How to Get Started Writing a Book

Co-authored by Stephanie Wong Ken, MFA

Last Updated: September 28, 2021 References Approved

Have you always dreamed of becoming a published author with an acclaimed book to your name? Perhaps you have been mulling over a story idea for some time and have finally decided to put it down on paper. Writing a book, which are typically around 80,000 to 89,999 words^{[1]
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Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Preparing to Write

1
Determine what you want to write about. Think about the story that only you can write, or that you feel most passionate about. This could be a how to book on urban beekeeping, or a memoir about your complicated family background. The best way to get a good start on writing a book is to choose a story idea that you feel committed to and willing to spend a significant amount of time on.^{[2]
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- Take out a piece of paper and make a list of things you are knowledgeable about or an idea you feel strongly about and are interested in delving into deeper in long form.
- You may already have a story idea in mind. If that’s the case, consider if the story idea is engaging enough to sustain 80,000 words.
2
Choose your genre. There are many types of writing, from fiction to non-fiction to self-help to memoir. Some writers begin with a story idea or a character first, rather than a genre. But it can help to pick your genre before outlining your story idea.^{[3]
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- In fact, there are over 70 genres of writing.^{[4]
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  Research source} Your book on urban bee keeping, for example, might fall in the genre of craft and hobby books, while an autobiographical book on your family history could fit in the memoir genre.
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3
Read three to four examples that are similar to your story idea. Head to your local library and look for titles that relate to your story idea. Try to pick newer titles so you can see what the market is like for your story idea. This will also factor in later to your book proposal, as your book should be competing against current titles in order to be relevant to the current market. This will show potential publishers that your story idea is in demand and similar current titles are being read and bought.
- For a book on urban bee keeping, look for titles in the craft and hobby section that discuss bee keeping for the average person living in a city or urban area. For books that relate to your memoir, look in the historical fiction section as well as the memoir section for titles that seem similar to your family background.
4
Analyze the examples. Read through three to five books that relate to your story idea and look closely at several details:
- What genre does the book fall into, and why? Consider why the publisher decided to place the book in a certain genre or category. You may be surprised, for example, to find a book on urban bee keeping in the Economics section of the library. You may then think about how you can integrate the economical benefits of urban bee keeping into your book.
- Who is the book’s intended audience? Think of the ideal reader for the book, and who the ideal reader might be for your book. For your book on urban bee keeping, this could be young professionals seeking a unique hobby, or older retired folks looking to make some extra money and improve the environment.
- Is there a positive message, theme, or moral in the book? Morals and themes are more common in fiction books, but non-fiction and self-help books can also carry a positive message. Consider how the message, theme, or moral of your book comes through in the example books. Does the author state the theme upfront or is it woven into the chapters and sections of the book? Is the moral or theme clear in the book, or hard to figure out?
- How does the writer make the main character interesting and engaging for readers? This is a big concern in fiction books, as the main character or protagonist acts as the driving force in the story. Do you feel the main character is relatable or enjoyable? Did you find yourself getting bored by character cliches or flowery descriptions of character in the book? How does the author balance the main character with supporting characters in the book?
- Is there an unexpected twist or payoff at the end of the book? This is a key element in fiction books, especially thrillers and mysteries, as well as some self-help books. An unexpected twist or payoff is what keeps readers engaged in the story and motivated to finish the book. Consider how the author builds up tension in each chapter to create suspense. Did the twist seem obvious from the beginning or were you surprised and entertained by the twist as a reader?

