5 Steps to Start Writing a Novel
Writing a book is a dream for many, a goal on their bucket list that, sadly, too many people never accomplish. It can feel like an overwhelming project, and many people don’t even try because they simply don’t know where or how to begin. So, here I’ve broken down 5 steps you can take to create a writing life and start working towards achieving your dream of writing a book.
1. Read A Lot
This seems basic and easy, but the truth is, too many people who want to write a book don’t read much, if at all. Reading other books, especially those in the genre you want to write in, can give you inspiration and motivate you to create a book of your own. But it’s also one of the best ways to learn about the craft of writing. Seeing what other writers are doing and how they make their stories work can help you understand the basics of story structure. As you read, you’ll absorb bits and pieces of what makes a story work, and, just as important, what makes a story not work.
Another good use of your reading time is by reading craft books. I’ve found there are generally two types of craft books – those that discuss the writing life and inspire us to write (e.g., Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird) and those that dig deep into the actual craft of writing and give us skills to utilize in our writing. I suggest reading a mix of both types. The inspirational books will get you excited to write and give you some ideas of how other writers make the writing life work (although, keep in mind that what works for someone else may not be what works best for you and that’s entirely okay), and the skill-focused books will help you build up your writing abilities to produce quality stories.
2. Be Honest About What’s Stopping You
This step might be the most difficult one for many aspiring writers, but it also might be the most important. If you’ve been dreaming of writing a book for a while now but just never got around to it, you need to take a good look at why that is. What are the thoughts that have been blocking you from attempting to write a book? Are you afraid of what your family and friends might say if you told them you’re writing a book? Are you convinced there’s just not enough time to write?
Whatever the reasons you haven’t started writing yet, be honest with yourself about them. Then, evaluate if the reasons you’ve given are true or not. All too often, we block our own success by telling ourself things that simply aren’t true. For example, we convince ourselves we can’t write a book because we were always the worst speller in grade school. How can someone call themselves a writer if they can’t even spell? Well, friends, I have news for you. While good spelling skills is certainly a benefit for anyone who wants to write a book, it’s far from a requirement. Spell check is an amazing invention, as are dictionaries and professional editors. This is a pretty basic example, but the point is that a lot of the things we tell ourselves simply aren’t true or can be worked around. They don’t have to stop us from achieving our dream. For more on this topic, check out my previous blog post, What’s Really Stopping You from Writing a Novel?
3. Recruit Your Support System
If you want to write a book, you’re going to need the time and space to actually write. Since it’s likely you have other obligations in your life, this may require finagling schedules and enlisting support from others. You might need your husband to be on Dad Duty on Saturday mornings so you can lock yourself in the office and write uninterrupted. Or you might need your friends to be understanding when you tell them you can’t go out for drinks after work because you have a writing date scheduled with yourself.
Committing to writing a book is far easier when the people in your daily life are supportive of your dream and willing to help out how they can, even if that just means getting out of your way so you can churn out words. Sharing with your support system your dream to write a book will do two things: 1) force you to share this dream aloud and inch toward embracing the identity of “writer,” and 2) make it clear to them that this is important to you and clearly state what you need from them in order to make this dream a reality.
Also, just an FYI, I know it’s a sad reality that too many writers don’t have supportive people in their lives. Or, they have people who say they support the writer’s dream, but when it comes down to actively showing that support, they don’t come through. If this is you, just know that this lack of support doesn’t need to stop you from chasing after your dream. I’ll have more on this topic another time, but for now, if this is you and you’re struggling, please reach out and let’s chat.
4. Create a Writing Schedule (and stick to it)
While we often think of authors as locking themselves away in a room and churning out books in a fit of inspiration guided by a muse, this is far from the reality for almost all writers. Writers are often carving out the time to write amid other obligations and responsibilities. Most books don’t get written in a sudden burst of creative inspiration, but rather steadily, bit by bit, and with the assistance of a routine.
Routines are amazing for so many things, and writing is no exception. Routines allow our brains to know that when a certain thing happens or at a certain time of day, we’re in writing mode. Maybe you decide to wake up early to write, or write on your lunch hour, or you light a specific candle when you’re sitting down to write. Maybe you’re able to carve out writing time daily, or maybe you can only find time two days per week. Whatever writing schedule works for you, that’s the best one. If you want to write daily but, realistically, you only have a couple of days per week that you can fit in writing time, then you’re better off committing to those two days when you know you’ll have time rather than attempting to write seven days per week but feeling like a failure because most days you aren’t able to.
Once you settle on a writing schedule that works for you (and this may take some trial and error – be patient and open to trying something new if your first attempt doesn’t work as well as you’d hoped), the most important thing is that you stick to the schedule. Of course, there will be times when emergencies happen. But the goal is to protect that writing time as best as you’re able to the vast majority of the time. This will mean saying no to things from time to time or showing up for a writing block when you might not feel like it. Protecting your writing time will make it easier and easier to stick to your writing schedule and make progress towards completing your book. The more routinized your writing schedule becomes, the more likely you are to stick with it and be successful when you sit down to write.
5. Find Writing Buddies
Lastly, finding writing friends who understand the writing life and the highs and lows of writing a book can help you stay committed even when writing becomes challenging. Having others around you who are achieving their dreams can inspire you to do the same. Watching them write books and find success with their writing can give you confidence that you can also have the same success. If they can do it, so can you! And having people to bounce ideas off of, swap manuscripts with for feedback, or just generally commiserate about the challenges of seeing this dream through will help you to stay on track with your goal. You’re much less likely to quit if others around you are cheering you on and supporting you.
Bonus Tip: Connect with a Book Coach
While committing to a writing life and writing your book is doable on your own, it’s often not easy. A book coach can help by offering support, encouragement, accountability, and guidance throughout the process of writing your book. Having someone with experience and expertise in your corner can make the difference between following through on your story to “The End” or giving up. If you think book coaching might be helpful for you, I’d love to chat and see if we’d be a good fit. Contact me today to set up an intro call and to learn more!
