, I met Tracey at 10 a.m. on that Saturday, walking through the sandy gravel of a churchyard, each holding our mother's hand.” — Swing Time

All of these books fall into different genres, yet all their opening lines do the same thing: capture the reader's attention. You can imitate them by making a similarly strong, slightly furtive statement in  your  opener!

From there, your job is to maintain the reader's interest by heightening the stakes and  kicking off the plot . You should also make the reader care about the main characters by giving them distinct personalities, as well as  character goals  and motivations. (Note that “main” is a key descriptor here; never introduce more than a couple of characters at a time!)

Of course, there are infinite ways to write your first chapter. You might have to experiment with lots of different opening lines, even opening scenes, to find the right balance — but it's worth the effort to set the stage perfectly.

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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 ),  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 working on your book . 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.

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Keep readers in mind while writing

Do you want to be the author of a novel 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.

Let's move on to practical ways that you can improve your writing habits. Word count goals play a huge part in creating an effective writing process, especially if you're trying to finish your book  in a certain amount of time .

You should create word count goals for both your individual sessions and per week — or per month, if that's how you prefer to think about your writing output. For relatively novice writers, we'd recommend the following word count goals:

• 500-750 words per day
• 1,500-2,500 words per week
• 6,000-10,000 words per month

These goals are based on a pattern of 3-4 sessions per week, which is reasonable for a beginner, but still enough to make commendable progress. Even if you only follow our  minimum  recommendations — 500 words per session at 3 sessions per week — you can still easily finish your book in less than a year!

Speeding up the writing process

If you're looking for how to write a book  as fast as possible , your word count goals should look a little more like this:

• 1,500-2,000 words per session
• 9,000-15,000 words per week
• 35,000-50,000 words per month

The figures above adhere roughly to NaNoWriMo, the event in which participants write an average of 1,667 words/day to complete a 50,000-word book in  one month . It's hard work, but it's definitely possible to write a book that quickly; hundreds of thousands of people do so every year!

But as any author who's done NaNo can attest, it's also a pretty grueling experience. Most authors find it exhausting to write such great quantities for so many days in a row — and they still have to  revise copiously once they're done .

If this is your first book, make sure you take your time, set manageable word goals, and gradually build to bigger goals.

Use writing sessions to establish a schedule

Having a healthy writing routine is the only way you'll actually hit those word count goals — not to mention it fosters a better relationship with writing overall! To establish a healthy routine, ask yourself these baseline questions first:

• When do I have the most free time in the day/week?
• What time of the day do I tend to be most productive?
• How can I space out my writing sessions effectively?
• Will I realistically be able to balance my writing goals with other responsibilities?

The best way to set up your routine is to take advantage of your pre-existing schedule and natural patterns. So for example, if you already go to the gym on Tuesdays and Thursdays, perhaps the best time to write would be on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Or if you find yourself most creative late at night ( many of us do! ), you can plan late-night sessions over the weekend/before your day off, so you can sleep in the next day.

Ultimately, you just want a well-balanced writing routine that facilitates productivity, yet keeps you from burning out. If you find that writing for several days in a row is too much for you, space out your sessions more or try to shake things up by moving to a new writing space. If you can't keep up with your goals, it's okay to reduce them a little.

Yes, writing a lot is important, but it's not more important than your mental health! Remember that writing a book is a marathon, not a sprint, and that a consistent, healthy approach is absolutely vital. Here are some tips for making the most of your writing routine.

Don't skip more than one session in a row

Life happens, and sometimes you won't be able to make a planned writing session. However, unless it's a serious emergency, you should try to get back in the saddle for your next session. Otherwise, you'll lose too much progress and feel discouraged, which typically leads to skipping even  more  writing sessions, and eventually giving up.

Track your progress

With our free writing app , Reedsy Studio, you'll see the numbers update automatically depending on your activity: you'll see how many words you added  and deleted on any given day. Depending on the overall goal you set for your manuscript, you'll also see your daily targets adjust depending on how much you've written so far.

Use a site blocker to stay focused

Distraction is the enemy of routine, and the biggest distraction in our modern world is the Internet. To that end, download a site-and-app blocker to use during your writing sessions so you won't be enticed by social media or adorable cat memes. We'd recommend  Freedom , as you can schedule block sessions in advance and even keep track of your productivity   within  the app.

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Another major component of how to write a book is  where  you write, hence why it gets a separate section. If you want to complete an entire book, you absolutely must find a calm, focused space for your writing.

This may be in your house, a coffee shop, a library, a co-working space — wherever you can work productively and without interruptions. It should also be a place that you can access easily and go often. Working from home is the most convenient option in this sense, but it may be difficult if you have family around, or if you don't have a designated “room of one's own” (i.e. an actual office, or at least a desk).

What does a good writing space look like?

Try out different locations to see what works for you. Indeed, you may find that you like to rotate writing spaces because it keeps you energetic and your writing fresh! But wherever you go, do your best to make the space:

• Quiet  (noise-canceling headphones can be very helpful)
• Clean  (no clutter, especially if you do chores to procrastinate)
• Non-distracting  (nothing too fun around to tempt you away from writing; turn off your phone so other people won't bother you)
• Your own  (cultivate a nice atmosphere in your home office with posters and plants, or simply take the same seat at your local café every time — truly carve out a “dedicated writing space”)

We've already talked about a few different pieces of software to help you with writing a book. But if you haven't found the right app or program yet, never fear — there's plenty more where those came from!

Book writing software is a topic we've actually  written an entire post about , but it's worth touching on a few of our favorite writing tools here:

Scrivener 🖋️

Scrivener is  the  downloadable writing software of choice for many writers, and for good reason: it has an exceptional interface and tons of useful features. You can outline chapters with its drag-and-drop system, create labels for elements you want to track, and use various templates to plan AND format your book. If you want to feel like a true professional, you can't go wrong with Scrivener — and it's even free to try for 30 days.

Or if you're not much for outlines because your thoughts are all over the place, Milanote can help. The super-flexible interface allows you to “mind map” just as you would longhand, and rearrange different sections as you please. When writing, you can see all your notes at once, so you don't have to stress about forgetting things. It's a very refreshing, intuitive way approach that's worth a try for all disorganized authors.

FocusWriter ✍️

Speaking of intuitive, what's more intuitive than simply writing on a piece of paper, no distractions — just like the old days? Meet FocusWriter, which allows you to do exactly that. The full-screen default interface is a sheet of paper on a wooden desk: no bells, no whistles, no distractions whatsoever. Seriously, this one will get you in the zone.

The Reedsy Book Editor 📖

We couldn't leave out one of the coolest word processing, editing, and formatting tools on the market! All jokes aside, the RBE lets you cleanly format your book  as you go,  so you can watch it take shape in real-time. You can also add sections for front matter and back matter and invite collaborators to edit your text. Plus you can toggle on goal reminders to make sure that you're on track with your writing schedule. Once you finish writing, you can export the files of your book. But don't take our word for it: you can try Reedsy Studio for free right here .

FREE WRITING APP

Set goals, track progress, and establish your writing routine in our free app.

Getting into the groove of writing a book can be difficult. When there are a million different things to distract and discourage you, how can you keep going with your writing routine and finish your book?

Based on ours and other writers' experience, here are a few motivational strategies for you to try:

• Make a list of reasons  why  you want to write a book.  Having a tangible reminder of your true purpose is one of the best ways to motivate yourself, so think hard: Do you want to send an important message? Reach a certain group of people? Or do you simply yearn to tell this particular story? Write down all your reasons and keep them as an ace in the hole for when your motivation dwindles.
• Find someone else to write with you.  Getting a writing buddy is another great way to stay motivated! For one thing, you get some camaraderie during this process; for another, it means you can't slack off too much. So ask your writer friends if they'd like to meet up regularly, or join a community of authors online . With the latter, just make sure you exchange progress updates and proof that you're actually writing!
• Reward yourself at important milestones.  Sometimes the best motivation is the prospect of treating yourself. If you respond well to this kind of motivation, set a goal, a deadline, and a reward for meeting it: “If I can write 10,000 more words by the end of the month, I'll go out for an amazing, fancy dinner with all my friends.” This kind of goal is also helpful because you can  tell  your friends about it, and that very act will hold you accountable.

For even more advice on how to staying motivated through the writing process, check out this Reedsy Live from author and writing coach Kevin Johns!

Don't give up

Remember how we said you'd inevitably get stuck? Well, that's what this step is all about: what to do when you hit a wall. Whether it's a tricky plot hole, an onslaught of insecurity, or a simple lack of desire to write, all writers experience setbacks from time to time .

There are countless ways to overcome writer's block, from freewriting to working on your characters to taking a shower (yes, that's a legitimate tip!). However, here are some of the most effective techniques we've found:

• Revisit your outline.  This will jog your memory as to planned story elements you've forgotten — which may help you find the missing piece.
• Try writing exercises.  It's possible you just need to get the words flowing, and then you can jump get right back into your book. Luckily for you, we have a whole host of great writing exercises  right here!
• Share your experience with friends.  This is another great role for your writing buddy to fill, but you can easily talk about writer's block with your non-writing friends, too. If you're struggling, it always helps to vent and bounce ideas off other people.
• Take a  short  break to do something else.  Yes, sometimes you need to step away from the keyboard and clear your head. But don't take more than a day or so, or else you'll lose momentum and motivation.

Most of all, remember to take setbacks in stride and not let them get you down. As platitudinous as that might sound, it's true: the only thing that can stop you from writing a book is if you, well,  stop writing . So keep calm and carry on — every day brings new opportunities and you'll get through this.

Your aim at this point is not to emerge with an instant masterpiece. The quality almost always emerges in the edit.

You can write all day, all night, to your heart's content... but if no one else likes what you've written, you might end up heart broken  instead. That's why it's crucial to request feedback on your book, starting early and from as many sources as possible.

Begin by asking your friends and fellow writers to read just a few chapters at a time. However, apply their suggestions not only to those chapters, but wherever relevant. For example, if one of your friends says, “[Character A] is acting weird in this scene,” pay extra attention to that character to ensure you haven't misrepresented them anywhere else.

Once your book is finished, you're ready for some more intensive feedback. Consider getting a beta reader to review your entire book and provide their thoughts . You may want to hire an editor to give you professional feedback as well. (Find out about the different types of editing, and which type your book might need,  in this post .)

Finally, it might sound obvious, but we'll say it anyway for all you stubborn writers out there: feedback is useless if you don't actually listen to it. Separate yourself from your ego and don't take anything personally, because no one wants to offend you — they're just trying to help.

You’ve persevered to the end at last: brainstormed, outlined, and written a draft that you've edited extensively (based on feedback, of course). Your book has taken its final form, and you couldn’t be prouder. So what comes next?

Well, if you’ve taken our advice about catering to your target readers, you may as well give publishing a shot! We have a  full guide to publishing right here  — and if you’re thinking about traditional publishing,  read this article  to decide which is right for you.

Get help from publishing professionals

Publishing is another rigorous process, of course. But if you’ve come this far to find out how to write a book, you can pretty much do anything! Invest in  stellar cover design for your book , study up on  marketing for your book , or start writing an  irresistible query letter that will get you an offer .

Whichever route you take, one thing will remain true: you’ve written a book, and that’s an incredible achievement. Welcome to the 0.1% — and may the next book you write be even greater than the first. 📖

13/12/2019 – 15:33

thank you for helping me find a new way to write my book

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How to Start Writing a Book: 9 Steps for Writers

Alex Simmonds

So, you’ve finally decided to write a book . But how on earth do you get started?

This article makes a couple of assumptions. First, that this is your first attempt at writing a book , and second, that you have a bit of creative writing experience already.

Yet, even with creative writing experience, beginning to write a book isn’t easy, and the actual writing process is a commitment. You’ll need to have regular writing sessions for a significant period of time.

But you can do it! These nine steps cover every aspect of the writing process. Follow them, and you’ll reach your goal.

What If You’re a Beginner at Writing Books?

9-step guide on how to start writing a book, final thoughts.

You’re not alone. Everyone starts out as a beginner, even the best and most successful authors.

As an aspiring writer of books, you should spend most of your spare time reading them.

Stephen King, the massively successful, prolific writer emphasizes this.

He also says writers should read every genre and style.

Read the classics, but read junk books and bad books too. This varied experience will show you the kind of writing you don’t want to produce, and writing that just doesn’t work.

Read widely, across genres, but also specifically. Immerse yourself in the genre you wish to write. Stephen King meant it when he said writers need to read “a lot.”

Your efforts will inform your writing style and choices. Every novel that you read will teach you what to do or what not to do with plot development, characterization, point of view, and style.

Almost all good writers imitate other authors, often without realizing it, as they begin writing. Many will have gone through phases of reading Hemingway and writing in stripped down, barebone sentences. Others have worked their way through a James Joyce novel and imitated his modernist, stream-of-consciousness language.

The more voices you read, and then imitate, the closer you will get to finding your individual writing voice and style.

Author Neil Gaiman shared this on how he generates ideas for books:

Once you have read a variety of books within each genre, it is time to start writing your book .

Here are our nine no-fuss steps for beginner writers.

1. Decide What Your Book Will Be About

The first thing you need to do is decide what your novel will be about. The idea doesn’t have to be thoroughly fleshed out; think of it as a seed from which your story will grow.

J.R.R. Tolkien got the idea for The Hobbit after absentmindedly writing on a piece of paper “in a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit.” J.K. Rowling knew she wanted to write about a boy wizard with black hair and spectacles. And George R.R. Martin wrote A Game of Thrones after picturing dire wolves in the snow.

Clearly, one way of getting an idea is being mindful of your scribbles, or doodles, or visions. Tolkien could have just thrown his odd, scribbled sentence away. Rowling could have ignored the image of the boy in spectacles, and Martin could have forgotten about his dire wolves. Instead, they chose to focus and explore their ideas.

If that doesn’t work, start with your genre.

It’s important to write in a genre you enjoy. You’ll be spending a lot of time with your developing novel, so choose a world you’ll be happy to explore.

Consider the basic characteristics of your genre, then add a twist.

When Lee Child created the Jack Reacher thriller series, he knew he needed a compelling hero or protagonist, a powerful villain, high stakes, and fast-paced action.

Then he added a twist.

In an article about the author, Bob Cornwell quotes Child’s claim that he created Reacher “‘as an antidote to all the depressed and miserable alcoholics that increasingly peopled the genre.’”

Child made Reacher a tough guy, like most thriller protagonists, but a friendly, decent, uncomplicated one.

Consider the components you need for your genre. Perhaps you’ll twist the setting or give your character an unusual ability. That twist might be the very idea that inspires your book!

2. Research and Outline Your Book

Writing fiction requires ideas, imagination, and research. Your story may be made up, but it needs to ring true to the reader.

Factual research provides you with the scientific,technical, or historical details you will need to make the plot work.

Getting the logic of the story correct from the beginning—whether that be the historical accuracy of the events, or specific details of an ancient religion’s rites—will allow everything else to fall into place later.

One reason Andy Weir’s The Martian was so successful was that the entire story was science-driven, and all the math and science were correct.

John Grisham’s experience as a lawyer gave his legal thrillers a sense of legitimacy. His knowledge of the court system and legal process were integral to the success of his writing.

You also need to research your genre . This is essential for two reasons.

First, you want to ensure your killer idea is truly original before you start your actual writing.

Let’s say you come up with an idea for a PR guru who moves from London to the country and ends up solving cozy mysteries. Your genre research will lead you to Agatha Raisin rather quickly! You might be disappointed at first, but you’ll have saved yourself countless hours of wasted writing sessions.

