There are 3 key components in learning how to write a book for beginners. These are very basic components but they can seem so daunting when you aren’t sure of how to get started. As we walk through each one in this post, you will see that by breaking down your book into these 3 components, it becomes much more manageable and by the end of the post my goal is to empower you to get started.
How To Write A Book For Beginners – #1 Generating an idea
The first key component in learning how to write a book is generating an idea. While it seems to be pretty common sense, some of us get lost in this component. It can be overwhelming choosing between multiple ideas, determining if an idea is good enough, or maybe you feel the writing bug but have no idea what you could write about. So, how do you go about generating that idea? There are a few ways you can achieve this:
Jot down many different topics that interest you. Keep jotting until you feel you have exhausted the list of topics you could write about, then add 5 more. Once you have this complete list, cross out any that don’t excite you. Once you’ve narrowed it down, then cross out the ones that seem least exciting to you. Keep going in this manner until you have narrowed it down to 2 or 3 ideas.
Once you have your ideas narrowed down, do some research on each topic. Have other people exhausted the topic? Can you create a different spin on the topic? Does there seem to be an interest in the topic you want to write about?
Once you have narrowed it down to the one topic you think you want to write about, imagine immersing yourself in this topic. Imagine how you will feel to get to know this topic inside and out, backward and forward. Does it still excite you? Is this topic something that motivates you, inspires you and you feel passionate about? Is it a topic you would most want to read? Great! That’s the one.
#2 Putting Pen to Paper
The second key component in learning how to write a book is putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard). There are many ways of writing a successful book each one is as unique as the writer. The key is just getting your book out of your head and onto paper. Easier said than done? Not necessarily. There are no right or wrongs here except not writing. This is your book and your style of writing. If you can only dedicate 15 minutes per day to writing, great. At least you’ve started. You will be amazed at what you can accomplish as long as you remain motivated and consistent. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Brainstorm – Do it freestyle. Jot your idea in the center of the page and create branches off of the idea. Character branches, plot branches, storyline branches, conflict branches, etc. This is great for those who work best with the freedom to create as they go along.
Create an outline of your story – similar to the brainstorming but with more structure. This is helpful for those who need to know the direction the story will head in.
Just write. Begin by writing for 15 minutes per day and once you feel the book begin to develop you can always return to the brainstorming at a later date if need be. This can be helpful for those who may already have the first chapter in their head. There is a great quote I recently posted on my Facebook page by Louis L’amour “Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.”
How To Write A Book – #3 Research
The third key component in learning how to write a book for beginners is research. This is necessary at every step of the process. We are so fortunate to live in an age where information is literally at our fingertips. Every bit of help we need is just a key click away. So using Google, YouTube, and other varying resources to discover the elements of writing that we need to develop is a great starting point for learning how to write a book? Perhaps you’re wondering about the qualities of a good writer, then doing research might be a good place to start before writing.
With these three key components of how to write a book, in just a short amount of time you can feel proud to group yourself with others who have been courageous enough to put pen to paper and become a book writer. What are you most struggling with in starting your first book? What would you like me to go into more detail about? I would love to hear from you!
Check out my YouTube series where I continue to walk you step-by-step through writing the first draft of your book.
0 Comments