Tips to Consider Before You Write Your First Book
World Book Day is coming up and is a day to celebrate authors from all over the world and all walks of life. No matter the genre, work, or amount of public recognition a book has received, each book deserves a moment to shine.
One thing we know, writing a book is no small or easy task. It takes time, focus, and discipline to gather your thoughts and feelings and put them to words on paper. We can even admit it’s a little scary. But if you’re trying to write a book of any kind, we want to encourage you not to be intimidated by the task.
I wrote my first complete poetry collection of 200 pages this year, and let me tell you. It was hard. There were tears, doubt, and maybe even a thrown pencil or two before I got it done. But it’s complete, and I have never felt more accomplished. Author and influencer Tabitha Brown has even said that she feels like she can do anything after writing her New York Times bestselling book, Feeding the Soul. So, yes, it’s a big task, but you can do it.
No matter your genre or topic, here are some tips I have for you as you sit down to craft your first book.
Have confidence. Your words deserve to be heard.
Before you sit down and put pen to paper, know this, your words deserve to be heard, and your story is worth telling. No matter the genre, fiction, non-fiction, how-to or academic, your thoughts on the topic matter and will resonate with someone. Don’t let fear or lack of confidence hold you back from speaking out. Your words are more powerful than you give them credit for.
2. Know your W’s (who, what, why).
An essential part of writing is having clarity on what you’re writing, why you’re writing it, and who it’s for. Ask yourself these questions as you’re planning out your book:
Why are you writing this book? What is your motivation? Is it to teach, inform, entertain, motivate?
What are you going to write about? Decide on your genre and a specific topic.
Who are you writing for? Who is your target audience? What do they want or need to hear?
3. Discipline is the name of the game.
Let me tell it to you straight; your talent is not enough. Being a “good writer” is not going to get you a published book. There are many good writers that we’ll never know about because they don’t write enough. At least not consistently. Discipline is the name of the game. Here’s what to do.
Write every day. It doesn’t have to be a lot. Even if you can only squeeze in 5 mins, do that. Writing every day builds up your writing muscle which will only grow stronger. And remember, practice makes progress. Your writing will naturally progress the more you do it.
Read every day. (I can’t stress this enough.) Reading every day is going to help you keep a steady flow of inspiration and creativity. Iron sharpens iron, so as you read, you’re catching gems and motivation and getting inspired along the way. TIP: If you ever feel like you’re running out of ideas or losing steam, read a new book or something you usually don’t read. It may just bring new energy to your writing process.
The Write Practice has a great article on Writing Discipline to help you understand why you need to be more disciplined as a writer.
4. Do your research.
Whether you believe you are an expert on a topic or not, it’s always worth it to dig a little deeper. This is especially true if your goal is to teach or inform your readers. You want to give them the correct information. But even if you are more of a fiction writer or poet, research is still essential. As you are creating a new world, it’s helpful to have basic knowledge of human behavior, characters, and settings. Even fiction books pop more when they’re based on relatable truth.
5. Burn your babies. It’s okay to start over. Never be so attached to words that you can’t let them go when need be.
“I’m an artist, and I’m sensitive about my s***.” Have you ever heard that before? I get it. As a poet, I can be very sensitive as well. But it’s not good to be so attached to your words that you can’t throw them away and start from scratch. Maybe you’re having a hard time because those aren’t the correct characters, phrases, or even the right topic. Or perhaps you just lost the same enthusiasm for that story. It’s okay. You have more in you. You will not run out of words, and more greatness is to come.
Here’s another great article by The Write Place about When it’s Time to Start Over. Take a read.
6. Take breaks. Sometimes you have to step away and give your brain and eyes time to rest.
Let your mind rest. Like your body, your mind needs a break between sentences and chapters. Take time off and do things unrelated to writing like swimming, hiking, or eating (writers forget to eat all the time). Refuel your mind and body so your brain is functioning at its optimal level. Even when you don’t feel like it, schedule some breaks. Your butt, brain, and hands will thank you for it!
7. Get constructive criticism from another writer.
Notice I said get constructive criticism from another writer. Don’t go to a hater trying to tear you down but find someone you respect and who respects the craft and get honest feedback. Remember to be open and take careful consideration of what they suggest. You may not like or appreciate everything they say or take their advice but at least think about it objectively before you decide.
8. Write, re-write, and write some more.
How many times can I say write before it’s annoying? Write! To piggyback on the “write every day” advice, please keep writing. And then re-write what you already wrote. Re-writing is a little deeper than self-editing, in my opinion. Re-writing is not just about fixing grammatical errors. Still, it gives you a chance to develop your idea and make it more relevant to your topic or audience. Masterclass.com has a good article on How to Master the Re-Writing Process. Check it out.
Good luck!