Second, you’ll get a sense of the length and other common characteristics of your chosen genre. You’ll see a pattern of fan-favorite tropes and can figure out which you want to lean into and which you want to twist.

3. Structure Your Novel

Before you begin writing, create an outline of your plot. A plot outline will give you a framework. You can explore ideas within the framework and make adjustments as you go, but that initial structure will help you keep your ideas organized.

A classic plot structure for a first novel is the three-act structure, which is the format used for some of the most successful novels ever written, such as Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games.

The three-act structure works like this:

In Act One, you “set the stage” for your story.

• Establish the setting: describe where and when the story occurs.
• Introduce the characters: show the reader who the players are and who the story is about.
• Give background on the conflict: establish what problem is driving the story and who is involved in that conflict.
• Set the conflict in motion: present the inciting incident—the event that sends the conflict and characters into action.

In Act Two, you take the main characters through their journey.

• Develop the rising action: this is the longest part of your story. It’s where characters encounter problems and must find new methods of dealing with those problems.
• Add points of interest: include plot twists, turns, and complications.
• Develop characters: continue revealing and enriching elements of the characters so your readers invest in their journeys.

In Act Three, you resolve the conflict.

• End the conflict: resolve the problem driving the story. Remember, resolutions don’t have to be happy; they just need to be satisfying.
• Explore characters: show how your characters have changed because of the journey.

This tried-and-true formula is so useful for first-time novelists because it breaks the novel into chunks, pacing it so each act ends on a pivotal moment in the plot. When executed correctly, there are waves of narrative that leave the reader wanting more.

4. Use First- or Third-Person Point of View

Point of view (POV) is the viewpoint used to tell a story. There are three main POV options:

First-Person POV tells the story from a character’s (usually the main character’s) point of view. That character uses “I” and “me” as well as “we” and “us” in their narration. The reader only gets the narrator’s perspective on the story’s events. First-Person narration is popular in fiction writing.

Second-Person POV narrators directly address the reader as “you,” as if the reader is the protagonist. This POV is less common in fiction writing.

Third-Person POV narrators are “invisible voices” telling the story of the characters and referencing them as “he,” “she,” or “they.” Third-person narrators are omniscient. They know everything about all the characters and give an unbiased telling of the story.

So which POV should you use?

Unless you are writing a choose-your-own-adventure book in which the reader is the protagonist, there’s really no need to consider second-person POV.

First-person POV allows the reader to get close to the character, usually the protagonist, who is telling the story. The reader experiences the story through that character’s eyes and learns what that character is thinking. That close connection creates empathy in the reader for the character.

A classic example of first person POV is Holden Caulfield in The Catcher in the Rye .

First-person narrators, just like people, aren’t necessarily reliable. They tell their side of the story. Maybe they are liars, or insane or obvious exaggerators or terribly naïve.

Patrick Bateman, the main character in American Psycho , narrates his killing spree from a first-person point of view, declaring himself a serial killer. Near the end of the novel, we learn that one of his supposed victims is alive—so can we believe Bateman’s horrific story?

Third-person POV is the most popular narration in novels these days, specifically third-person limited .

In many classics, writers told their stories from the third-person omniscient POV. This type of invisible narrative knows and sees all, and could focus its attention on different characters throughout the story. This type of third-person narration is not used as often in current fiction writing.

In the more popular third-person limited POV, the narrator remains unbiased and still refers to character as “he,” “she,” and “they,” but focuses the storytelling from a specific character’s perspective.

Third-person POV allows you to reveal things as a character sees them, and also hide things yet unknown by the character from the reader.

You can also control how much of the character’s inner emotion you reveal, and vary the protagonist from chapter to chapter, moving into different characters’ POV. (However, you should not do this within a scene as it’s disorienting and known as head-hopping.)

For a first novel, third-person limited POV or first-person POV is the best place to start.

5. Create a Memorable Main Character

Main characters are often what readers connect with and remember most about a story. Developing an engaging main character is as important as the story itself.

Your protagonist needs a full backstory and characteristics that make them relatable to the reader. The protagonist is who you want the reader to root for. That doesn’t mean the character has to be a “perfect” person. Perfect isn’t relatable to imperfect readers, complexity is.

Consider how you can give your character layers of experience and personality to add that complexity. Think about how you can take your character through an arc of development. How can they grow and change—even transform—throughout the story?

You’ll need to back up your main characters with the supporting cast. These characters should also be memorable and well developed.

If you’re unsure about how to create memorable characters , these two ideas will help you.

First, think about the character’s inner life. To connect with a character, readers have to feel like they know them, so show the readers how the character feels, thinks, or remembers. What haunts them or triggers them?

Conveying those inner emotions requires description. Instead of saying “she was upset,” you could write:

The sight of that padlock on the door made her stomach tighten and she felt her face go red. Suddenly she remembered the last time she’d been here …

This description allows the reader to empathize with the character as her memories come flooding back.

The second technique is to differentiate the character from the average person. Those distinctions lend an air of intrigue, piquing readers’ interest in, and response to, the character.

Sherlock Holmes is an ingenious detective, which is impressive. But unlike many other detectives, he is a cold, dispassionate, violin-playing drug addict.

Lisbeth Salander, star of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo , is a troubled, neurodiverse, genius hacker.

Anyone who has read The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy will forever remember Marvin the Paranoid Android!

Even though a trait may be undesirable in real life, in your novel it could be the unique element that makes your character memorable.

6. Choose a Cozy Space to Write Your Book

Just as with real estate, location matters when you are beginning to write your book.

When you’re comfortable in your space, you can focus on the task at hand and have productive writing sessions.

Most people look for writing spaces that are quiet, clean, and removed from others, with no distractions and plenty of room to manage the research or other materials you’ve gathered for the project.

But everyone is different! Others might find their ideas flow best when they’re typing on a laptop, sitting on a seat in a coffee shop with headphones on.

If you have options, test them out. Take notice of both how and where you work best and how and where you are most distracted.

The point is to choose a space that works for you and becomes part of your writing routine.

7. Create and Follow a Good Writing Routine

When you’re just starting your writing career, you’ve probably still got your day job and limited time to work on your book. Finding the best time to write is as important as finding the best writing space.

Take inventory of how you spend your time. You may literally want to document how you spend your time for a few days to see where writing can fit your schedule, or how you can adjust your schedule to fit in writing time.

Test out different times if that flexibility is available to you. If you find you work better at night, perhaps you swap out some TV time for writing. If you’re an early riser, set your alarm one hour earlier and set aside the quiet of the morning for writing.

Whatever your preference, you must ultimately set aside time for regular writing periods. You’ll probably have to sacrifice some non-essential activities from your schedule.

Hold these sessions daily. That’s the best way to develop a strong habit.

Then set yourself a daily or weekly word count as part of your routine. The number itself doesn’t matter, but it should be one that makes sense with your time constraints and your writing goals. Whether you set your goal at 500 or 3,000 words, sticking to that commitment is what’s important.

8. Use Editing Software Like ProWritingAid

Next, think about the tools of the trade that suit you best. For most people, the choice is between putting a pen to paper or fingers to a keyboard.

Writers who use pen and paper for their first drafts often say the method helps them avoid the distractions that come with computers. There is no internet or social media on a blank piece of paper.

Some find a stronger sense of connection to their words when using pen and paper, or find satisfaction in physically filling a page with writing.

Of course, even pen and paper loyalists will have to use a computer at a later point in the editing process.

Neil Gaiman uses pen and paper for his first draft.

Nowadays, most writers prefer the speed and efficiency of computers to help them write their first draft, last draft, and every draft in between.

Computers also bring convenience to the editing process. Microsoft Word, the software writers often have to use to submit their manuscripts, has helpful formatting abilities and provides surface-level grammar and spelling checks.

Scrivener is software designed specifically for writers. It allows you to organize your writing with a user-friendly drag-and-drop system. You can set up individual scenes, chapters, and acts, and organize research and character studies in different sections.

It also works well with ProWritingAid’s Desktop App . You can edit your Scrivener documents with ProWritingAid and save the changes back to the original.

If you need help minimizing distractions but don’t want to use a pen and paper, several apps can help.

The Freedom app allows you to turn off all distractions, while FocusWriter allows you to write on a full screen with no pop-ups or tabs in the background.

When you’ve drafted a segment or chapter and want to refine your work, use ProWritingAid’s grammar checker .

This editing tool is extremely thorough and does far more than catch grammar and spelling errors. It provides a detailed evaluation of every aspect of your writing style, including sentence structure, sensory details, dialogue tags , and more.

It’s also a personal writing coach, offering writing advice and tips as you move through your writing journey.

Sign up for a free ProWritingAid account to start editing smarter today.

9. Write the First Chapter of Your Novel

There are two schools of thought regarding the opening line and opening chapter of your novel.

The first says you shouldn’t get hung up on writing the perfect opening. Instead, you should just keep writing, rather than spending too much time stressing over that first chapter.

The second says that the first line and chapter are worth the extra time. Many of the greatest novels of all time have opening lines and chapters that grab their readers’ attention right from the start.

“It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.”— 1984 , George Orwell     “It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they electrocuted the Rosenbergs, and I didn’t know what I was doing in New York.”— The Bell Jar , Sylvia Plath

An impressive first line has the power to pull a reader into your book immediately. You might only have a few moments to convince bookshop browsers to buy. Give your opening line and first page the power to persuade!

Literary agents will most likely only read the first chapter of a manuscript when deciding whether it’s worth a full read or should be tossed aside.

Your first chapter will help set the tone and direction of the book in your own mind. We mentioned earlier that George R.R. Martin formed Game of Thrones from the scene where the Starks find the direwolf pups:

“One day, the first chapter of ‘Game of Thrones’ came to me... I mean, that single sentence: They found the direwolf pups in the summer snows. I knew they were the summer snows, so this was a place where it snowed even in summer. So, what could result in that?”

The first chapter is important because it allows you to settle into your world and build your ideas. In the end, it’s probably worth spending extra time working on the first chapter and getting it right so you know where you are going with the rest of the book.

However, if you’re completely stuck, consider a third option, which combines those two schools of thought. Don’t spend too much time on that first chapter if you feel you’re just not getting it right and aren’t making progress with your work. Move on with the story.

When you’ve written some or all of the story, go back to that first chapter and put in the time you need to get it right.

How can you start writing a novel? Start writing, keep reading, and use all the writing tips in this post to guide you!

Did I mention you need to start writing? That’s the most important first step and there’s no other way around it. Once you get going, keep going!

If you think you still need a little more help getting started, check out the How to Write a Novel tag on our blog, and download your free copy of The Novel-Writing Training Plan below for everything you need to know.

(updated by Allison Bressmer)

Are you prepared to write your novel? Download this free book now:

The Novel-Writing Training Plan

So you are ready to write your novel. excellent. but are you prepared the last thing you want when you sit down to write your first draft is to lose momentum., this guide helps you work out your narrative arc, plan out your key plot points, flesh out your characters, and begin to build your world..

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Alex Simmonds is a freelance copywriter based in the UK and has been using words to help people sell things for over 20 years. He has an MA in English Lit and has been struggling to write a novel for most of the last decade. He can be found at alexsimmonds.co.uk.

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5 of the best writing books for beginners

By BBC Maestro

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Writing a book can feel like a big challenge. From the genre of your story to the number of pages you want to write, it requires some careful consideration and a little guidance. Luckily, in this day and age, there are some great tools out there from writers who have been in the same shoes as you. 

In this article, we’ve collated some of the world’s best writing books for beginners and summarised what you can expect to learn from them.

Considerations before you start writing

Before you begin your writing journey, it’s important to take some time to decide what kind of book you want to write and how you want to produce it.

You might already have an idea of what genre you would like to work with. But if you haven’t yet, there are a few prompts that can help you make your decision. You could start off reflecting on the books you enjoy reading yourself. Does the creative freedom of fiction excite you? Or perhaps retelling a story of factual events is more appealing? It’s entirely up to you.

You could take some inspiration from real life, as David Walliams says in his online writing course, “real life stories can give you some great ideas”. Perhaps a memoir, crime story or thriller piques your interest, or the simple sweetness of a love story. If it helps, you can consider what audience you would like to write for too. If it’s younger audiences, you may want to explore picture books , comics, children’s books or young adult fiction .

Once you’ve decided upon your genre, you also may have an indication of whether your story could work as a series of books, or, if it’s best, as a standalone. Although it’s not crucial to know at this stage, if you have an inkling it may lend itself nicely to a series, it can be useful to keep this in mind as you write.

It may also be worth exploring how you want to publish your book. A literary agent can get your manuscript read by some of the biggest publishers. However, having an agent isn’t crucial, as Julia Donaldson says in her BBC maestro course on writing picture books , “you don’t have to have a literary agent, I didn’t have one for years”. But as she later reveals, once you produce multiple books, an agent can be useful to help you manage your business affairs. The decision to secure an agent can be made later on in the process, but for the sake of planning, financials and writing something with commercial potential, you may want to start thinking about it earlier on.

5 of the best writing books

Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody (2018)

Based on Blake Snyder’s enormously popular Save the Cat! screenwriting book, which has sat firmly on the best-seller shelves for over 15 years, this novel-writing edition is a popular choice for budding authors. Its various editions have been hailed by screenwriters and novel writers alike. Why is this? you ask. Many praise it as a great resource that cuts through those clouds of dwell and doubt that writers face when starting their next work, and delivers the perfect formula to writing a hit success. It focuses on the basic ideas involved in structuring a story, which has made it a universal tool for all writers.

In the screenplay edition, Snyder shares the secrets of screenplay physics, delves into the creative intricacies involved in writing across a range of genres, and uncovers tactful ways to navigate conflict and emotional change. A book that inspired filmmaker Edgar Wright , it’s well worth a glance at Snyder’s work if you’re looking to make the leap into writing.

On Writing by Stephen King (2000)

Written by one of the world’s most prolific horror authors, On Writing is an ode to the magnificent craft of writing. Part memoir, part writing how-to guide, Stephen King uncovers his own experiences as a writer and unlocks some treasured advice for aspiring writers along the way too. It’s one of David Walliams’ favourites.

Organised into five sections, each part outlines a different path of advice. In the first section, entitled ‘CV’, he explores the different life experiences that shaped his writing career. In the second section, ‘What Writing Is’, he urges readers to grasp the seriousness of writing, amplifying the huge privilege it is to be able to communicate by writing. The third section, ‘Toolbox’, details the mechanics of language, whilst the fourth section, ‘On Writing’, gives advice and wisdom for fledgling writers. He rounds up the book with section number five, ‘On Living: A Postscript’, where he sheds light on his life today. Stephen King’s work continues to influence today’s leading writers, such as Ken Follett , and will likely will inspire many more generations of them too.

The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron (1992)

This book helps aspiring writers discover their creative self. Written by teacher, author, poet, playwright, novelist and filmmaker, Julia Cameron, The Artist’s Way adopts more of a spiritual and sensitive approach to writing. The book outlines a 12-week approach, aiming to help people shift creative blocks, uncover any limiting beliefs or feelings that may be blocking someone’s flow, and replace it with artistic confidence and a hunger to put pen to paper. Over the years the book has helped many creative individuals find their voice. Maybe it can help you find yours.

Story by Robert McKee (2006)

In this guide, notable author, lecturer and story consultant, Robert McKee , breaks down the craft of writing into simple, clear and easy to follow steps for budding writers. Famous for his ‘Story Seminar’, which he developed in his time as a professor at the University of Southern California, McKee condenses the content and wisdom taught in the classroom into a tool that is accessible for all. He delves into the substance, structure and style of screenwriting, but makes clear its value far beyond the screen – with insights to be cherished by playwrights, journalists and novelists too.

The Screenwriter’s Workbook by Syd Field (1984)  

This work, authored by the legendary noted teacher, lecturer and author, Syd Field , has been pivotal in the world of screenwriting . Famous for his version of the three-act structure, use of plot points and inciting incidents to kick-start the action, this writing book offers a masterclass from one of the brightest minds in writing.  Field breaks down the arguably overwhelming topic into definitive categories and steps easy for writers of any level to follow. He dives into the rules of structure, of paradigm, and what makes a good character, acting as a guide throughout the writing process. Esteemed writer Alan Moore references Syd Field’s book in his BBC Maestro online storytelling course , as it was recommended to him while he was working on the screenplay for the film Fashion Beast . Syd Field later authored The Screenwriter’s Problem Solver in 1998, which too made waves in the writing space.

Beginning to write may feel daunting at first, but with guidance from authors who have inspired some of the best stories of today, you have all the tools you need to get started. There are plenty of resources out there to help – books, podcasts, and even online writing courses too. As Lee Child puts it, “if you want to be a writer, you have to be a reader first.” So get started today.

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5 of the Best Writing Books for Beginners 2023

Published: December 29, 2022 Last Modified: April 19, 2023

In this article, I’m going to mention the 5 best writing books for beginners that I find valuable. Each of the books that are listed here will help you improve your writing in some way.

Great writing has the power to change the way people think and act. It can inspire and motivate people to take action, and can also challenge and expand their perspectives.

Through the written word, writers have the ability to influence and shape public opinion and bring about social and political change.

As a beginner, writing can feel like a big challenge. It can be overwhelming. But in order to write you need to have enough knowledge about the topic you are interested to write about.

This knowledge can come from reading. The more you read the more you will gain knowledge. This will help you write great articles, stories whatever you want.

Sometimes beginner writers underestimate the power of reading books. Reading books can improve writing skills in a number of ways.

Reading exposes writers to a wide range of writing styles, genres, and structures, which can serve as an inspiration and help writers to develop their own unique voice and style.

Reading also helps writers to develop their vocabulary and language skills, which can improve their ability to express themselves clearly and effectively on the page.

Reading can also help writers to become more critical and analytical readers, which can improve their ability to revise and edit their own work.

Believe me when I say this, sometimes reading can help improve your writing in such a way that when you sit down to write, your fingers or pen will automatically generate content even if you don’t know what to write! That’s the power of reading.

5 Best Writing Books for Beginners

Here are the five best writing books for beginners that I’ve gathered for you:

• On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, by Stephen King
• Nobody Wants To Read Your Sh*t: Why That Is and What You Can Do About It, by Steven Pressfield
• Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life, by Anne Lamott
• 2k to 10k: How to write faster, write better, and write more of what you love, by Rachel Aaron
• Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within, by Natalie Goldberg

Now with the list out of the way let’s dive into a more detailed review of the books and why I think these are the best.

By the way, these are not listed in order as I think all of them are valuable for a beginner writer. So, the first one doesn’t mean that it’s the best among the five, it just came to my mind at first while writing.

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Author of this book: Stephen King

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft is a must-read for any writer, regardless of their level of experience. This book offers practical advice on the craft of writing, as well as insights into the writing process.

Stephen King’s writing style is engaging and easy to read, making the book a quick and enjoyable read. Throughout the book, King shares his personal experiences as a writer and stories from his own writing journey, providing valuable lessons and inspiration for other writers.

He also shared his writing strategies in the book which is why I liked it. One of the things I appreciated most about the book was King’s honesty and vulnerability.

He doesn’t shy away from discussing the challenges he has faced as a writer and offers valuable advice on how to overcome them.

In terms of writing advice, King covers a wide range of topics, including the importance of grammar and clarity, the role of discipline in the writing process, and the value of reading widely. He also provides helpful tips on how to develop and revise ideas, and how to approach the editing process.

So, this book is a must-read if you are a beginner writer—it doesn’t matter if you are an experienced writer, if you didn’t read it, I’d say you should give it a go. Because you know there is no limit to learning, you might learn something valuable by reading this piece!

Nobody Wants To Read Your Sh*t: Why That Is and What You Can Do About It

Author of this book: Steven Pressfield

This book is also a must-read for any writer looking to improve their craft. In this book, author Steven Pressfield offers practical and actionable advice on how to create compelling and engaging writing that people will actually want to read.

Pressfield’s no-nonsense approach is what I loved the most in the book. He doesn’t sugarcoat the challenges that writers face but instead offers honest and straightforward advice on how to overcome them.

Pressfield covers a wide range of topics, including the importance of having a clear and compelling idea, the value of revision and editing, and the role of discipline in the writing process.

He also offers helpful tips on how to find your voice as a writer and how to build an audience for your work.

I thought that this book is a valuable resource for any writer looking to improve their craft which is why I’ve included this piece in my list. Give it a try, I’m sure it will be worth your time!

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

Author of this book: Anne Lamott

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life is a delightful and inspiring read for writers of all levels. This book offers writing guides and inspiration for writers.

This book provides practical advice on the writing process, as well as encouragement and motivation for writers. Anne Lamott’s writing style is warm and engaging, making the book an enjoyable read.

The first part of the book focuses on the life of the author who happens to have quite interesting life. She shares her own writing journey.

In the later stages of the book, the author shares valuable lessons and inspiration for other writers. The author beautifully explains what it means and takes to be a writer.

She also offers helpful tips on how to stay motivated and inspired, and how to find joy in the writing process. It’s hard to explain how beautiful this book actually is. This book actually helped me overcome my fears as a writer.

So, this is a very good read for a beginner writer as well. This book will help you get more inspired to write. Reading this will help you overcome your fears, and doubts as a beginner writer.

2k to 10k: How To Write Faster, Write Better, and Write More of What You Love

Author of this book: Rachel Aaron

This book is a valuable resource for writers looking to improve their productivity and writing skills. Author Rachel Aaron offers practical and actionable advice on how to write faster and more efficiently, without sacrificing quality.

Aaron’s focus on the writing process is what I loved about the book most.

She provides a clear and concise framework for how to approach writing, including how to brainstorm and develop ideas, how to structure a story or essay, and how to revise and edit.

Her story is pretty incredible, as a new mother, she had limited time to write so she had to figure out how to write a lot faster.

She provides strategies to write more and faster in the book. Such as writing during your creative hours, planning your stories, writing a detailed outline, figuring out what you will be writing next ahead of time, etc.

In addition, Aaron offers helpful tips on how to overcome common writing challenges, such as writer’s block and self-doubt, and how to stay motivated and focused.

She also provides valuable insights into the writing habits of successful writers, and how to incorporate those habits into your own writing practice.

I think this book deserves a place on this list as it will teach a beginner writer to write more creatively and faster.

Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within

Author of this book: Natalie Goldberg

Writing Down the Bones: Freeing the Writer Within is a very good read for any writer looking to improve themselves and find their voice as a writer.

In this book, author Natalie Goldberg offers practical and actionable advice on how to approach the writing process, as well as encouragement and motivation for writers.

Goldberg’s focus on the importance of mindfulness and presence in the writing process is what impressed me the most.

She encourages writers to stay present at the moment and to pay attention to their thoughts and feelings, as this can help to create more authentic and honest writing.

Goldberg also explains the importance of finding your own unique voice as a writer and the role of discipline in the writing process which makes this book a great read.

She also offers helpful tips on how to stay motivated and inspired, and how to overcome common writing challenges, such as writer’s block and self-doubt.

Writing with a pen and paper is one piece of advice from this book that beginner writers may find helpful.

Writing with a computer and keyboard sometimes doesn’t make you go with the flow of your imagination that’s why this advice can be helpful for some writers.

Overall, I thought this book is a valuable resource for all beginner and intermediate writers. This book definitely helped me improve myself as a writer and I hope it will help you too!

Final Thoughts

So, this concludes my recommendation. I tried to list the best books I thought are the most valuable for a beginner writer. But even if you are an experienced writer reading these books will definitely help you learn something new.

If you are willing to choose writing as a career or you write because you like to pass time—it doesn’t matter why you write, reading is important. Without reading you won’t be able to find a natural flow to your writing.

You can gain knowledge just by reading more and these books should be on your list if you didn’t read them. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced writer, these books are sure to provide valuable insights and inspiration as you continue on your writing journey.

If you are interested in writing, you can read how to write a D&D campaign to gain more experience as a writer.

Thank you for reading and good luck on your writing journey.

Here are some articles to read on writing tips:

• Strengths in writing
• How to stop procrastinating and write more

Try out these great blogging platforms:

• Is Medium worth it?
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How to Write a Book: The Ultimate Guide (with Free Book Idea Worksheet!)

by Joe Bunting | 0 comments

You want to write a book. Maybe you have a great story idea. Maybe you have a big idea you want to share with the world. Maybe people have told you, “Your life should be made into a book!” But first, you have to learn how to write a book.

The problem for the first-time author is figuring out how to get started. What are the writing habits you need to finish the actual writing for an entire book? And what comes next for your writing goals: traditional publishing? Self-publishing? Becoming a New York Times bestselling book? A long and illustrious writing career?

Because after coaching thousands of writers to write and finish their books, and also writing fifteen books of my own, I know exactly how much hard work it takes to finish a book.

It's not enough to want to write, you need to know how to write a book.

You need to have the right process. The write process, you might say (sorry, I had to!).

In this guide, we're going to learn everything about how to write a nonfiction book, from how to defeat procrastination and find writing time, all the way to revising and the editing process—and even to the publishing process.

If you've ever wanted to write a book, whether a memoir, a big idea book, or a self help book, you're in the right place.

If, on the other hand, you're a fiction writer and have a main character who you know is going to take the world by storm, we have a complete guide on novel writing here . For you nonfiction writers, though, read on for all our best writing tips.

And that free book idea worksheet ? Here's your FREE download: Book Idea Worksheet

Quick Tip: The Best Tool to Write a Book

Before we get started, here's a quick tip for writing a book, Microsoft Word just doesn't cut it.

My favorite writing tool is Scrivener, a book writing software used by the most successful writers. Scrivener helps you stay organized, set word count goals, and keep better track of your writing sessions. Check out our full review of Scrivener here.

How to Fail Writing a Book

In 2011, I had one of the best years of my life. That year, I wrote my first book, became a full-time writer, got my first book published , became a bestselling author, and had 80,000 people read my writing.

But it didn't happen overnight. I had dreamed about and had been working toward those goals for eight years before that: eight years of failure, of trying to write books and not being able to finish them, eight years of wanting to be a writer but not knowing how to actually do it .

Since then, I've written fifteen books, including one book that recently hit the Wall Street Journal bestsellers list.

You might be thinking, “That's cool, Joe. But you're clearly a talented writer. Writing is hard work for me.”

To be honest, it doesn't come easy to me. In fact, if I told my high school English teachers I'm a writer, they would probably be shocked.

The difference is that I found the right process. It's a step-by-step process that works every time, and it will work for you too.

In this guide, I'm going to share the process that I've used to write fifteen books, become a professional writer, and hit the bestsellers list.

But it's not just me. I've also trained thousands of people in our 100 Day Book program to finish books using this process, too.

It works, and it will work for you, if you follow it.

That being said, if you're still not sure you can actually do this alone, or if you just want some extra help along the way, check out 100 Day Book . In this program, we've helped thousands of aspiring writers turned authors to accomplish their dream of writing a book, and we'd love to help you, too. Click to learn more about 100 Day Book here.

How to Write a Book: 12 Steps to Writing a Book

Here's the process I finally learned after that decade of trying to learn how to write a book and failing, the same twelve steps that have helped me write fifteen books.

1. Come Up With a Great Book Idea

If you're here, you probably have a book idea already. Maybe you have several ideas.

And if that's true, great! Pat yourself on the back. You've made it to step one.

Here's what to do next: forget any sense accomplishment you have.

Yes, I'm serious.

Here's what George R.R. Martin said:

“Ideas are useless. Execution is everything.”

Because the thing is, an idea alone, even a great idea, is just the small step to write your book.

There are a lot more steps, and all of them are more difficult than coming up with your initial idea. (I'm sorry if that's discouraging!)

You have an idea. Great! Next, it's time to learn how to execute the way successful authors do. Let's get started with step 2.

(Don't have an idea yet? Check out this article: How to Write When You Don't Have Ideas .)

2. Write Your Book Idea In the Form of a 1-Sentence Premise

The next step to taking your idea and turning it into a book is to summarize your idea into a single-sentence premise.

But wait, what's a premise ?

A premise distills your entire book idea down to a single sentence. This sentence becomes the foundation of all your writing efforts and will be helpful even into publishing process.

Your premise is also the most important part of a book proposal, so a good premise can actually help you get published.

Here’s an example of a nonfiction premise from my book The Write Structure , which got half a dozen responses from agents.

The Write Structure utilizes The Write Practice’s (thewritepractice.com) award-winning methodology to show creative writers how to write their best novels, memoirs, short stories, or screenplays by following story structure principles used and taught by writers for hundreds of years.

Each nonfiction book premise should contain the following three elements:

• A problem . The problem the book aims to solve (in this case, how to write a good novel, memoir, short story, or screenplay)
• A person . Who is the person sharing the solution to that problem, e.g. you
• A solution . What is your unique process to solve that problem

By simplifying your book down to a single sentence, you create a strong, achievable foundation to your entire book. Not only will this simple step help you during the writing process, it will also help you throughout the publishing process, too, which we'll talk about more in a bit.

Ready to write your premise? To make it easier we have a free worksheet template that will guide you through writing a publishable premise: Download the worksheet here.

Or get a copy of our Write Plan Planner , and have a physical tool to guide you through the writing process. Check out the planner here.

3. Choose Your Publishing Path

When you're writing nonfiction, you have to choose your publishing path earlier than creative writers because most nonfiction books are picked up by publishers before they're written.

In fact, it's a red flag in the eyes of traditional publishers and literary agents if you've finished your book before you pitch them. They want to see a book proposal first, and have a hand in the shaping of the book.

That means, if you're writing nonfiction, and you want to get traditionally published, before you go write your own book, you must write a book proposal.

However, if you're writing a memoir, you may need to finish writing the book before you seek publishing. Memoir exists in something of a gray area in the publishing world, with more self-help focused memoirs requiring a proposal, and more creative memoirs acting more like a novel, where the writer would finish them first.

Which publishing path is right for you? Here are the two main requirements for traditional publishing for nonfiction books:

• Platform . Do you have authority within this topic? Do you have a following, via social media, speaking, podcast, YouTube, an email list, or some other platform of at least 10,000 people?
• A tested idea with mass market appeal . Does your idea line up with your platform? Does it have mass market appeal?

If you can't answer “yes” to both of these questions, then you might consider self-publishing, working with a small press, or hybrid press after you complete your book. Or taking a break from your book to build your platform and target audience, perhaps by building an author website and starting a blog. (For more on this, check out this guide on how to build a platform via a blog .)

You might be wondering, at this point too, how do you write a book proposal?

Book proposals vary across writers and publishers, but here are some of the major components:

• 1-Sentence Premise (see above)
• 2-4 paragraph synopsis
• Outline (Table of Contents)
• Tone and Writing Style
• Platform Description and Marketing Info
• 2-3 Sample Chapters

For more on this, check out Jane Friedman's excellent guide on how to write a book proposal .

Now, once you've chosen your publishing path and you're ready to begin writing a whole book, how do you actually finish it? The next steps will all but guarantee you reach The End of your book.

4. Outline Your Book

Even you if you don't decide to traditionally publish, I still recommend working through most of the elements of a book proposal listed above, especially the book outline because it will make the writing process so much easier.

Your book's outline will vary widely depending on your genre, your writing style, your book's topic, and your method.

However, there are some tried and true structures that exist in nonfiction books. Here are some suggested structures you can use:

Introduction . Most nonfiction books include a short (2,000 to 3,000 words) introduction. They usually outline the main problem you will be focusing on in the book. They may also introduce you as the author and your authority, and outline the unique solution you will be guiding readers through in your book.

8-10 Chapters . Nonfiction book chapters dive deeper into the problem and give principles or steps to solve that problem. Chapters can have a variety of different structures, but here is my personal favorite, used frequently by Malcolm Gladwell:

• Opening story
• Analysis of the story
• Universal principle
• Closing story (may be the conclusion of the opening story)

Conclusion . Conclusions usually restate the problem and show how you solved that problem, often ending with a concluding story and a call to action to encourage the reader to go out and put the ideas you've shared to use.

Easy right? Not exactly, but creating this outline will make the rest of the writing process so much easier. Even if it changes, you'll have a resource to help you get unstuck when the writing gets hard.

If you want a template for your outline, as well as a step-by-step guide through the book writing process, get a copy of our Write Plan Planner . This is the exact process that I have used to write fifteen books, and that thousands of other authors in our community have used to finish their book all in a beautiful, daily planner . Check out the planner here.

5. Set a Deadline

This one might surprise you. Because most people think that once you've got your idea ready to go, you should just start writing and not worry about the period of time it takes.

Nope. Not even close.

The next step is to set a deadline for when you're going to finish the first rough draft of your book. But you might be wondering, how long does it take to write a book in the first place?

How long should you set your deadline for?

Some people use NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month, to set their deadline for them, writing 50,000 words of book in the thirty days of November. That being said, it's very challenging for most people to finish a book in thirty days.

Stephen King, on the other hand, said the first draft of a book should take no more than a season, so three months. With all due respect to Stephen King, I think that's a little fast for most people.

We give people 100 days , which seems to be just long enough to write a first draft without getting distracted by everything else the world wants you to focus on (looking at you, social media).

So for you, give yourself a week or two to prepare, then set your deadline for about 100 days after that.

There you go! You now have a deadline to finish your book!

6. Break Your Deadline Into Weekly and Daily Word Counts

You can't pull an all-nighter and finish writing a book. Trust me, I've tried!

Instead, you have to break up your deadline into smaller, weekly, and daily deadlines so you can make measured progress over your writing period. This step breaks the work into manageable pieces.

This step also requires a bit of math. Here's how to do it so you can actually stay on track:

• Figure out your book's ideal target word count goal (check out our word count guide )
• Figure out how many weeks until your deadline (e.g. 100 days = 14.5 weeks)
• Divide your book's total word count by the number of weeks (e.g. 45,000 ÷ 14.5 = 3,103 words per week)
• Next, figure out how many days per week you're going to write (e.g. 5 days a week)
• Finally, divide your weekly word count goal by the number of days you'll write to get your daily word count goal (e.g. 3,103 ÷ 5. = 621 words per day)

If you can hit all of your weekly and daily deadlines, you know you’ll make your final deadline at the end.

P.S. You're much more likely to actually meet your deadlines if you take a stand and set a consequence, which I”ll talk about next.

7. Take a Stand

Deadlines are nice, but it can be too easy to follow Douglas Adams' advice:

I love deadlines. I love the whooshing sound they make as they go by.

There are two tricks that will help you actually meet your deadline, and it's essential to do these before you start writing or you'll never finish your book.

The first one is a little scary, but will make a huge difference.

Once you've set your deadline, go tell everyone you know. Post your deadline on social media, saying something like this:

Here. We'll even make it easy for you. Just click the share button below to tweet this and fill in the blank with your deadline:

Don't have social media? That's okay. Just email five friends. These friends will become your accountability partners to ensure you finish your book.

Important: I don't recommend talking about your book idea. Talking about the idea can actually remove some of the motivation to actually work on your book.

But I highly recommend talking about your book's deadline because humans naturally avoid letting each other down. When you make a public promise to do something, you're much more likely to do it!

So go ahead. Share your deadline. You can do this right now. Don't worry, we'll be here when you get back.

Then, move on to the next trick to keep your deadline.

8. Set a Consequence

You might think, “Setting a deadline is fine, but how do I actually hit my deadline?”

The answer is you need to create a consequence. A consequence is a bad thing that happens if you don't hit your deadline.

Maybe you write a check to a charity you hate, like the society for the euthanasia of puppies, you give it to a friend, and you say, “You have to send this check if I don't hit my deadline.”

Or maybe you say you're going to give up a guilty pleasure if you don't hit your deadline, like ice cream or wine or TV or your favorite phone game.

Set a really tough consequence for your final deadline, and then set a couple of less severe consequences for your weekly deadlines.

Whatever you choose, make it really hard to not hit your deadline.

Why? Because writing is hard! If you want to write a book, you need to make not writing harder than writing.

By creating a consequence, you make not writing harder than the actual writing, and this simple trick will make you much more likely to finish.

9. Set an Intention

This is the last step before you start writing, but secretly one of the most helpful.

Set an intention.

Studies have shown that when you have a goal, like working out more or writing a book, and you imagine where , when , and how much you're going to do something, you're much more likely to actually do it.

So do this with me:

• Close your eyes, and imagine your ideal writing space , the place you're going to spend your writing time. Maybe it's a coffee shop or your home office or a chair beside your favorite window.
• Next, imagine what time it is . Is it the morning? Afternoon? Late at night after everyone's gone to bed?
• Finally, picture yourself writing, and watch yourself reach your daily word count goal . Imagine how it feels to accomplish your goal. Great? A relief?
• Then, write all of that down, locking your intention in place . Now that you have a set writing schedule, follow it!

Notice that this is the tenth step.

Most people start here, but without the groundwork you've laid in the previous nine steps, you're setting yourself up for failure.

Don't skip the first nine steps!

Once you do begin writing, keep this in mind:

First drafts are universally bad .

Don't try to write perfect sentences. Don't go back and edit endlessly.

No, instead write as fast as you're able. Get to “the end” as quickly as you can. Use writing sprints .

Try to write as imperfectly as you can, not because you want to write a bad book, but because this is how writing always is: you write a bad first draft and then revise it into a better second draft—and finally, three or five drafts later, you've written a good book.

The difference between aspiring writers and published authors is that published authors know you can't do good writing until you write a bad draft first. Get through it as quickly as you can!

If you're not a natural writer , consider dictating your book into a recorder, and transcribing it afterward. There's no reason you have to physically type out your book. Transcribing it is a perfectly viable way to create a good first draft.

11. Revise, Rewrite, and Edit

After you finish your first draft comes the real hard part.

I know what you're thinking. The first ten steps weren't hard enough?

Yes, of course they were hard. But for some reason, second drafts can be just as hard, if not harder, than first drafts. I've had some of my biggest mental and emotional breakdowns in my life while working on the second draft of a book. There's just something about second drafts that are much more mentally challenging than first drafts.

Here, it's a good idea to get an editor who can give you feedback. (Need an editor recommendation? We have a team of editors we work with here at The Write Practice. Check out our process and get a quote here .)

Once you've finished your second draft, I also recommend getting beta readers, people who can read your book and give you feedback. For more on this, check out our guide on how to find beta readers and use their feedback effectively here .

Depending on your topic, you might also consider recruiting some sensitivity readers to read your book, too.

After you've done all of this, I have one last writing tip for you to ensure you actually finish writing your book—and it might be the most important of all.

12. Don't Stop

Most people want to write a book. I hear from people all the time that think they have a book in them, who believe that they have a story that needs to be shared.

I very rarely talk to people who have finished a book.

Writing a book is hard.

It's SO easy to quit. You get a new idea. Or you read your writing and think, “This is terrible.” Or you decide, “I'd rather be catching up on Netflix, not spending my nights writing.”

Because of this, you quit.

Here's the thing though: the only way to fail at writing a book is to quit .

If you don't quit, if you just keep writing, keep following this process we've outlined above, you will finish a book.

It might not be a good book (yet). But that's what editing is for.

It will be a first draft, and a finished draft at that . You can't write a second draft and start to make your book actually good, actually publishable, until you write the first draft.

So write. Don't stop. Don't quit. If you follow these steps and don't stop, you'll finish.

We'll be here supporting you along the way.

More Resources on How to Write a Book

Still feeling stuck? Have more questions about how to write a book? We've put together a library of book-writing resources. Take a look at the articles below.

Book Writing Tools and Programs

• 100 Day Book . Get a mentor, 100+ writing lessons, deadlines, and accountability and write your book in a program that works. Thousands of authors have finished their books in 100 Day Book, and we'd love to help you too. Click to sign up for 100 Day Book here.
• The Write Plan Planner. Containing everything we've learned about how to write a book over the last 10+ years, this step-by-step guide will walk you through our proven book writing process. Click to get your daily book writing planner.
• Best Book Writing Software . A variety of the best tools for writing, publishing, formatting, and marketing your book.

How to Write a Book Fast Articles

I shared above why I believe that first drafts should be written quickly, in just a few weeks. Still not sure? In the articles below, dozens of other writers share how they wrote fast first drafts, plus you'll get all the tips and strategies they learned along the way.

• How to Write a Book in 100 Days: 10 Steps
• How to Write a Book FAST
• How to Write a Book in 100 Days
• How to Write a Novel in 6 Months
• The First 10 Steps to Write Your Book in 2020
• How to Right a Book in Nine (Not So) Easy Steps
• How to Finish a Novel With a Swim Buddy
• How to Write a Book Using Microsoft Word

How to Write a Book by Genre

Every genre comes with specific expectations that must be fulfilled. Here's how to craft an amazing story in your genre.

• How to Write a Novel
• How to Write a Memoir
• How to Write a Mystery Novel
• How to Write a Suspense Novel
• How to Write a Thriller Novel
• How to Write a Romance Novel
• How to Write an Adventure Book
• How to Write a Coming of Age Novel
• How to Write a Young Adult Novel
• How to Write a Self-Help Book
• How to Write a Book That's Based on a True Story
• How to Write a Book Like Stephen King
• 20 Sci-Fi Creative Writing Prompts and Story Ideas

Okay, no, Stephen King isn't a genre. But he's well worth learning from!

How to Write a Book When Writing Is Hard

Let's face it: writing is hard . Every single writer struggles at some point in their book. The important thing is not to quit . In the following articles, writers share how they persevered through the hard parts, and how you can too.

• How to Write a Book While Working Full Time
• How to Write a Book When You Don't Have Ideas
• How to Write a Book When You’ve Got Writer’s Block
• I Never Thought I Would Write a Book. Here's How I Did It Anyway
• How to Write a Book: The Everest Method
• 10 Obstacles to Writing a Book and How to Conquer Them

How to Write a Book With a Specific Style

Your book comes with its own unique quirks and challenges, especially if the story you're telling is a series, or is told from multiple perspectives. Here's how other writers have navigated these choices.

• How to Write a Book from Multiple Perspectives
• How to Write a Book Series Without Messing Things Up
• How to Write a Novel That Readers Can't Put Down

How to Write a Book and Publish It

Writing is meant to be shared! In these articles, writers break down the publishing process so you can finish your book and share it with the world.

• How to Write and Publish a Book for Free
• How to Write a Book Description That Will Captivate Readers (And Sell Books!)

Publishing Resources

Once you've finished writing a book, how do you get it published. Here are some resources to help.

• Amazon KDP. Self-publish your book on Kindle to the world's biggest book marketplace.
• Book Cover Design . Find a book cover designer among our favorite designers.

Commit to the Book Writing Process, Not Your Feelings

Are you ready to commit to finishing your book?

I don't want you to commit to a book idea. Ideas are seductive, but then you get a fresh idea and the idea you've been working on becomes much less interesting.

You probably have had inspiring moments of writing, when everything feels like it's flowing. But I don't want you to commit to a feeling. Feelings are fickle. They change by the hour.

No, instead commit to the process.

If you follow these steps, you will finish a book. It won't be easy. It will still be a challenge. But you'll do it.

Can you imagine how great it will feel to write “The End” on your own book? Think about the people you will touch because you finished that book. Let's get to it together.

Are you going to commit to writing a book? Let me know in the comments !

The first part of Step Three is to create a 1-sentence premise of your book.

Spend fifteen minutes today to rewrite your book idea into a single-sentence premise. Then, share your premise in the Pro Practice Workshop here.  (and if you’re not a member yet, you can join here ).

Finally, after you share, make sure to give feedback to three other writers.

Happy writing!

Joe Bunting

Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris , a real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).

Want best-seller coaching? Book Joe here.

Trackbacks/Pingbacks

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• How to Write a Book in 100 Days - […] I was discouraged because I didn’t know how to write a book. […]
• How One Writer Finished Her Book - The Write Practice - […] finishing a book is hard. Trust me, I know just how frustrating and overwhelming it can […]
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How to Write a Book From Start to Finish: A Proven Guide

So you want to write a book. Becoming an author can change your life—not to mention give you the ability to impact thousands, even millions, of people.

But writing a book isn’t easy. As a 21-time New York Times bestselling author, I can tell you: It’s far easier to quit than to finish.

You’re going to be tempted to give up writing your book when you run out of ideas, when your own message bores you, when you get distracted, or when you become overwhelmed by the sheer scope of the task.

But what if you knew exactly:

• Where to start…
• What each step entails…
• How to overcome fear, procrastination, a nd writer’s block…
• And how to keep from feeling overwhelmed?

You can write a book—and more quickly than you might think, because these days you have access to more writing tools than ever. 

The key is to follow a proven, straightforward, step-by-step plan .

My goal here is to offer you that book-writing plan.

I’ve used the techniques I outline below to write more than 200 books (including the Left Behind series) over the past 50 years. Yes, I realize writing over four books per year on average is more than you may have thought humanly possible. 

But trust me—with a reliable blueprint, you can get unstuck and finally write your book .

This is my personal approach on how to write a book. I’m confident you’ll find something here that can change the game for you. So, let’s jump in.

• How to Write a Book From Start to Finish

Part 1: Before You Begin Writing Your Book

• Establish your writing space.
• Assemble your writing tools.

Part 2: How to Start Writing a Book

• Break the project into small pieces.
• Settle on your BIG idea.
• Construct your outline.
• Set a firm writing schedule.
• Establish a sacred deadline.
• Embrace procrastination (really!).
• Eliminate distractions.
• Conduct your research.
• Start calling yourself a writer.

Part 3: The Book-Writing Itself

• Think reader-first.
• Find your writing voice.
• Write a compelling opener.
• Fill your story with conflict and tension.
• Turn off your internal editor while writing the first draft.
• Persevere through The Marathon of the Middle.
• Write a resounding ending.

Part 4: Editing Your Book

• Become a ferocious self-editor.
• Find a mentor.
• Part 5: Publishing Your Book
• Decide on your publishing avenue.
• Properly format your manuscript.
• Set up and grow your author platform.
• Pursue a Literary Agent
• Writing Your Query Letter
• Part One: Before You Begin Writing Your Book

You’ll never regret—in fact, you’ll thank yourself later—for investing the time necessary to prepare for such a monumental task.

