How to Write a Book in a Year
Buy a binder and some dividers., Label a divider "outlines.", If you want (this also will help) take another sheet of paper and outline each chapter on its own sheet, as well as on the other sheet, in more detail., Label another divider "Schedule."...
Step-by-Step Guide
-
Step 1: Buy a binder and some dividers.
This will help you have all the things in your book in one place. -
Step 2: Label a divider "outlines."
Then take another sheet of paper and outline your book.
Each chapter should take up about three lines of the paper.
Number your lines and outline each chapter.
Make sure you leave room after you finish each chapter outline just in case you want to add more later. , Put all of these papers in the "outlines" section of your binder. , If you have your own daily schedule, put that in this section.
Take another sheet of paper and map out all the free time you have (for example: 1:30-2:00 Lunch, 4:45-5:00 Bus ride home,etc.). , These goals should be small, for example; 4:45-5:00 bus ride home-write 7 lines.
Keeping the goals small will help you stay motivated and instead of saying to yourself; "Oh, I have to write an entire chapter during lunch today." you could be saying "I only have to finish a page." Also, if you are in school and you are to taking a class that you don't really need, or want to take you can write during that class (I am by no means condoning that, however).
Put these papers in the "Schedule" section of your binder. , Remember, every author started out where you are right now: a beginner. , Make the map before you start writing the book.
Make two copies of it.
Keep one copy in your binder, and the other copy with your book.
In the copy that you keep with your book, trace the route that your characters take as you write.
This will be a good thing to place before your story in the final published product that is your book. , If your audience is children then don't use big words.
If your audience is for adults, use more descriptive words.
Find some members of the audience for which this book is being written and have them read your manuscript before you send it out for review by publishing companies. , Aim to draw in readers with that first word. , Remember, you can skip a day as long as you don't skip the next day.
If you wait too long in between writing sessions, you will lose the flow of your story. , If you write religiously and finish about a page a day, you should have a 300 page handwritten book by the end of the year.
What you want to do next is type it.
You have a good 300 pages to type.
This may seem monotonous and boring but it will give you a chance to look over your work.
If you see something you don't like you can change it, even a name! If you don't like something, you can change it to something better.
Of course 300 pages handwritten is not a big book.
It's going to end up being about 200 pages typed.
So there are two things you can do:
You can format the book on your computer (for example: make the font size bigger and the lines further apart).
But the publisher would probably format it a different way.
You can write a longer book.
That's the reason for getting a 500-page notebook.
Five hundred pages of handwritten work should equal about 350 pages typed.
Even if it ends up being a little less, it's not too bad.
Thee hundred pages is a nice sized book (depending on the thickness of the pages and the dimensions of the book). (Of course, you can go for longer than a year and write a bigger book.) , If you ever get writer's block, stop writing.
Don't write for the rest of that day, give your mind a rest.
Don't write when you have writer's block because this can cause your story sound dull, cheesy, and drawn out because you don't have any good ideas; you are just writing to fill up the page. , Nobody's work is perfect.
The people who are going to criticize your work are not out to get you.
The critics are prospective readers.
If there is something in your book that they do not like, strive to fix it if the criticism is constructive.
If you get no criticism, don't feel left out or cheated.
It means you did a great job! Be careful of asking people who never speak honestly for fear of upsetting you to review the work.
They won't tell you what you need to know. , Most publishers don't like new authors.
They would prefer guaranteed bestsellers, than a newbie.
Find the publisher of your favorite book (in the same genre) and ask them first. , Send the first two or three chapters.
If they ask for more you know you did a good job capturing them at the beginning.
It might also help to hire a literary agent. , Sit back and read the reviews.
Then get started on your next novel -
Step 3: If you want (this also will help) take another sheet of paper and outline each chapter on its own sheet
-
Step 4: as well as on the other sheet
-
Step 5: in more detail.
-
Step 6: Label another divider "Schedule."
-
Step 7: Set a goal for each amount of free time you have.
-
Step 8: Watch movies and read bestselling books in the same genre as you book to get inspired.
