Have you ever wanted to start writing a book, but weren't sure where to start? Have you started a book, but felt lost or off topic? Reading the information below will give you some ideas for organizing, developing, and writing your new book.
Steps
Part 1 of 7: Create a concept
Step 1. Find an idea
Before you start writing your book, you will need to have an idea. It is the seed from which your book will grow. Finding the concept, however, can be difficult. Ideas come when you open up to more experiences, so the best way to get an idea for a book is to go out and do things.
The initial concepts can take many forms. You can get a feel for the general plot, a picture of an environment, a plan for a main character, or even smaller, less developed ideas. No matter how hard your idea is, any idea can turn into a beautiful book
Step 2. Research your concept
Once you have a vague concept, do some research to get more ideas. For example, you want to write a book about kids playing a futuristic video game. Do some research by going to arcades, read about the latest in gaming innovations, and play some games yourself. By doing these activities, you can see or experience things that give you ideas about the theme of the story or what might be included in a story.
Step 3. Develop your concept
With some ideas on what might be included in a story, you need to develop your concept. Make the concept more complex by following it to its logical conclusion, thinking about what might result from all of the circumstances or whatever, to make it a more complex idea. Having a more elaborate concept will help you build your plot.
For your video game story, for example, you could expand on the concept by asking who created the futuristic video game. Why did he do this? What happens to those who play it?
Step 4. Think about your audience
If you find and develop your concept, you will need to consider your audience. Who are you writing this book for? Different people like different things and there will be particular experiences and knowledge to consider depending on different demographic groups. You will need to take this into account in order to understand how to proceed with the plot, the characters, and how the book will be written.
- Imagine your book is published, think about the cover, the title, and write a summary. This technique allows you to think of different points that could make the book interesting.
- Don't feel limited: There's no reason a book about kids who play video games shouldn't be enjoyable for older people who have never played video games. However, if you intend to write a book that is aimed at those who have never known the subject you are writing about, you will need to do a remarkable job of describing the experiences of the characters and making the subject matter. accessible.
Part 2 of 7: arranging the plot
Step 1. Choose a structure
In the early stages of writing a book, you will need to organize your plot. It is possible to give yourself a little leeway when you start writing, but writing a story without a roadmap rarely works. The best place to start is to choose a structure that works for you. Theoretical writing teaches that there are several classic structures that work best, but most are not mutually exclusive and can be combined. The two main structures are as follows.
- The Action Structure - The action structure, often associated with plays and movies, can easily be applied to novels. The theory around this structure asserts that stories work well when broken down into clearly identifiable sections. The normal number of sections is three, but two and four are common. In the classic three-act structure, the first act introduces the main and supporting characters, the situation, the issue at hand, and often some background information (this act typically makes up about 25% of the story). The second act develops the conflict in the story and moves through it, usually containing a plot point where the main character faces a serious setback. This is the alpha and omega of the story and typically makes up around 50% of the content. The third act is the conclusion, where the hero faces the villain and the story comes to a head, followed by a gratifying ending scene or a less thrilling scene or series of scenes. Each of these acts can often be summed up in three subparts, each with its own arc or mini-story.
- The Monomyth or the Hero's Journey - This theory of the structure of history was put forward by Joseph Campbell. He claims that almost any hero story can be summed up in one main set of archetypes. It starts with a hero who is called on to adventure, even if he initially refuses the burden. Help is given to the hero before traveling the world (the hero feels lonely and lost at first). The hero then undergoes a series of trials, during which he often meets people who will help him, and then the hero goes through a significant personal change. The hero then confronts the main antagonist of the story and returns home, receiving his reward.
Step 2. Choose your type of conflict
You may need to think about what kind of conflict you want to have in your story. It can help you develop a plot, as well as lead you to other similar stories for inspiration. There are many theories about the types of conflict in stories, but the main sources are as follows.
- Man Against Nature - This is a story where the main character has to face certain natural phenomena. An example would be stories in which the main character gets lost in nature or in which the antagonist is an animal. An example of this kind of story would be the movie 127 Hours.
- Man vs. Supernatural - This is a story where the main character has to face creatures like ghosts and demons, God himself, or other beings who are not of this world. Shining is a good example of this type of conflict.
- Man vs. Man - This is the simplest story conflict, where your main character goes up against another person. The Wizard of Oz is a classic example.
- Man vs. Society - In this type of conflict, your main character clashes with a society's rules and societal norms. An example would be the novel Fahrenheit 451.
- Man Against Himself - This is a story where the main character has to face their own inner demons or their own internal conflict. An example of this would be The Picture of Dorian Gray.
Step 3. Think about your themes
Whether intentional or not, your story will end with a theme. This is what the story tells. As you write about this topic, you will end up saying things about how you feel about the topic. Think about the topics in your book or that might be in your book and what you want to say about them. It can help you develop a plot, by creating situations that present your ideas.
Dune, by Frank Herbert, for example, isn't about a guy trying to avenge his family. It speaks of the dangers of imperialism and Herbert makes it clear that he believes that the Western powers are hopelessly caught in a situation which is not their concern and which they cannot hope to control
Step 4. Plan your plot points
Plot points are the points of your story, important events that change the path your character should take. You will need to plan what they will be and try to space them out evenly. There is a plot point that serves to convince your character that he must continue his adventure. It's a time when all of your character's plans for dealing with their problem come crashing down and a certain climax prompts them into the final battle.
Step 5. Outline
Once you know where you are going and how you are going to get there, write it down. This will be your roadmap that will be essential to a smooth writing process. Write down the basics of each scene, what the purpose of the scene is, which characters are on stage, where they are, what they think and feel, etc. Every tiny detail of the sequence of events should also be written at the bottom of each scene. This is the best way to avoid getting stuck, since you'll still be able to cover the basics of a scene, even if you don't feel it's perfect.
Part 3 of 7: Developing the characters
Step 1. Choose the number of characters
When planning your book, you need to think about how many characters you want to include. Do you want as few as possible, in order to create a minimalist vibe, a feeling of loneliness or do you want to include a lot of characters that serve to create a complex world within your book? This is important because you will need to organize your characters around each other to create balance.
Step 2. Balance your characters
No one is good, excellent in everything and without flaws. Give your character real struggles and flaws to make him look more realistic and help your readers relate to him. Remember: your readers have flaws, so your characters should have them too.
Your character's flaws will give you the space to improve him over the course of the story. That's what makes a great story: Your character takes on challenges to become a better human being in the end. This is what your audience wants to read because it helps make them believe that they too can be a better person at the end of their struggle
Step 3. Get to know your characters
Once you have a balanced character, get to know him. Think about how he will react in these different situations (although those situations will never be in your book). Think about what it takes to get them to reach different emotional points, what their hopes and dreams are, what makes them cry, who is most important to them and why. Knowing these things about your character will give you a better understanding of how they'll act in the situations you're going to put them in and lead to a more cohesive, realistic character.
Step 4. Evaluate your characters
Once you get far enough into your character development process, you may need to step back and assess your characters. Make sure they are really important to the plot. If they are not, you might consider removing them. Having too many characters, especially characters that don't stand out, can confuse readers and hurt your book.
Part 4 of 7: Designing the environment
Step 1. Visualize your surroundings
Think about where your book is going. Think about the architecture, how cities are placed, what the natural environment looks like, etc. Now write it all down. This will allow you to be (first of all) consistent in your descriptions, but also to better detail them and create more realistic and richer environments.
You can tell someone the sky is green, you just have to make them believe that by telling them how at sunset it went from the pale green color of the belly of a leaf to a rich green that has everything looks dull in comparison to him, before the darkness gives way to a color almost as iridescent as a bird's feathers. Show him this by understanding yourself well enough that you can explain it
Step 2. Think about the logistics
Let's say you write about a gang of adventurers trying to reach a legendary city on the other side of a mountain. It is very good. The problem is, it takes a long time to cross a mountain. Things are bound to happen when crossing a mountain. You can't just go through it in two days like there isn't a big deal. If they have to cross a continent on foot, you need to allocate time for this in your plot.
Step 3. Understand the senses
You will need to appeal to all of your audience's senses if you want them to be fully immersed in the text. It is not enough to tell him what your characters ate. Tell them how the juice of the meat flowed when they bit into it, its taste of a mixture of fat and smoke. It's not enough to tell them that the bell was ringing right above your character's head. Talk to them about how the noise was so loud that it pierced all his thoughts and only the awareness of the ringing lasted.
Part 5 of 7: find a writing space
Step 1. Choose your writing method
Think about how you want to write your book. As technology develops, the number of choices multiplies. You will need to choose a method that works best for you, but keep in mind that this can affect how you publish your work.
You can write the text with pen and paper, type it on a typewriter, type it on a computer, or use software that records your voice as you speak and converts it to typed text. Different methods work best for different people
Step 2. Find a writing space
You will need adequate space, which will allow you to work without interruption. It should respond to the writing method you have chosen and make you feel comfortable and not bother you. A cafe, office or library are common options.
Step 3. Cover your needs
You need to be sure that you won't get distracted while you write, so have everything you might need. Many people develop a specific thing that they cannot write without, such as food or sitting in a particular chair. Make sure these needs are met before proceeding.
Part 6 of 7: plan a writing schedule
Step 1. Understand your writing habits
Get to know yourself and how you write. Do you write best at a specific time of day or in a specific place? Maybe you write better after you finish reading someone else's book. Knowing how you write can tell you what to do and what to avoid. You can build your writing work around the habits you know you have.
Step 2. Always write at the same time
Once you've decided what time of day works best for you and established a writing schedule, stick to your calendar. Take a moment that is only for writing and always write at that time. You can use it for free writing or for planning your novel, but you should always use this time for writing. It will help you get used to it and be more productive.
Step 3. Work on a writer's block
It can be difficult to write sometimes, but you shouldn't stop and ignore the problem. This often leads to unfinished books. Do things to inspire yourself and keep working, even if it's slow and much more difficult. You can always come back to the game later when you feel more inspired.
Part 7 of 7: Follow Other Specific Tips
Step 1. Start writing your book
You've completed all of the steps and twists needed to plan your book, but now it's time to write it. WikiHow offers several manuals on writing books that you should use as a reference:
- How to write a good story
- How to make a book
- How to write a children's book
- How to write a believable fantasy story
- How to write a book
- How to write an autobiography
- How to self-publish a book
- How to publish an ebook
- How to write a short story
- How to write a novel
- How to plan the writing of a novel
- How to write a first draft
- How to prepare to write a book
Advice
- . You can start by reading fanfiction or stories on the Internet. And ask in the comments for advice!
- Make sure you always have a pen or pencil and a notepad or electronic notepad ready so that you can jot down your ideas. Ideas will come to you at very random times and places, always be prepared!
- Don't be afraid to ask other people for help. It's always a good idea to have someone tell you what they think about this book, because sometimes it can be hard to tell you it's not really that good.
- Don't give your book a title until you've finished, since a good title is more likely to come to you when you read the entire book to check it out.
- Always have someone read your book (one chapter at a time might be easier). His opinion may be different from yours, but take it into consideration anyway.
- Your book will be more likely to sell if it is around 200-250 pages long.