Wednesday, December 30, 2015

How To Go About Writing A Book

By Frances Russell


Being an author is no easy feat. There are so many things to consider and obstacles to face when writing a book, particularly if it's the first time. Here are some of those factors to take into account, as well as a few tips to get started on the right path.

One of the major factors that will help any writer, no matter what genre or style of writing, is practice. Dedicating a specific amount of time to do nothing but write will help exercise the muscle and therefore make the task not only easier, but more enjoyable. The more easily one can write, the more quickly ideas can be noted and expanded upon.

Brainstorming is a good way to begin putting things on paper. As soon as an idea forms, note it down and then revisit the list at a later point in time to start sorting out what can be used and what needs to be discarded. Seeing things written in black and white can also help create links between various thoughts and ideas that previously may not have seem related. This could help with a plot or outline.

Know as much as you can about what you are going to write about. You may not have experienced your subject matter personally, and though personal experience is always an excellent standpoint to tell a story from, you should still be able to convincingly write about ideas you have only thought about. As such, research as much as possible about every aspect of your work. It will make your writing more believable and easier to digest. If you are referencing facts or history, double check your sources. Also verify details about locations, occupations or terminology associated with your subject matter.

Keeping it simple is also of great help when outlining the various parts of a book. Compartmentalize things into the start, middle and finish, as these are things every tale must have. The content will fall into place with these guidelines, but knowing where to begin and where to end will keep things on track from the get-go.

Having a special place and time to write will help a writer's schedule a great deal. Keeping this place separate from other areas of the home or work space will make it special and will also help with focusing on the task at hand. This helps especially if the designated space is free of distractions.

Writing at a specific time every day will help prepare both the mind and body for the job, making deadlines easier to meet. When it's time to write, writers should be fully focused on the task without other things in the way. This includes putting phones and alarms on silent and not checking social media or emails.

Looking at the project in smaller increments will help it to seem less overwhelming. Taking it one chapter at a time makes it a more manageable workload. Writers should set a word count for each chapter and make this a daily quota in order to make progress. Each chapter could even be a blog post so that writers can get early feedback on what they are producing as they go along.




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