You wouldn’t set out to cut down a huge grove of trees with just an axe. You’d need a chain saw, perhaps more than one. Something to keep them sharp. Enough fuel to keep them running.

You get the picture. Don’t shortcut this foundational part of the process.

Step 1. Establish your writing space.

To write your book, you don’t need a sanctuary. In fact, I started my career o n my couch facing a typewriter perched on a plank of wood suspended by two kitchen chairs.

What were you saying about your setup again? We do what we have to do.

And those early days on that sagging couch were among the most productive of my career.

Naturally, the nicer and more comfortable and private you can make your writing lair (I call mine my cave), the better.

Real writers can write anywhere .

Some authors write their books in restaurants and coffee shops. My first full time job was at a newspaper where 40 of us clacked away on manual typewriters in one big room—no cubicles, no partitions, conversations hollered over the din, most of my colleagues smoking, teletype machines clattering.

Cut your writing teeth in an environment like that, and anywhere else seems glorious.

Step 2. Assemble your writing tools.

In the newspaper business, there was no time to hand write our stuff and then type it for the layout guys. So I have always written at a keyboard and still write my books that way.

Most authors do, though some hand write their first drafts and then keyboard them onto a computer or pay someone to do that.

No publisher I know would even consider a typewritten manuscript, let alone one submitted in handwriting.

The publishing industry runs on Microsoft Word, so you’ll need to submit Word document files. Whether you prefer a Mac or a PC, both will produce the kinds of files you need.

And if you’re looking for a musclebound electronic organizing system, you can’t do better than Scrivener . It works well on both PCs and Macs, and it nicely interacts with Word files.

Just remember, Scrivener has a steep learning curve, so familiarize yourself with it before you start writing.

Scrivener users know that taking the time to learn the basics is well worth it.

Tons of other book-writing tools exist to help you. I’ve included some of the most well-known in my blog po st on here (for software) and here (for writing tools) fo r your reference.

So, what else do you need?

If you are one who handwrites your first drafts, don’t scrimp on paper, pencils, or erasers.

Don’t shortchange yourself on a computer either. Even if someone else is keyboarding for you, you’ll need a computer for research and for communicating with potential agents, edi tors, publishers.

Get the best computer you can afford, the latest, the one with the most capacity and speed.

Try to imagine everything you’re going to need in addition to your desk or table, so you can equip yourself in advance and don’t have to keep interrupting your work to find things like:

• Paper clips
• Pencil holders
• Pencil sharpeners
• Printing paper
• Paperweight
• Tape dispensers
• Cork or bulletin boards
• Reference works
• Space heaters
• Beverage mugs
• You name it
• Last, but most crucial, get the best, most ergonomic chair you can afford.

If I were to start my career again with that typewriter on a plank, I would not sit on that couch. I’d grab another straight-backed kitchen chair or something similar and be proactive about my posture and maintaining a healthy spine.

There’s nothing worse than trying to be creative and immerse yourself in writing while you’re in agony . The chair I work in today cost more than my first car!

If you’ve never used some of the items I listed above and can’t imagine needing them, fine. But make a list of everything you know you’ll need so when the actual writing begins, you’re already equipped.

As you grow as a writer and actually start making money at it, you can keep upgrading your writing space.

Where I work now is light years from where I started. But the point is, I didn’t wait to start writing until I could have a great spot in which to do it.

• Part Two: How to Start Writing a Book

Step 1. Break your book into small pieces.

Writing a book feels like a colossal project, because it is! Bu t your manuscript w ill be made up of many small parts .

An old adage says that the way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time .

Try to get your mind off your book as a 400-or-so-page monstrosity.

It can’t be written all at once any more than that proverbial elephant could be eaten in a single sitting.

See your book for what it is: a manuscript made up of sentences, paragraphs, pages. Those pages will begin to add up, and though after a week you may have barely accumulated double digits, a few months down the road you’ll be into your second hundred pages.

So keep it simple.

Start by distilling you r big book idea from a page or so to a single sentence— your premise . The more specific that one-sentence premise, the more it will keep you focused while you’re writing.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Before you can turn your big idea into one sentence, which can then b e expanded to an outline, you have to settle on exactly what that big idea is.

Step 2. Settle on your BIG idea.

To be book-worthy, your idea has to be killer.

You need to write something about which you’re passionate , something that gets you up in the morning, draws you to the keyboard, and keeps you there. It should excite not only you, but also anyone you tell about it.

I can’t overstate the importance of this.

If you’ve tried and failed to finish your book before—maybe more than once—it could be that the basic premise was flawed. Maybe it was worth a blog post or an article but couldn’t carry an entire book.

Think The Hunger Games , Harry Potter , or How to Win Friends and Influence People . The market is crowded, the competition fierce. There’s no more room for run-of-the-mill ideas. Your premise alone should make readers salivate.

Go for the big concept book.

How do you know you’ve got a winner? Does it have legs? In other words, does it stay in your mind, growing and developing every time you think of it?

Run it past loved ones and others you trust.

Does it raise eyebrows? Elicit Wows? Or does it result in awkward silences?

The right concept simply works, and you’ll know it when you land on it. Most importantly, your idea must capture you in such a way that you’re compelled to write it . Otherwise you will lose interest halfway through and never finish.

Step 3. Construct your outline.

Writing your book without a clear vision of where you’re going usually ends in disaster.

Even if you ’re writing a fiction book an d consider yourself a Pantser* as opposed to an Outliner , you need at least a basic structure.

[*Those of us who write by the seat of our pants and, as Stephen King advises, pu t interesting characters i n difficult situations and write to find out what happens]

You don’t have to call it an outline if that offends your sensibilities. But fashion some sort of a directional document that provides structure for your book and also serves as a safety net.

If you get out on that Pantser highwire and lose your balance, you’ll thank me for advising you to have this in place.

Now if you’re writing a nonfiction book, there’s no substitute for an outline .

Potential agents or publishers require this in your proposal. T hey want to know where you’re going, and they want to know that you know. What do you want your reader to learn from your book, and how will you ensure they learn it?

Fiction or nonfiction, if you commonly lose interest in your book somewhere in what I call the Marathon of the Middle, you likely didn’t start with enough exciting ideas .

That’s why and outline (or a basic framework) is essential. Don’t even start writing until you’re confident your structure will hold up through the end.

You may recognize this novel structure illustration.

Did you know it holds up—with only slight adaptations—for nonfiction books too ? It’s self-explanatory for novelists; they list their plot twists and developments and arrange them in an order that best serves to increase tension .

What separates great nonfiction from mediocre? The same structure!

Arrange your points and evidence in the same way so you’re setting your reader up for a huge payoff, and then make sure you deliver.

If your nonfiction book is a memoir ( more scene based ), an autobiography ( more fact-based ), or a biography, structure it like a novel and you can’t go wrong.

But even if it’s a straightforward how-to book, stay as close to this structure as possible, and you’ll see your manuscript come alive.

Make promises early, triggering your reader to anticipate fresh ideas, secrets, inside information, something major that will make him thrilled with the finished product.

While a nonfiction book may not have as much action or dialogue or character development as a novel, you can inject tension by showing where people have failed before and how your reader can succeed.

You can even make the how-to project look impossible until you pay off that setup with your unique solution.

Keep your outline to a single page for now. But make sure every major point is represented, so you’ll always know where you’re going.

And don’t worry if you’ve forgotten the basics of classic outlining or have never felt comfortable with the concept.

Your outline must serve you. If that means Roman numerals and capital and lowercase letters and then Arabic numerals, you can certainly fashion it that way. But if you just want a list of sentences that synopsize your idea, that’s fine too.

Simply start with your working title, then your premise, then—for fiction, list all the major scenes that fit into the rough structure above.

For nonfiction, try to come up with chapter titles and a sentence or two of what each chapter will cover.

Once you have your one-page outline, remember it is a fluid document meant to serve you and your book. Expand it, change it, play with it as you see fit—even during the writing process .

Step 4. Set a firm writing schedule.

Ideally, you want to schedule at least six hours per week to write your book.

That may consist of three sessions of two hours each, two sessions of three hours, or six one-hour sessions—whatever works for you.

I recommend a regular pattern (same times, same days) that can most easily become a habit. But if that’s impossible, just make sure you carve out at least six hours so you can see real progress.

Having trouble finding the time to write a book? News flash—you won’t find the time. You have to make it.

I used the phrase carve out above for a reason. That’s what it takes.

Something in your calendar will likely have to be sacrificed in the interest of writing time . 

Make sure it’s not your family—they should always be your top priority. Never sacrifice your family on the altar of your writing career.

But beyond that, the truth is that we all find time for what we really want to do.

Many writers insist they have no time to write, but they always seem to catch the latest Netflix original series, or go to the next big Hollywood feature. They enjoy concerts, parties, ball games, whatever.

How important is it to you to finally write your book? What will you cut from your calendar each week to ensure you give it the time it deserves?

• A favorite TV show?
• An hour of sleep per night? (Be careful with this one; rest is crucial to a writer.)

Successful writers make time to write.

When writing becomes a habit, you’ll be on your way.

Step 5. Establish a sacred deadline.

Without deadlines, I rarely get anything done. I need that motivation.

Admittedly, my deadlines are now established in my contracts from publishers.

If you’re writing your first book, you probably don’t have a contract yet. To ensure you finish your book, set your own deadline—then consider it sacred .

Tell your spouse or loved one or trusted friend. Ask that they hold you accountable.

Now determine—and enter in your calendar—the number of pages you need to produce per writing session to meet your deadline. If it proves unrealistic, change the deadline now.

If you have no idea how many pages or words you typically produce per session, you may have to experiment before you finalize those figures.

Say you want to finish a 400-page manuscript by this time next year.

Divide 400 by 50 weeks (accounting for two off-weeks), and you get eight pages per week. 

Divide that by your typical number of writing sessions per week and you’ll know how many pages you should finish per session.

Now is the time to adjust these numbers, while setting your deadline and determining your pages per session.

Maybe you’d rather schedule four off weeks over the next year. Or you know your book will be unusually long.

Change the numbers to make it realistic and doable, and then lock it in. Remember, your deadline is sacred.

Step 6. Embrace procrastination (really!).

You read that right. Don’t fight it; embrace it.

You wouldn’t guess it from my 200+ published books, but I’m the king of procrastinators .

Don’t be. So many authors are procrastinators that I’ve come to wonder if it’s a prerequisite.

The secret is to accept it and, in fact, schedule it.

I quit fretting and losing sleep over procrastinating when I realized it was inevitable and predictable, and also that it was productive.

Sound like rationalization?

Maybe it was at first. But I learned that while I’m putting off the writing, my subconscious is working on my book. It’s a part of the process. When you do start writing again, you’ll enjoy the surprises your subconscious reveals to you.

So, knowing procrastination is coming, book it on your calendar .

Take it into account when you’re determining your page quotas. If you have to go back in and increase the number of pages you need to produce per session, do that (I still do it all the time).

But—and here’s the key—you must never let things get to where that number of pages per day exceeds your capacity.

It’s one thing to ratchet up your output from two pages per session to three. But if you let it get out of hand, you’ve violated the sacredness of your deadline.

How can I procrastinate and still meet more than 190 deadlines?

Because I keep the deadlines sacred.

Step 7. Eliminate distractions to stay focused.

Are you as easily distracted as I am?

Have you found yourself writing a sentence and then checking your email? Writing another and checking Facebook? Getting caught up in the pictures of 10 Sea Monsters You Wouldn’t Believe Actually Exist?

Then you just have to check out that precious video from a talk show where the dad surprises the family by returning from the war.

That leads to more and more of the same. Once I’m in, my writing is forgotten, and all of a sudden the day has gotten away from me.

The answer to these insidious timewasters?

Look into these apps that allow you to block your email, social media, browsers, game apps, whatever you wish during the hours you want to write. Some carry a modest fee, others are free.

• Freedom app
• FocusWriter

Step 8. Conduct your research.

Yes, research is a vital part of the process , whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction.

Fiction means more than just making up a story.

Your details and logic and technical and historical details must be right for your novel to be believable.

And for nonfiction, even if you’re writing about a subject in which you’re an expert—as I’m doing here—getting all the facts right will polish your finished product.

In fact, you’d be surprised at how many times I’ve researched a fact or two while writing this blog post alone.

The last thing you want is even a small mistake due to your lack of proper research.

Regardless the detail, trust me, you’ll hear from readers about it.

Your credibility as an author and an expert hinges on creating trust with your reader . That dissolves in a hurry if you commit an error.

My favorite research resources:

• World Almanacs : These alone list almost everything you need for accurate prose: facts, data, government information, and more. For my novels, I often use these to come up with ethnically accurate character names.
• The Merriam-Webster Thesaurus : The online version is great, because it’s lightning fast. You couldn’t turn the pages of a hard copy as quickly as you can get where you want to onscreen. One caution: Never let it be obvious you’ve consulted a thesaurus. You’re not looking for the exotic word that jumps off the page. You’re looking for that common word that’s on the tip of your tongue.
• WorldAtlas.com : Here you’ll find nearly limitless information about any continent, country, region, city, town, or village. Names, monetary units, weather patterns, tourism info, and even facts you wouldn’t have thought to search for. I get ideas when I’m digging here, for both my novels and my nonfiction books.

Step 9. Start calling yourself a writer.

Your inner voice may tell you, “You’re no writer and you never will be. Who do you think you are, trying to write a book?”

That may be why you’ve stalled at writing your book in the past .

But if you’re working at writing, studying writing, practicing writing, that makes you a writer. Don’t wait till you reach some artificial level of accomplishment before calling yourself a writer.

A cop in uniform and on duty is a cop whether he’s actively enforced the law yet or not. A carpenter is a carpenter whether he’s ever built a house.

Self-identify as a writer now and you’ll silence that inner critic —who, of course, is really you. 

Talk back to yourself if you must. It may sound silly, but acknowledging yourself as a writer can give you the confidence to keep going and finish your book.

Are you a writer? Say so.

• Part Three: The Book-Writing Itself

Step 1. Think reader-first.

This is so important that that you should write it on a sticky note and affix it to your monitor so you’re reminded of it every time you write.

Every decision you make about your manuscript must be run through this filter.

Not you-first, not book-first, not editor-, agent-, or publisher-first. Certainly not your inner circle- or critics-first.

Reader-first, last, and always .

If every decision is based on the idea of reader-first, all those others benefit anyway.

When fans tell me they were moved by one of my books, I think back to this adage and am grateful I maintained that posture during the writing.

Does a scene bore you? If you’re thinking reader-first, it gets overhauled or deleted.

Where to go, what to say, what to write next? Decide based on the reader as your priority.

Whatever your gut tells you your reader would prefer, that’s your answer.

Whatever will intrigue him, move him, keep him reading, those are your marching orders.

So, naturally, you need to know your reader. Rough age? General interests? Loves? Hates? Attention span?

When in doubt, look in the mirror . 

The surest way to please your reader is to please yourself. Write what you would want to read and trust there is a broad readership out there that agrees.

Step 2. Find your writing voice.

Discovering your voice is nowhere near as complicated as some make it out to be.

You can find yours by answering these quick questions :

• What’s the coolest thing that ever happened to you?
• Who’s the most important person you told about it?
• What did you sound like when you did?
• That’s your writing voice. It should read the way you sound at your most engaged.