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Developing Your Story Idea

1
Determine the setting of the story. Often, when writing fiction or non-fiction, the setting of your story will inform the details of your main character and the genre you are writing for. Think about an area you know well, such as your town or city, or a geographical area you would like to learn more about. You will then need to research certain elements of the setting to ensure it seems believable and clear to your reader.^{[5]
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- If you are writing historical fiction set in a certain time period, you will need to do some research about that time period. If you are writing dystopian fiction or a folktale, you can use your imagination to create a unique and slightly futuristic or supernatural setting.
- In fiction, there is no limit to setting. From a spaceship on Mars to a pirate ship in the Caribbean, all these settings can be used for your story.
2
Write a one sentence summary of your book. This sentence will act as your ten-second selling tool for publishers. It should be a statement of the big picture of your book. When you later write a book proposal, this sentence should appear very early in the proposal. Writing a one sentence summary can be difficult, and is almost an artform of its own, so take your time and revise the sentence until it feels right.^{[6]
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- Go short, no more than 15 words.
- Avoid character names. Instead, use a short vivid description of your character.
- Link the big picture and the personal picture in the book. Which character has the most to lose in your story?
- For example, a one sentence summary of your book on urban bee keeping could be: “An exploration of the economical benefits and the environmental benefits of urban bee keeping for the under 30 hobbyist.”
- A one sentence summary of your memoir could be: “A young, mixed race woman searches for the mother she never knew and battles her own addictions in British Columbia, Canada.”
3
Come up with a working title. Creating a working title will help you answer the reader’s questions about the book and provide a good sense of the book’s overall goal or theme. Try to match the title to the tone of the book.^{[7]
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- For example, a working title for your book on urban bee keeping could be: “Sweetness in the City: A Simple Guide to Urban Bee Keeping”, and a working title for your memoir could be: “Autobiography of a Mixed Child” or simply, “Searching for My Mother.”
4
Create a table of contents for the book. If you are writing non-fiction, your table of contents will help you organize your thoughts and act as a guide to writing the book.
- Make a bulleted list, with the main topic and then sub topics or headings underneath the main topic. For example, for a book on urban bee keeping, the main topic might be Urban Bee Keeping and the sub topics could be: Origins of Bee Keeping, Development of Bee Keeping, Supplies for Bee Keeping, Hazards of Bee Keeping.
- You can also use this tactic with fiction books, where the main topic might be My Life Story, and the sub topics could be: My Birth, My Childhood, My Adolescence, My Adulthood.
5
Develop a rough story outline. For fiction books, you should create an outline of your chapters or sections. You may start with three distinct sections, broken down by time periods, or twelve chapters, based on each year of a character’s life. Though you may want to simply begin with Chapter 1 and see where your writing takes you, having a rough outline of the chapter breaks or section breaks can help to focus your writing.^{[8]
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- Start a folder on your Desktop for each part of your book, one for your introduction, another for your index or resource section. For a fiction book, you could start a folder for each chapter of the book, or each section.
6
Create an engaging main character. If you are writing a fiction book, your protagonist, or main character, is going to act as a guide for your reader as they read your story. Your main character should be interesting and endearing enough that your reader cares what happens to her.^{[9]
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- The character’s name.
- A one-sentence summary of the character’s storyline.
- The character’s motivation, or what the character wants in the story in an abstract or big picture way. For example, your character may be looking for redemption and reconciliation with her heritage.
- The character’s goal, or what the character wants in the story in a concrete way. For example, your character may be searching for her missing mother, or a missing family member.
- The character’s conflict, or what prevents the character for reaching her goal. For example, maybe the character is battling addiction and other demons that get in the way of her search.
- The character’s epiphany, or what the character learns or how she changes. For example, a reconciliation with her missing mother and an attempt to get sober.
- A one-paragraph summary of the character’s storyline. This should cover all of the above points in further detail.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Writing the First Three Chapters

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Dive right into the conflict. Make those first several sentences count. Begin with action, dialogue, or a description that sets the mood of the story. Start as close as possible to the story’s catalyst, or the aha moment for the main character. This is the moment where your main character’s life shifts from ordinary to extraordinary and the plot of the story takes off.^{[10]
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- Avoid creating false beginnings, like the character wakes up from a dream or the main character dies in the first chapter. You want to make your reader feel surprised and engaged, rather than cheated or disappointed.
- Skip the prologue and start right in the action of the first chapter. Most prologues are unnecessary to the main story or act as a way to stall getting into the nitty gritty of the story.
2
Start with a hook paragraph. In non-fiction books, it helps to draw your reader in if start with an attention grabbing first paragraph. Some ideas for generating a hook paragraph include:
- An interesting or surprising example: This could be a personal experience, such as your childhood memories of urban bee keeping with a family member, or your failed first attempts at bee keeping.
- A provocative quotation: Look through your research materials for a quotation that sums up your book. For example, a quotation on the environmental benefits of honey bees or on the relationship between a bee keeper and her bees.
- A vivid anecdote: An anecdote is a very short story that carries moral or symbolic weight. Think of an anecdote that might be a poetic or powerful way to start your book. You can also look through your research for your essay for any note worthy anecdotes.
- A thought provoking question: This could be a question that will get your reader thinking and engaged in your topic. For example: “Did you ever wonder how honey is made?”
3
Avoid editing your writing until you finish the first three chapters. Focus on getting through the first three chapters, using your rough outline and your one sentence book summary as guides. Avoid stopping to revise or edit your writing, especially in the early stages of drafting. Only move forward in your writing, as this will allow you to work through your ideas. Save editing for further down the road.^{[11]
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- Note how long it takes you to finish the first three chapters of the book, and use this number (3 months, 2 weeks, 1 year) to gauge how long it will take for you to finish the rest of the book.

Community Q&A

Question

Should I do the same thing if I want to have pictures on some pages?

Community Answer

Yes, though it may involve a bit more work when it comes to laying out and printing the actual book.
Question

I am having a problem starting my writing. I know what I am writing about, but do not know how to get the hook for the first paragraph. Any suggestions?

Abby McKay

Community Answer

You could have a smell, or a feeling of the character. Maybe a voice whispering, or the sounds around them. Or maybe you could have a thought that changes over time, such as, "I thought it was a dream, but over time, it seemed to be more of a reality". Just a thought. Look in other books to see how they start their books.
Question

How many chapters should be in a book?

Community Answer

If you're just starting, you should create from 3 to 7 chapters, so that it doesn't get boring and try putting something interesting in every chapter. Later in the next book, you should create from 5 to 12 chapters, but make sure that they are not too long.