-
Step 9: Create a map of the world your characters live in.
-
Step 10: Know what audience you are writing for.
-
Step 11: Make the beginning of your book as captivating as the climax.
-
Step 12: Try to stay on schedule as much as you can.
-
Step 13: Write daily.
-
Step 14: Take needed breaks.
-
Step 15: Always be ready for criticism.
-
Step 16: Be ready to be shot down.
-
Step 17: Never send your entire manuscript to a publisher all at once.
Detailed Guide
This will help you have all the things in your book in one place.
Then take another sheet of paper and outline your book.
Each chapter should take up about three lines of the paper.
Number your lines and outline each chapter.
Make sure you leave room after you finish each chapter outline just in case you want to add more later. , Put all of these papers in the "outlines" section of your binder. , If you have your own daily schedule, put that in this section.
Take another sheet of paper and map out all the free time you have (for example: 1:30-2:00 Lunch, 4:45-5:00 Bus ride home,etc.). , These goals should be small, for example; 4:45-5:00 bus ride home-write 7 lines.
Keeping the goals small will help you stay motivated and instead of saying to yourself; "Oh, I have to write an entire chapter during lunch today." you could be saying "I only have to finish a page." Also, if you are in school and you are to taking a class that you don't really need, or want to take you can write during that class (I am by no means condoning that, however).
Put these papers in the "Schedule" section of your binder. , Remember, every author started out where you are right now: a beginner. , Make the map before you start writing the book.
Make two copies of it.
Keep one copy in your binder, and the other copy with your book.
In the copy that you keep with your book, trace the route that your characters take as you write.
This will be a good thing to place before your story in the final published product that is your book. , If your audience is children then don't use big words.
If your audience is for adults, use more descriptive words.
Find some members of the audience for which this book is being written and have them read your manuscript before you send it out for review by publishing companies. , Aim to draw in readers with that first word. , Remember, you can skip a day as long as you don't skip the next day.
If you wait too long in between writing sessions, you will lose the flow of your story. , If you write religiously and finish about a page a day, you should have a 300 page handwritten book by the end of the year.
What you want to do next is type it.
You have a good 300 pages to type.
This may seem monotonous and boring but it will give you a chance to look over your work.
If you see something you don't like you can change it, even a name! If you don't like something, you can change it to something better.
Of course 300 pages handwritten is not a big book.
It's going to end up being about 200 pages typed.
So there are two things you can do:
You can format the book on your computer (for example: make the font size bigger and the lines further apart).
But the publisher would probably format it a different way.
You can write a longer book.
That's the reason for getting a 500-page notebook.
Five hundred pages of handwritten work should equal about 350 pages typed.
Even if it ends up being a little less, it's not too bad.
Thee hundred pages is a nice sized book (depending on the thickness of the pages and the dimensions of the book). (Of course, you can go for longer than a year and write a bigger book.) , If you ever get writer's block, stop writing.
Don't write for the rest of that day, give your mind a rest.
Don't write when you have writer's block because this can cause your story sound dull, cheesy, and drawn out because you don't have any good ideas; you are just writing to fill up the page. , Nobody's work is perfect.
The people who are going to criticize your work are not out to get you.
The critics are prospective readers.
If there is something in your book that they do not like, strive to fix it if the criticism is constructive.
If you get no criticism, don't feel left out or cheated.
It means you did a great job! Be careful of asking people who never speak honestly for fear of upsetting you to review the work.
They won't tell you what you need to know. , Most publishers don't like new authors.
They would prefer guaranteed bestsellers, than a newbie.
Find the publisher of your favorite book (in the same genre) and ask them first. , Send the first two or three chapters.
If they ask for more you know you did a good job capturing them at the beginning.
It might also help to hire a literary agent. , Sit back and read the reviews.
Then get started on your next novel
About the Author
Lori Cox
Lori Cox has dedicated 9 years to mastering lifestyle and practical guides. As a content creator, Lori focuses on providing actionable tips and step-by-step guides.
Rate This Guide
How helpful was this guide? Click to rate: