For those starting out with ideas in your head but who don’t know where to start, writing your first book can be daunting. I know because I’ve been there.
I dreamed of becoming an author when I was seven years old. But, did I know how to become one? No.
The good news is: I’ve learned a lot since second grade. I am by no means an “expert” on writing but I thought I’d share what my writing process was like in getting my debut novel, “Enchanting Fate”, from idea to finished product.
1. Write down your ideas
If you have an idea, write it down! I cannot tell you how many times I sat in bed with an idea, told myself I’d write it down later, woke up, and forgot what it was. Keep a notepad by your bed or in your bag–somewhere where you can have access to it.
I would also advise that you sit down and brainstorm. Write whatever comes to you. If you don’t use it, don’t toss it. Save it for a different story! Keep any “discarded” ideas in a “discard” page on Google Docs or in a separate notebook.
2. Outline
For those who like to write by the seat of their pants (aka pantsers), I understand that this advice may not pertain to you. I had started my book as a pantser before I got stuck in the middle of the story. For months I scratched my head and grew more and more frustrated by what to write.
I had to resort to writing a loose outline to help me and it alleviated the stress of what-do-I-write-now-syndrome. I am also not suggesting writing a detailed outline unless that’s what you prefer.
For me, I have discovered that I work best if I have a loose idea about what will happen in every chapter. If I feel the need to go off-script, so be it. But, having a loose guide has helped tremendously.
I have also discovered that the most important thing to know is how your story will begin and how it’ll end. I found that if I knew the ending, it helped me have a clear goal in where the story was going. It kept me focused and concise with my storytelling.
Again, some authors like having their characters be in “control” and that’s totally valid too. The goal is to figure out what works for you.
3. Write!
This may seem self-explanatory but I don’t know how else to put it. You need to put words down on a piece of paper or on your laptop. It doesn’t matter how crummy it is, you can always go back and fix it later.
Some say you should write every day but I think it’s good enough to write as much as you can when you can. If that means you can only write 500 words on Tuesday, and 1500 words on Friday, so be it. Some of us don’t have all the time in the world to write, but write when you can.
I have learned to force myself to write when I don’t want to. It has helped me to push through the writer’s block and get something on the page even if all I write is:
- *Insert action scene*
- *insert dialogue about so and so*
- They hug and kiss and it’s magical
That’s it. Sometimes that’s all I have the energy for and that’s great! Having some words down is better than nothing!
4. Tip
Some author on Twitter gave this tip so I cannot claim it as mine. I don’t remember their name but I remember they said something along the lines of:
“If you get to the end of the chapter, don’t stop there. Write the first sentence of the next chapter before you stop writing for the day.
It has honestly been a game-changer
5. Polish
Okay, you finished the first draft and now what do you do? You go back and read it and polish it.
Over and over again.
Some people ask authors how many drafts do they do before they send it to an editor and that’s entirely up to you. For me personally, I think I went through at least six or seven drafts before handing it to my editor.
Some tips:
- Read the whole story out loud at least once. Or, get text to speech on word to do it for you. There are probably other programs that can read it out loud too.
- Edit in different fonts. It gives your eyes a chance to see your writing in a different way.
- Edit in different programs! I started out in Dabble and would edit on Google Doc. Do whatever you can to change the scenery so you can look at your work in a new light.
5.2 Critique Group
This tip is part of the polishing stage. Having a group of writers help you out will definitely help you learn and grow. It is a humbling and also fun experience if you have the right people helping you.
I found my group through friends I already had who were interested in writing or were published authors. I know most people don’t have that convenience where they happen to have friends who are writers but there are many places where you can meet and form groups!
- Facebook groups
- Writing Twitter
- Goodreads groups
- Wattpad
- And more!
The internet is full of places now where writers can meet online and find partners or groups they can work with.
Critique Circle is also a great resource. I made an account but I never ended up using it because I had my critique group. But, it’s a great place to critique other authors’ work and to have your work critiqued too.
6. Beta Readers
Now that you’ve polished your story, it’s time to send it to some test readers! Also known as beta readers, these people are going to help you out big time.
I found my beta readers on social media via Twitter and Instagram. I had the goal of finding 5 beta readers and found all five within 24 hours. I know some people don’t have this much luck, but I would advise having the following in your posts:
- An eye-worthy picture
- A catchy description
- Clear instructions on how to reach you as the author
- Offer to beta read for them too!
Goodreads also has beta reading groups and so does Facebook. I found from anecdotal evidence that Twitter has better success rate and it worked great for me!
7. Post Beta Readers
Beta reader feedback can be hit or miss. I thought that having beta readers would help me know exactly what to change but I found that everyone had differing opinions!
Who could have seen that coming?
I shouldn’t have been surprised to see that some people loved this character when one person thought the same character was my weakest. There will be lots of opinions and sorting through it can be difficult sometimes. Some readers might be really harsh, and some readers might not comment much at all.
What I found helped was going through all of the feedback one at a time. If multiple beta readers said something should be changed, I made a note of that and changed it. If only one person said they didn’t like something, I would note it and consider it.
The bottom line is: be true to your story. Take in the feedback, but only apply it if you truly feel like it’ll enhance your vision. If you alter everything according to all the differing opinions, you’ll end up with a mess. You cannot please everyone.
8. Editor
Whoo! Now that you’ve gone through all the Beta reader edits (and went through your story a little more, let’s be real), it’s time for an editor!
For some, this might also mean querying to an agent if you are going the traditional route. For others, this might be applying to a small publisher.
But for all my self-publishers out there, this is Editor time. You’ve finally made it! You can safely hand it to a professional and let them do all the heavy lifting.
Now, some might say you need a developmental editor, and that’s a valid option. Developmental editors are those who make suggestions about how to improve plot, pacing, character, etc. If you are on a budget like me, you might not be able to afford one so this is where the beta readers helped you out.
Otherwise, you’ll need an editor that does line-editing and proofreading. I might make a separate post about editors in the future, but they basically polish your work and make sure your writing reads smoothly and is free of errors.
9. Done for now?
I’m at the editor stage and it’s crazy to think how close I am to being done! After this stage, I’ll go through it again to check for any typos that were missed.
Then there’s no more writing to do and you can move onto the publishing stage.
I hope that my personal process was helpful to you if you are struggling to know where to start. If you have suggestions or tips of your own, comment down below.
Happy writing!
Ashley Evercott 