That’s all there is to it.

If you write fiction and the narrator of your book isn’t you, go through the three-question exercise on the narrator’s behalf—and you’ll quickly master the voice.

Here’s a blog I posted that’ll walk you through the process .

Step 3. Write a compelling opener.

If you’re stuck because of the pressure of crafting the perfect opening line for your book, you’re not alone.

And neither is your angst misplaced.

This is not something you should put off and come back to once you’ve started on the rest of the first chapter.

Oh, it can still change if the story dictates that. But settling on a good one will really get you off and running.

It’s unlikely you’ll write a more important sentence than your first one , whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction. Make sure you’re thrilled with it and then watch how your confidence—and momentum—soars.

Most great first lines fall into one of these categories:

1. Surprising

Fiction : “It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen.” —George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four

Nonfiction : “By the time Eustace Conway was seven years old, he could throw a knife accurately enough to nail a chipmunk to a tree.” —Elizabeth Gilbert, The Last American Man

2. Dramatic Statement

Fiction : “They shoot the white girl first.” —Toni Morrison, Paradise

Nonfiction : “I was five years old the first time I ever set foot in prison.” —Jimmy Santiago Baca, A Place to Stand

3. Philosophical

Fiction : “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” —Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

Nonfiction : “It’s not about you.” —Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life

Fiction : “When I finally caught up with Abraham Trahearne, he was drinking beer with an alcoholic bulldog named Fireball Roberts in a ramshackle joint just outside of Sonoma, California, drinking the heart right out of a fine spring afternoon. —James Crumley, The Last Good Kiss

Nonfiction : “The village of Holcomb stands on the high wheat plains of western Kansas, a lonesome area that other Kansans call ‘out there.’” —Truman Capote, In Cold Blood

Great opening lines from other classics may give you ideas for yours. Here’s a list of famous openers .

Step 4. Fill your story with conflict and tension.

Your reader craves conflict, and yes, this applies to nonfiction readers as well.

In a novel, if everything is going well and everyone is agreeing, your reader will soon lose interest and find something else to do.

Are two of your characters talking at the dinner table? Have one say something that makes the other storm out.

Some deep-seeded rift in their relationship has surfaced—just a misunderstanding, or an injustice?

Thrust people into conflict with each other . 

That’ll keep your reader’s attention.

Certain nonfiction genres won’t lend themselves to that kind of conflict, of course, but you can still inject tension by setting up your reader for a payoff in later chapters. Check out some of the current bestselling nonfiction works to see how writers accomplish this.

Somehow they keep you turning those pages, even in a simple how-to title.

Tension is the secret sauce that will propel your reader through to the end . 

And sometimes that’s as simple as implying something to come.

Step 5. Turn off your internal editor while writing the first draft.

Many of us perfectionists find it hard to write a first draft—fiction or nonfiction—without feeling compelled to make every sentence exactly the way we want it.

That voice in your head that questions every word, every phrase, every sentence, and makes you worry you’re being redundant or have allowed cliches to creep in—well, that’s just your editor alter ego.

He or she needs to be told to shut up .

This is not easy.

Deep as I am into a long career, I still have to remind myself of this every writing day. I cannot be both creator and editor at the same time. That slows me to a crawl, and my first draft of even one brief chapter could take days.

Our job when writing that first draft is to get down the story or the message or the teaching—depending on your genre.

It helps me to view that rough draft as a slab of meat I will carve tomorrow .

I can’t both produce that hunk and trim it at the same time.

A cliche, a redundancy, a hackneyed phrase comes tumbling out of my keyboard, and I start wondering whether I’ve forgotten to engage the reader’s senses or aimed for his emotions.

That’s when I have to chastise myself and say, “No! Don’t worry about that now! First thing tomorrow you get to tear this thing up and put it back together again to your heart’s content!”

Imagine yourself wearing different hats for different tasks , if that helps—whatever works to keep you rolling on that rough draft. You don’t need to show it to your worst enemy or even your dearest love. This chore is about creating. Don’t let anything slow you down.

Some like to write their entire first draft before attacking the revision. As I say, whatever works.

Doing it that way would make me worry I’ve missed something major early that will cause a complete rewrite when I discover it months later. I alternate creating and revising.

The first thing I do every morning is a heavy edit and rewrite of whatever I wrote the day before. If that’s ten pages, so be it. I put my perfectionist hat on and grab my paring knife and trim that slab of meat until I’m happy with every word.

Then I switch hats, tell Perfectionist Me to take the rest of the day off, and I start producing rough pages again.

So, for me, when I’ve finished the entire first draft, it’s actually a second draft because I have already revised and polished it in chunks every day.

THEN I go back through the entire manuscript one more time, scouring it for anything I missed or omitted, being sure to engage the reader’s senses and heart, and making sure the whole thing holds together.

I do not submit anything I’m not entirely thrilled with .

I know there’s still an editing process it will go through at the publisher, but my goal is to make my manuscript the absolute best I can before they see it.

Compartmentalize your writing vs. your revising and you’ll find that frees you to create much more quickly.

Step 6. Persevere through The Marathon of the Middle.

Most who fail at writing a book tell me they give up somewhere in what I like to call The Marathon of the Middle.

That’s a particularly rough stretch for novelists who have a great concept, a stunning opener, and they can’t wait to get to the dramatic ending. But they bail when they realize they don’t have enough cool stuff to fill the middle.

They start padding, trying to add scenes just for the sake of bulk, but they’re soon bored and know readers will be too.

This actually happens to nonfiction writers too.

The solution there is in the outlining stage , being sure your middle points and chapters are every bit as valuable and magnetic as the first and last.

If you strategize the progression of your points or steps in a process—depending on nonfiction genre—you should be able to eliminate the strain in the middle chapters.

For novelists, know that every book becomes a challenge a few chapters in. The shine wears off, keeping the pace and tension gets harder, and it’s easy to run out of steam.

But that’s not the time to quit. Force yourself back to your structure, come up with a subplot if necessary, but do whatever you need to so your reader stays engaged.

Fiction writer or nonfiction author, The Marathon of the Middle is when you must remember why you started this journey in the first place.

It isn’t just that you want to be an author. You have something to say. You want to reach the masses with your message.

Yes, it’s hard. It still is for me—every time. But don’t panic or do anything rash, like surrendering. Embrace the challenge of the middle as part of the process. If it were easy, anyone could do it.

Step 7. Write a resounding ending.

This is just as important for your nonfiction book as your novel. It may not be as dramatic or emotional, but it could be—especially if you’re writing a memoir.

But even a how-to or self-help book needs to close with a resounding thud, the way a Broadway theater curtain meets the floor .

How do you ensure your ending doesn’t fizzle ?

• Don’t rush it . Give readers the payoff they’ve been promised. They’ve invested in you and your book the whole way. Take the time to make it satisfying.
• Never settle for close enough just because you’re eager to be finished. Wait till you’re thrilled with every word, and keep revising until you are.
• If it’s unpredictable, it had better be fair and logical so your reader doesn’t feel cheated. You want him to be delighted with the surprise, not tricked.
• If you have multiple ideas for how your book should end, go for the heart rather than the head, even in nonfiction. Readers most remember what moves them.
• Part Four: Rewriting Your Book

Step 1. Become a ferocious self-editor.

Agents and editors can tell within the first two pages whether your manuscript is worthy of consideration. That sounds unfair, and maybe it is. But it’s also reality, so we writers need to face it.

How can they often decide that quickly on something you’ve devoted months, maybe years, to?

Because they can almost immediately envision how much editing would be required to make those first couple of pages publishable. If they decide the investment wouldn’t make economic sense for a 300-400-page manuscript, end of story.

Your best bet to keep an agent or editor reading your manuscript?

You must become a ferocious self-editor. That means:

• Omit needless words
• Choose the simple word over one that requires a dictionary
• Avoid subtle redundancies , like “He thought in his mind…” (Where else would someone think?)
• Avoid hedging verbs like almost frowned, sort of jumped, etc.
• Generally remove the word that —use it only when absolutely necessary for clarity
• Give the reader credit and resist the urge to explain , as in, “She walked through the open door.” (Did we need to be told it was open?)
• Avoid too much stage direction (what every character is doing with every limb and digit)
• Avoid excessive adjectives
• S how, don’t tell
• And many more

For my full list and how to use them, click here . (It’s free.)

When do you know you’re finished revising? When you’ve gone from making your writing better to merely making it different. That’s not always easy to determine, but it’s what makes you an author. 

Step 2. Find a mentor.

Get help from someone who’s been where you want to be.

Imagine engaging a mentor who can help you sidestep all the amateur pitfalls and shave years of painful trial-and-error off your learning curve.

Just make sure it’s someone who really knows the writing and publishing world. Many masquerade as mentors and coaches but have never really succeeded themselves.

Look for someone widely-published who knows how to work with agents, editors, and publishers .

There are many helpful mentors online . I teach writers through this free site, as well as in my members-only Writers Guild .

Step 1. Decide on your publishing avenue.

In simple terms, you have two options when it comes to publishing your book:

1. Traditional publishing

Traditional publishers take all the risks. They pay for everything from editing, proofreading, typesetting, printing, binding, cover art and design, promotion, advertising, warehousing, shipping, billing, and paying author royalties.

2. Self-publishing

Everything is on you. You are the publisher, the financier, the decision-maker. Everything listed above falls to you. You decide who does it, you approve or reject it, and you pay for it. The term self-publishing is a bit of a misnomer, however, because what you’re paying for is not publishing, but printing. 

Both avenues are great options under certain circumstances. 

Not sure which direction you want to take? Click here to read my in-depth guide to publishing a book. It’ll show you the pros and cons of each, what each involves, and my ultimate recommendation.

Step 2: Properly format your manuscript.

Regardless whether you traditionally or self-publish your book, proper formatting is critical.

Because poor formatting makes you look like an amateur .

Readers and agents expect a certain format for book manuscripts, and if you don’t follow their guidelines, you set yourself up for failure.

Best practices when formatting your book:

• Use 12-point type
• Use a serif font; the most common is Times Roman
• Double space your manuscript
• No extra space between paragraphs
• Only one space between sentences
• Indent each paragraph half an inch (setting a tab, not using several spaces)
• Text should be flush left and ragged right, not justified
• If you choose to add a line between paragraphs to indicate a change of location or passage of time, center a typographical dingbat (like ***) on the line
• Black text on a white background only
• One-inch margins on the top, bottom, and sides (the default in Word)
• Create a header with the title followed by your last name and the page number. The header should appear on each page other than the title page.

If you need help implementing these formatting guidelines, click here to read my in-depth post on formatting your manuscript.

Step 3. Set up your author website and grow your platform.

All serious authors need a website. Period.

Because here’s the reality of publishing today…

You need an audience to succeed.

If you want to traditionally publish, agents and publishers will Google your name to see if you have a website and a following.

If you want to self-publish, you need a fan base.

And your author website serves as a hub for your writing, where agents, publishers, readers, and fans can learn about your work.

Don’t have an author website yet? Click here to read my tutorial on setting this up.

Step 4. Pursue a Literary Agent.

There remain a few traditional publishers (those who pay you and take the entire financial risk of publishing your book rather than the other way around) who accept unsolicited submissions, but I do NOT recommend going that route. 

Your submission will likely wind up in what is known in the business as the slush pile. That means some junior staff member will be assigned to get to it when convenient and determine whether to reject it out of hand (which includes the vast majority of the submissions they see) or suggest the publisher’s editorial board consider it.

While I am clearly on record urging you to exhaust all your efforts to traditionally publish before resorting to self-publishing (in other words, paying to be printed), as I say, I do not recommend submitting unsolicited material even to those publishers who say they accept such efforts.

Even I don’t try to navigate the publishing world by myself, despite having been an author, an editor, a publisher, and a writing coach over the last 50 years.

That’s why I have an agent and you need one too.

Many beginning writers naturally wonder why they should share any of their potential income with an agent (traditionally 15%). First, they don’t see any of that income unless you’re getting your 85% at the same time. And second, everyone I know in the business is happy to have someone in their corner, making an agent a real bargain.

I don’t want to have to personally represent myself and my work. I want to stay in my creative lane and let a professional negotiate every clause of the contract and win me the best advance and rights deal possible.

Once under contract, I work directly with the publishing house’s editor and proofreader, but I leave the financial business to my agent.

Ultimately, an agent’s job is to protect your rights and make you money. They profit only when you do.

That said, landing an agent can be as difficult and painstaking as landing a publisher. They know the market, they know the editors, they know what publishers want, and they can advise you how to put your best foot forward.

But how do you know who to trust? Credible, trustworthy agents welcome scrutiny. If you read a book in your genre that you like, check the Acknowledgments page for the agent’s name. If the author thinks enough of that person to mention them glowingly, that’s a great endorsement.

If you’re writing in the inspirational market, peruse agents listed in The Christian Writer’s Market Guide . If you’re writing for the general market, try The Writer’s Market . If you know any published authors, ask about their agents.

The guides that list agents also include what they’re looking for, what they specialize in, and sometimes even what they’re not interested in. Study these to determine potential agents who ply their trade in your genre. Visit their websites for their submission guidelines, and follow these to a T.

They may ask for a query letter, a synopsis, a proposal, or even sample chapters. Be sure not to send more or less than they suggest. 

The best, and most logical place to start is by sending them a query letter. Query simply means question, and in essence the question your letter asks is whether you may send them more.

Step 5: Writing Your Query Letter.

It’s time to move from author to salesperson.

Your query letter will determine whether a literary agent asks to see more, sends you a cordial form letter to let you down easy, or simply doesn’t respond.

Sadly, many agents stipulate on their websites that if you hear nothing after a certain number of weeks, you should take that as an indication that they’re not interested. Frankly, to me, this is frustrating to the writer and lazy on the part of the agent. Surely, in this technological age, it should be easy to hit one button and send a note to someone who might otherwise wonder if the query reached the agent at all.

But that’s the reality we deal with.

So, the job of your one-page single-spaced email letter is to win a response—best case scenario: an invitation to send more: a proposal or even the manuscript. 

Basically, you’re selling yourself and your work. Write a poor query letter and an agent will assume your book is also poorly written.

Without being gimmicky or cute, your letter must intrigue an agent. 

Your query letter should:

• Be addressed to a specific person (not to the staff of the agency or “To Whom It May Concern”)*
• Present your book idea simply
• Evidence your style
• Show you know who your readers are
• Clarify your qualifications
• Exhibit flexibility and professionalism

*If you see a list of agents in a firm, choose one from the middle or bottom of the list. It could be that they get less personal mail than the person whose name is on the door. Who knows? That you single them out may make them see your query in a more favorable light.

For some great advice on writing a query letter, check this out: https://janefriedman.com/query-letters/  

• You Have What It Takes to Write a Book

Writing a book is a herculean task, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be done.

You can do this .

Take it one step at a time and vow to stay focused. And who knows, maybe by this time next year you’ll be holding a published copy of your book. :)

I’ve created an exclusive writing guide called How to Maximize Your Writing Time that will help you stay on track and finish writing your book.

Get your FREE copy by clicking the button below.

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How to start writing a book as a beginner (10 easy steps).

Ready to write your first bestseller? See our expert tips on how to start writing a book. We also share 10 easy steps to follow and 5 must-have writing tools.

Published on Dec 11, 2022

By Austin Distel

It’s time. You’ve decided you’re finally going to start writing a book for the first time, and you’re excited, but also super nervous. We understand, and we’re here to help. 

We’ve scoured the top books and resources for the best writing tips, from outlining to taking your book to completion. You’ll also get access to writing resources and tools for both beginners and experienced writers.

10 steps to writing a book as a beginner

Figuring out how to start writing a book can seem even more daunting than the actual writing process itself. Here are 10 steps to follow while writing your first book — and hopefully a bestseller.

1. Make a plan

Writing requires time, dedication, and hard work, so you need a schedule if you want to write a book from start to finish. A book is at least 20,000 words long — for novellas. Novels are typically 50,000 words and up. You should know when and where you will write on a daily basis . If possible, plan to write in the same places to build a reliable habit.

2. What do you want to write about?

You may not know every single plot point, but don’t start writing if you have no idea what you’re writing about . You’ll waste your time. A helpful exercise is writing a 3-5 line synopsis of your book. Publisher’s Weekly’s Rights Roundups is a great place to find examples of these synopses. Here’s one.

Some things may change or get clearer as you write, but you need a starting premise to make your book idea work.

3. Make an outline

Once you’re clear on your book’s subject matter, it’s time to create an outline. There are different outline styles, but the goal is to get a clearer picture of most of what happens in your book — chapter by chapter . We’ll dive deeper into this later in this article.

4. Do the research

Sometimes writer’s block is just a sign of insufficient research. Good writing requires research. You need research to tell your story, explain a subject, or sell an idea. Use the internet, libraries, first-person accounts, or even take research trips where possible. 

5. The messy first draft

After the research comes real creative writing. For many writers, this is the hardest part. 

Our best tip here is to let your first draft be messy . Styles differ, but often the first draft is you figuring out the story for yourself, while the second draft is making it shine for readers. Let it be messy; focus on getting out the story, not making it pretty. Other tips for a successful first draft:

• Set daily word count goals. This keeps you accountable.
• Be consistent. Show up every day — preferably in a dedicated writing space — to write, even if you don’t meet your goals.
• Avoid distractions. Write without internet connectivity, go to a coffee shop, lock your office door, use noise-canceling headphones — whatever it takes. 
• Know your target audience. It’s easier and more effective to write when you can picture your specific audience.

6. Edit and revise

The first round of edits is usually the most grueling. Some writers realize that a story isn’t viable. Others find numerous plot holes to fill. And for some, their message becomes clearer and the book comes to life. Either way, don’t skip the editing process, and if you can get a professional editor to review the entire book, that will do wonders for your work.

7. The cleaner second draft

Your second draft is where you make any changes flagged by your editor (or you!) during the initial revision process. Fill plot holes, rewrite sections more persuasively, and cut any fluff that may have gotten through in the first draft. You’re now on your way to a great book.

8. Meet your first readers

Ideally, the first readers should be a sample of your target audience. Whether these are other authors you’d like to blurb your book or industry experts you hope will endorse it, send those digital copies to the first readers. Your first reader could also be a spouse or friend who can provide kind, but critical feedback. 

9. Final edits and proofreading

With comments from first readers and one more close look by a professional (hopefully!) proofreader, your book should be in its final state. Its message should be clear, back flap copy written, and cover design ready to meet more readers.

10. Time to publish

Self-publishing is becoming more popular as writers refuse to wait for publishing gatekeepers to validate their efforts. If this is your chosen route, you can now get your book formatted and ready to sell on Amazon or other platforms. But if you’d like to give traditional publishing a shot, now would be the time to find an agent and start querying!

How to outline a book without losing your mind

Outlining can be intimidating for new writers who aren’t sure where the story will take them. Perhaps you feel like you’d rather be spontaneous and not outline before writing. We’re big fans of outlining here. 

Outlining doesn’t mean things are set in stone . Rather, your outline is a guide that can be tweaked as you write. 

Having an outline also ensures that you wake up every day knowing what you’re going to write about. Unless you’d rather spend an hour of your writing time every day deciding what the heck will happen in this chapter.

Hopefully, we’ve sold you some valid benefits of outlining. Now, here’s how to do it:

1. Pick a style

There are several ways to outline your book. Some writers prefer a mind map method to help them visualize how things tie together. Others like to use post-its or index cards where they’ll write a key point or plot event in their book on each note. We recommend a basic summary outline , which is the chapter by chapter outline — and that’s what we’ll be walking you through.

2. Try a writing assistant

Writing assistants can take the work out of writing and make the process much faster. Our number one recommendation, Jasper, has a Blog Post Outline template that works beautifully for outlining book chapters. You can then break each section down even further to provide more information in your book. 

In our example below, we’re writing a book about succeeding as a freelancer. All Jasper needs to generate our outline is the book title and tone of writing. 

You could also try Jasper's AI story generation tools to help bring your story to life.

3. Get some structure 

Most non-fiction books provide a solution to readers’ problems, and you’re probably writing a book to do that too. Like Anne Lamott says in her book, Bird by Bird

“To be a good writer, you not only have to write a great deal but you have to care. You do not have to have a complicated moral philosophy. But a writer always tries, I think, to be a part of the solution , to understand a little about life and to pass this on.”

With your outline, you’re working to give your book a structure that best tells the story to help your audience. 

Every outline should have an introduction, a middle, and a conclusion . Similarly, your outline should be structured — like any marketing copy —  to lay out the problem, your history with it, and your method of solving it. The meat of the book would then be strategies to help readers tackle that same problem or similar problems. 

4. Write chapter overviews and subheadings

When you write your outline, include notes for yourself about what each chapter tackles . If you can leave yourself questions to answer about each section, even better! 

For example, in the introduction, the goal is to hook the readers on the first page by sharing an anecdote or your experience with the specific problem they’re dealing with. Tell readers about your unique value proposition aka why they should read this book and not the others on this subject matter. The Jasper Unique Proposition Template can help you craft yours. Here’s an example from Jasper based on our input on the left.

Questions to answer in your introduction: 

• What problem are you solving? 
• How can readers who aren’t self-aware recognize this issue?
• Who is this book for? 
• Why should readers trust you to help them?

Do this exercise for every potential chapter and your outline should be shaping up in your mind.

Outline in hand, it’s time to get the work done . Go back to our step-by-step guide for writing your own book and move through the remaining steps after outlining. We’re rooting for you, future bestselling author.

5 helpful resources for writing a book for the first time

Before we wrap up, we’ll share five of the best resources and writing tools for beginners figuring out how to start writing a book.

AI writing assistant Jasper has written so many books in part or full and has proven to be brilliant at it. This software can get you through outlining, writing a powerful introduction, sharing your unique value proposition, and crafting a powerful conclusion. But it doesn’t stop there.

All you have to do is type a sentence or two and Jasper will keep it going. Other templates such as the Blog Post Intro Paragraph and Blog Post Conclusion Paragraph come in handy for every chapter.

Pricing: Plans start at $39/month

2. Scrivener

Scrivener is a favorite for many writers because of its word processing and outlining capabilities. Available for Mac, iOS, and Windows, it allows you to outline, keep fragmented notes and write within the same application! That way, you can keep track of chapters and headings easily.

Pricing: Licenses start at $19.99 for iOS

3. Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott

Anne Lamott’s book is a warm guide for new and old writers. If you need some encouragement from a long-distance writing buddy and are open to inspiring stories about writing and life, this is a good one to read.

4. On Writing Well by William Zinsser

Another classic for new writers, Zinsser’s book is perfect for non-fiction writers figuring out the nuts and bolts of the craft. He delves into writing about sports, business writing, memoir writing, self-help, and more. This one has helped many already successful writers become better writers.

5. Focus Writer 

One last tool to keep distractions at bay: Focus Writer keeps writers on track with daily goals and word counts while providing an immersive writing environment. It also has spellcheck, timers to keep on your Pomodoro grind, and optional typewriter sound effects, if you’re into that kind of thing.

Start writing your book with Jasper

Figuring out how to start writing a book as a beginner can be scary, but it is far from impossible, and we know that you have what it takes. Take a step-by-step approach, or bird by bird as Lamott says. Set clear goals, have a message to share and get to work.

Jasper can help you tackle outlining, writing creative introductions, and crafting the messy middle one word at a time. Ready to give it a shot? Write your first book with Jasper. Sign up for a free account.

Meet The Author:

Austin Distel

Austin Distel is the Sr. Director of Marketing at Jasper , your AI marketing co-pilot. When not working, Austin is also an Airbnb superhost in Austin, Texas.

Enjoy this post? Join over 4 million people who are learning to master AI in 2024.

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How to Start Writing a Book: First Steps for Beginners

• December 20, 2023

Are you thinking of writing your first book? Fantastic! But we know that tackling the whole book writing process, especially how to start writing a book for beginners , seems like a mountain to climb. Fear not—we’ve got your back with this simple, step-by-step guide that will help you sail across the world of book writing as a beginner.

Easy Guide on how to start writing a book for beginners

Let’s simplify the process by breaking it down into simple steps, especially for beginners like you.

1. Make Your Writing Space More Comfortable

If you intend to write an excellent book and require a writing space,. It is not necessary to have a room with soundproof walls; instead, find a quiet place to work where you can think about your book with a cool mindset—it could be your favorite couch or a corner in a coffee shop. There is no need for a fancy setup, just a chill place where you can focus without interruptions.

2. Nail Down Your Book Idea

Before you start, ask yourself some basic questions about your book idea. What’s it about? Why is it cool or important? What got you excited about it in the first place? And who do you think will dig your book? If you are still searching and struggling for your book idea. check out our blog on 

  We have discussed all the questions in detail in this blog.

3. Sketch Out Your Story

Creating a plan or a roadmap before you begin writing can be very helpful. You can make it as straightforward or as elaborate as you prefer, but the idea is to have a clear goal for your writing sessions. Just like planning a trip, a roadmap can guide you through the writing process and keep you focused.

4. Research Before You Write

Now, let’s talk about research. For non-fiction, hit up libraries or archives. If you’re into fiction, check out books or podcasts that match your vibe. It’s like diving into cool info that can add flavor to your story.

5. Make Writing a Habit

Ready to turn your prep into action? Book writing for beginners should be a habit. Start writing your rough draft by making writing a daily habit. Set simple goals—like a word count for the day—and mark your writing time on your calendar. You got this!

6. Push Through Your First Draft

Here’s the real deal: doubt and writer’s block happen to everyone. Return to your outline or research for a little kick when you hit a wall. And remember, your first book doesn’t have to be a masterpiece. Just keep writing until you reach the end.

7. Revision And Editing

8. create your second draft.

It is time to start working on the second draft! Apply those adjustments while keeping the big picture in mind. Is your book maintaining the same tone throughout? Does it have a cool theme? And check if there’s any part that’s not pulling its weight.

9. Time to Share Your Book with the World

Now, for the grand finale—publishing. With platforms like the Kindle, getting your book out there is easier than ever. Or, if you’re going the traditional route, send a book proposal to a literary agent. Once it’s out, high-five yourself and maybe start dreaming about your next book adventure.

There you have it—the ABCs of writing your first book. Dive in, have fun with it, and keep those creative juices flowing.

What ‘Not to Do’ When Writing a Book as a Beginner

Trying to hit the bullseye at the first attempt, unclear on how to start writing a book as a beginner , overthinking your idea, fearing failure, neglecting self-care, isolating yourself while writing, and many other pitfalls are the points a writer should be mindful of. Let’s discuss in detail.

1. Don't Aim for Perfection in the First Draft

It’s natural to want your writing flawless, but perfectionism can be a major roadblock. Your first draft is meant to be a raw creation, so don’t get bogged down by making every sentence perfect. Allow yourself the freedom to write without constant self-editing.

2. Avoid Overthinking the Idea

While having a clear concept is crucial, overthinking the idea can lead to paralysis. Instead of endlessly pondering, start writing. Ideas often evolve while writing, and you may discover new and exciting angles.

3. Don't Isolate Yourself

Writing can be a solitary activity, but isolation can lead to creative stagnation. Engage with other writers, join writing groups, and seek feedback. Connecting with a supportive community can provide valuable insights and encouragement.

4. Avoid Fearing Failure

Fear of failure can be paralyzing. Embrace the possibility of making mistakes and view them as opportunities to learn and grow. Every writer faces challenges, and resilience is key to overcoming them.

5. Don't Ignore Feedback Entirely

While your creative vision is essential, completely dismissing feedback can hinder improvement. Be open to constructive criticism, and use it to refine your work. Finding a balance between staying true to your voice and considering valuable suggestions is vital.

6. Don't Rely Solely on Inspiration

Waiting for inspiration to strike before writing may lead to long periods of inactivity. Instead, cultivate a writing habit that allows you to work regularly. Inspiration often emerges during the writing process rather than before it.

7. Avoid Being Overly Descriptive

While vivid descriptions are valuable, avoid overwhelming readers with excessive details. Strive for a balance that enhances the reader’s imagination without slowing down the pacing of your narrative.

8. Avoid Skipping Research

Even in fictional writing, the research adds authenticity. Skipping research on relevant topics, settings, or historical details can result in inaccuracies that may distract or disengage your readers.

9. Don't Neglect Character Consistency

Characters should remain consistent throughout your narrative. Avoid sudden shifts in personality or behavior without proper development or explanation. Consistency contributes to believable and engaging characters.

10. Avoid Copying Other Writers

While it’s natural to be inspired by other writers, avoid copying their style or ideas outright. Develop your unique voice and perspective. Readers appreciate authenticity, and copying may dilute the originality of your work.

11. Don't Underestimate the Importance of Dialogue

Dialogue is a powerful tool for storytelling. Avoid lengthy monologues and aim for natural, engaging conversations. Dialogue adds depth to characters and moves the narrative forward effectively.

12. Avoid Overloading with Subplots

While subplots can enhance complexity, too many can overwhelm the main storyline. Maintain a balance between the central plot and subplots to ensure clarity and coherence in your narrative.

By removing these 12 common pitfalls, beginner writers can swiftly run into the intricate book writing process more effectively and enjoy a more fulfilling creative experience .

Examples: How To Start a Story 5 Example for Beginners​

Curtain Call

The clock is ticking, it’s high time you should be working on your next masterpiece as you have the simplest guide for your next book along with the examples if you’re up for writing your upcoming best novel. And you know “what you should be aware of” while writing. So, no more hesitation, open up your word file and start running your fingers, as the world wants to know what you have to offer for their next treat.

Related Posts

The Comprehensive Guide to Book Writing: From Idea to Manuscript

• January 24, 2024

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Home / Book Writing / How to Write a Book: A Step-by-Step Bestselling Guide for Aspiring Authors

How to Write a Book: A Step-by-Step Bestselling Guide for Aspiring Authors

Embarking on how to write a book can be overwhelming – but it doesn’t have to be. This no-fluff guide outlines each critical step to take your book from a lingering idea to a published reality. 

From establishing your first draft to the final touches of publication, find clarity and direction, ensuring you’re equipped for every phase of your writing voyage. 

Dive in and discover how to turn your narrative vision into a bound manuscript ready for eager readers.

Table of contents

• Why am I Qualified to Cover How to Write a Book? 
• Cultivating the Mindset of a Writer
• Crafting Your Ideal Writing Space
• Establishing a Consistent Writing Schedule
• Step 2: Best Tool for Writing a Book

Mapping Out Key Points for Plot of Education (Fiction & Nonfiction)

• Designing Engaging Characters and Settings (Fiction)
• Step 4: Penning Your First Draft
• Self-Editing Techniques
• Seeking Professional Editor Expertise
• Crafting a Compelling Book Title
• Designing an Eye-Catching Book Cover
• Formatting Your Manuscript for Publication
• Digital Tools for Writers
• How important is it to have a consistent writing schedule?
• What should I look for in a writing software?
• Can a professional editor really make a difference in the quality of my book?
• Is self-publishing or traditional publishing better for a first-time author?
• What marketing strategies are essential for a successful book launch?

Before we get into the how, let’s start by asking a good question: What makes me qualified to write this?  

For starters, I’ve had the pleasure of writing 11 bestselling books in both nonfiction and fiction.  However, from that experience, I created this website, Kindlepreneur – which is one of the worlds largest resources on publishing, and book marketing. 

I’ve also been a paid consultant for major publishing companies, and NYT bestselling authors in many different genres and topics.  I’m also the creator Publisher Rocket , an award winning tool for self published authors and publishing companies that helps with book marketing and understanding the marketing trend.  

Based on this, I’ve been a part of the writing process, publishing, and marketing side of writing a book.  This wide swath of experiences is what’s allowed me to writing, and hopefully provide sound guidance as you start your journey.  

Step 1: Embarking on Your Writing Journey

The ambition to write a book is profound, offering an opportunity to broadcast your thoughts, tales, and concepts to the world. But before the actual writing begins, you must set the stage for success. Therefore, it is important that you get yourself in the right frame of mind, setting, and establish a consistent schedule so you build a strong habit.  Without these three, you will have a higher chance of failing to write your book. 

A critical internal shift must precede the physical act of writing, whether by pen on paper or fingers on keyboard. Identify yourself as a writer – your confidence as an author is your compass in the vast sea of words. Don’t think of it as a hobby, or a thing you do.  You are an author.  

The writing journey begins with self-belief and the willingness to embrace imperfections as part of the learning curve. To begin writing is not only about producing words; it’s about growth, embracing the process, and learning to string together words that will one day become your book.

So, say it with me, “I am an author!”

The environment you choose can significantly affect your productivity, so it’s vital to find a location that fosters focus and minimizes distractions. Whether it’s a quiet corner in your home, a local library, or a bustling coffee shop that somehow fuels your concentration, your writing space should cater to your specific needs.

I personally choose a room in my house where it is hard for my family to disturb, but also put things in it that make it inviting and conducive to writing.  So, make sure you look for ways to remove distraction, and help foster the desire to write.  

Most authors fail to finish their book because they tell themselves that they will write when they have time or when they feel like it.  However, consistency serves as the lifeblood of the writing process. 

A consistent writing schedule not only keeps your book at the forefront of your mind but also acts as a safeguard against abandoning the project. Therefore, the best thing an author can do is create a set schedule for them to write. 

When I wrote my first book, I set 5am-7:30am every day, Monday through Sunday as my writing time.  This way, I never scheduled anything during them, and I never got off task.  Now, you don’t have to choose those exact times (many would say I’m a bit too masochistic when they see those times).   But the point is, you need to set it in your schedule and make it repetitive.  Build the writing habit. 

For more information on how to improve your writing settings and thus your writing output, be sure to check the below out: 

• How to write faster

Before you get started crafting your novel, it’s best to take the time to consider what writing software you will use.  

And while you might be thinking that Word is sufficient, just remember that it was made for writing long for like novels and there are tools out there that do so much more.  

For book writing, you’re going to need things like plotting and organizing, and finally formatting (turning your written work into printable books or ebooks).  There are a couple of writing tools that can do this.  

But the best one is Atticus.io – it’s the only all in one writing program that allows you to organize your work, writing, and then format as effectively and beautifully as possible.  Plus, soon, it will have the ability for your collaborate with other authors and editors (which is an important step I’ll discuss later).  Also, unlike many others, it isn’t a subscription.  It’s a one time payment – that way your work is safe and not kept hostage to a monthly fee. So, check that out. 

Step 3: Structuring Your Book Idea

Before getting started, it is important that you work to plan and organize your writing.  Now, you will find that there are different ways, methods or tactics to doing this.  Some are incredibly organized and use tools, while others are considered Pantzers.  

If you’d like to learn more about those different processes, then you can check out my full guide on plotting a bestselling book .  However, in the meantime, here are two important aspects you should consider.  

Constructing a story or a narrative resembles tapestry weaving – each thread, irrespective of its color, contributes to the end picture. Mapping out key plot points is about striking the right balance between careful planning and the liberating spontaneity of organic writing. It’s a process that allows you to guide your narrative with purpose while giving your characters the freedom to grow and surprise you along the way.

Plot points serve as milestones in your story’s journey, ensuring that each twist and turn is well-directed but not so rigid as to stifle creativity. They are the cornerstones upon which your narrative is built, providing structure and direction to your storytelling. Take the time to map these out thoughtfully, and you’ll find that the rest of your narrative can flow more naturally from these pivotal moments.

To learn more about plotting and mapping your book, here is a great couple of guides that will help: 

• How to outline a novel
• Best software to plot or outline your novel

Characters are the soul of your story, and the settings are where their lives unfold. Creating a memorable main character is paramount – they are the lens through which your readers will experience the story. But don’t overlook your supporting cast; they must be just as distinctive and well-developed to bring out the best in your protagonist and enrich the narrative.

If you’d like to learn more about character building, here are some key articles that will help you: 

• How to write amazing characters
• Guide to character development in novels
• Writing exercises to help build your character
• How to craft a character’s motivations
• List of character quirks to use

Creating the first draft marks the commencement of transforming your vision into a tangible reality. It’s a raw expression of your story, a place where ideas take shape and the essence of your book starts to form. 

But don’t worry, you won’t get it right the first time.  Instead, embrace the imperfections of this initial stage; it is, after all, your first attempt at weaving your narrative into a cohesive whole. It’s during this part where authors can get most frustrated. 

In a desire for perfection, you try to make it perfect – instead of just writing. Learn to accept the balance of good enough…this is because in the next step, you’ll have “editing” which is where we’ll work to perfect.  So, don’t get caught up in this.  

Also, during this phase, you may encounter writer’s block and various challenges, but remember, these hurdles are part of every successful writer’s journey. 

Step 5: The Editing Process

Upon completing your first draft, the next step involves refining your narrative. Editing is where you increase the quality of your book, ensuring it’s polished and free from errors. 

The second draft is about revisions and edits, addressing larger questions about consistency, theme, and the finer details of your story’s opening and conclusion. With a variety of editing, and self-editing techniques at your disposal, you can apply these to improve your manuscript before it ever reaches professional hands.  

So, with that, let’s break down the two decisions here:  Self editing, and professional editing.  Not everyone can afford professional editing and so it is important to break the two apart.  

Let’s face it, hiring a professional editor can be both daunting and costly.  That’s why many opt to self-edit.  If you do this, you need to be even more vigilant in finding issues and mistakes before publishing or sending off your manuscript to a publisher.  

First thing is to find others to help you edit.  This could be your spouse or good friend. But the more people you get, the better chance you’ll find a mistake.  

Second, if you’re going to go the self-editing route, I highly recommend you look into a good proofreading software – something with a little more gusto than the likes of the native spell checker.  For those tricky grammatical mistakes and typos, tools like ProWritingAid and Grammarly can be lifesavers, helping you refine your prose and catch errors that might otherwise slip through the cracks. 

If you’d like to learn more about the self-editing process, there you should check these guides out: 

• How to self edit guide
• List of proofreading software to help

Even the most diligent self-editors can benefit from the fresh and objective eyes of a professional editor. Their expertise is not just about correcting grammar; they provide invaluable feedback on the structure, pacing, and clarity of your writing, identifying areas for improvement that you might have missed. Investing in a professional editor can save you time and frustration, allowing you to focus on broader aspects of your writing career or even start planning your next book.

However, if you are looking to hire an editor , you first need to understand the 4 different types of editors and ensure you fully comprehend what those types of edits entail: 

Developmental editing (may also be called structural or content) – looks at the book’s big picture and overall structure in nonfiction or plot and characters in fiction. Developmental editors may assess a book idea, outline, or early draft to tell authors what works and what could be better. 

Line editing (may also be called substantive or stylistic) – goes through each line refining the arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences and smooth-transitioning paragraphs. Learn more about line editors .

Copyediting – corrects grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors and checks for internal consistency of facts and consistency with capitalization, hyphenation, and numerals. Learn more about copy editors .

Proofreading – a final check before publication to find missed typos, missing words, repeated words, spacing and formatting consistency. Proofreading should be the very last level of editing. 

If you’d like to learn more about finding and working with a professional book editor, then check these resources out: 

• List of professional editors

Step 6: Title, Cover, and Formatting

After refining and polishing your manuscript, the next step involves readying it for your readers. This preparation goes beyond the words on the page – it extends to the book’s title, the cover design, and the formatting, all of which play a significant role in attracting and retaining readers’ interest. 

Your book’s title is often the first interaction a reader has with your work, so it should be attention-grabbing, memorable, and informative. Originality is key here; your title needs to stand out from the sea of books vying for attention. Keep it concise – a title that’s too long can be forgettable, but a punchy, powerful few words can stick in a reader’s mind.

Now, there are a lot of ways in which you can brain-storm ideas, as well as use some key marketing data to help choose a bestselling title and fits your book.  So, when you get to the point where you need a title, be sure to check out my guide on how to choose a title . 

Key Resources: 

• How to choose a bestselling title
• Crafting a subtitle

The book cover is a powerful marketing tool that can instantly attract a reader’s attention and give them a glimpse into the essence of your story. To find the most effective design, test various options and evaluate which resonates best with your target audience. It’s not just about aesthetics; your cover should capture the spirit of your book and compel readers to pick it up or click on it.

Now, when it comes to designing your book cover, you can either do it yourself (DIY), hire a professional to make a unique cover, or buy a premade cover.  

Key Resources:

• How to design a book cover
• List of book cover designers, services and softwares

Once you’re happy with your cover and title, it’s time to format your manuscript for publication. If you’re going down the traditional publishing route, the publisher will typically handle formatting for you. However, if you’re self-publishing, it’s your responsibility to ensure that your manuscript looks professional in both digital and print formats. Proper formatting is essential; it makes your book easy to read and shows that you take your work seriously.

Again, like in book covers, you can either choose to do it yourself, or hire a professional book formatter.  However, I don’t recommend hiring .  

With softwares like Atticus.io, it's never been easier to build beautiful books in no time.  Furthermore, professional formatters and services are not only expensive, but also, if you ever need to make changes or edits after the fact (which happens more than you think), you have to pay them the full price again to do it.  But if you have software, it's quick and simple to do. 

• How to format a book
• Best book formatting software (recommended)
• List of book formatting services

Leveraging Tools and Technology

While writing a book is a monumental task, a wealth of tools and technology exist to make the process more seamless and manageable. Some useful tools for writers include:

• Atticus.io: offers a comprehensive system to organize your writing and format your book, providing an all-in-one solution for writers.
• Grammarly: editing tool that can assist in identifying and correcting grammatical errors, helping to polish your manuscript to perfection.
• Evernote: for capturing ideas and inspirations on the go, ensuring that no thought is lost. It’s a valuable resource for writers at all stages of the process.

These tools can greatly enhance your writing experience and help you create your own book, ensuring a successful outcome for successful writers.

Yet, it’s not just about the writing and editing tools. There’s cool stuff like Miro for interactive world-building and the Pomodoro Technique to enhance focus and productivity during writing sessions. These digital aids can transform a daunting task into a structured and enjoyable venture. Embrace these tools; they’re here to support your creative journey, enabling you to focus on what matters most – bringing your story to life.

The digital era has armed writers with a multitude of tools designed to simplify the writing process. Applications like Ulysses provide a distraction-free environment for Apple users, allowing you to focus solely on your writing. Text-to-speech software can be a valuable asset, offering a new perspective by letting you hear your manuscript read aloud, which can be especially helpful for catching awkward phrases.

For Windows users, some useful writing tools are:

• Evernote: offers organizational tools rivaling those of Scrivener and Ulysses, offering a versatile platform for managing your writing projects
• Miro: features an interactive whiteboard that can help you visualize timelines, family trees, and more for intricate world-building projects

By integrating these digital tools into your step-by-step process, you can simplify the journey from concept to final manuscript.

Writing a book is an extraordinary journey filled with highs and lows, triumphs and setbacks. From the initial spark of an idea to the meticulous process of editing, from the creative decisions around title and cover design to the strategic planning of marketing and launch, every step is part of a larger narrative – your narrative as an author. This guide has walked you through each stage, offering practical advice and insights to help you navigate the path to successful book writing and publishing.

Remember, writing a book is not just about stringing words together; it’s about sharing a part of yourself with the world. It’s a journey of personal growth, professional development, and creative fulfillment. With determination, the right tools, and a willingness to learn, you can turn your dream of writing a book into a reality. Keep writing, keep refining, and never lose sight of the joy that brought you to the page in the first place.

Frequently Asked Questions

It is important to have a consistent writing schedule as it helps keep your novel in mind, fosters efficiency, and prevents project abandonment.

Look for a writing software that helps you organize and format your writing, such as Atticus.io. This will make your writing process smoother and more efficient.

Yes, a professional editor can make a significant difference in the quality of your book by providing an objective perspective and suggesting improvements to enhance it.

The best choice between self-publishing and traditional publishing depends on your goals and preferences. Self-publishing offers more control and higher royalties, while traditional publishing provides professional support in editing, marketing, and distribution. Consider what matters most to you when making your decision.

To have a successful book launch, it's essential to build a launch team, secure reviews and testimonials, and make use of social media platforms. These strategies can help create buzz and visibility for your book.

Dave Chesson

When I’m not sipping tea with princesses or lightsaber dueling with little Jedi, I’m a book marketing nut. Having consulted multiple publishing companies and NYT best-selling authors, I created Kindlepreneur to help authors sell more books. I’ve even been called “The Kindlepreneur” by Amazon publicly, and I’m here to help you with your author journey.

• Mapping Out Key Points for Plot of Education (Fiction & Nonfiction)

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3 thoughts on “ How to Write a Book: A Step-by-Step Bestselling Guide for Aspiring Authors ”

Loved this format, Dave – am currently editing my next book, so could skip right to that section for tips. The bloggers list will also come in handy for me very soon, so that’s much appreciated too!

I really enjoyed this article. There were many good points I never considered. I am a new writer. I self-published my first book in 2008, it is on Amazon. I am working on a second novel and it is in the revising stage. I cannot afford an editor, so I hope my editing will be enough. I plan to submit to Amazon.

Thank you so much for the hard work you put into making this information available for authors or soon to be authors, it was much needed.

I laughed over the idea of outlining software. Really? I do my initial outline in longhand in my plots notebook, where I also describe the characters. I wouldn’t feel connected to them if I did them onscreen. Then I outline 6 chapters ahead, on the end of my document, erasing or moving events around as I go with the chapters written. It sounds like someone has come up with a way to make authors spend more. If I want to write out of order, I add a scene or convo to the plot outline to slot in. Word is quite flexible enough! You don’t need any fancy software. Indeed, you can do it longhand with a separate notebook for outlines. And then edit the first time on transcription, which is more efficient than writing to screen. Only arthritis makes me abandon the habit.

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18 Russian Textbooks for Self-studying Learners

Does the word “textbook” bring back memories of your school days?

Not to worry. When it comes to Russian, you’re going to be your own teacher.

Let’s look at some of the best Russian textbooks to help you study on your own and give you knowledge of the Russian language that lasts.

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