11 Tips For Writing From Someone Writing A Book

Ever since I started writing my book, I’ve been asked by friends and family for advice. How do you write a book? How do you know what to write? When do you write it?

Do you have an outline? Does it help to be in a cabin in the woods with no internet connection or should you be surrounded by people so that they can inspire your writing?

Writing a book is hard work and no, having an idea and knowing how to use Microsoft Word doesn’t mean that it’s going to be easy.

But some tips helped me get through the process of writing from start to finish. Below are 11 pieces of advice for anyone who wants to begin writing their book, but isn’t quite sure where to start:

11 Novel Writing Tips For Newbies | iWriterly – YouTube

Takeaways
1. Start with a clear outline to guide your writing process.
2. Set achievable writing goals to maintain consistency.
3. Embrace imperfection in your first draft; perfection can come later.
4. Prioritize storytelling techniques to engage your readers.
5. Create a dedicated writing space to boost your focus.
6. Overcome self-doubt by silencing your inner critic and writing freely.
7. Collaborate and seek feedback from peers or writing groups.
8. Manage your time effectively to balance writing with other commitments.
9. Celebrate small victories to stay motivated throughout the writing journey.
10. Edit and revise your manuscript thoroughly for clarity and coherence.
11. Stay persistent and keep writing even when facing challenges.

Table of Contents

1. Write Even When You’re Not Inspired

This is one of the most important writing tips, especially if you’re starting to get frustrated about not knowing how to write a book.

The truth is, that inspiration and motivation can come from anywhere. You don’t always have to be feeling inspired or motivated to write a book.

Sometimes, you just want to get something done so badly that even when everything seems against you, you keep going anyway.

Because at least then there’s some progress being made rather than sitting around doing nothing but complaining about things not working out like they should have been already.

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2. Write A Draft Before Editing

When writing the first draft, it’s important to get your ideas down as quickly and freely as possible. Don’t worry about grammar, spelling, or editing at this stage just focus on getting the story onto paper in any form.

Once you’ve got your story down in its rawest form, you can move on to editing and revising.

You’ll spend much of the rest of this book learning how to make this process easier for yourself by making sure that your first drafts are easy to edit later on (for example: write shorter paragraphs).

3. When You’re Stuck, Don’t Over-Edit Just Keep Writing

There’s a time and a place for perfectionism, but when you’re stuck or feeling frustrated with your writing, it’s not the time or place. You’ll just end up spending more time editing and procrastinating than you will write.

So when you find yourself getting stuck in the writing process, stop worrying about spelling or grammar mistakes, whether the quality of your writing is good enough (it probably isn’t), and anything else that might get in the way of your creative flow just keeps going!

This can be an extremely effective technique for getting out of writer’s block by forcing yourself to just write through it anyway.

Later on down the road (depending on how much you’ve gotten done), go back and edit all those spelling/grammar mistakes that may have slipped past unnoticed at first glance.

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4. Write In A Quiet Place With Very Few Distractions

Here are some tips for finding a good writing space:

Find a quiet place with few distractions. It can be hard to write when you’re surrounded by people or loud noises, so find a place where it’s easy to focus on your words.

If you have roommates or family members who are constantly in and out of the house or if there’s always someone making too much noise consider getting headphones so that you can tune them out while they’re talking (and vice versa).

If you have noisy neighbors or live near an airport, try moving into an apartment where the walls are soundproofed. Or just find another place that’s as quiet as possible and use it as a place to get work done without being distracted by outside noises.

5. Don’t Get Caught Up On The First Draft. Keep Going!

Writing a book is a long and arduous process, but it’s important to keep in mind that the first draft does not have to be perfect. There are several things you can do to make sure your first draft doesn’t become an unfinished project:

Don’t get caught up on one part of the story. If you’re getting stuck on how your characters interact with each other or how they look, just skip over it and move on to something else.

Don’t worry about spelling and grammar just write! You can always go back later and fix mistakes or add more details.

Don’t worry about what other people think of your writing skills. If something doesn’t sound right when you read back over it, then change it so it does sound right!

6. Stop Procrastinating And Get To Work On Your Book!

The point of writing is to get better at it, and the only way to do that is by putting your words into action. The process itself is where you will learn from your mistakes, discover new things about yourself, and find success.

Don’t think about what others are doing or how fast they are moving forward with their writing projects. If we all had an equal amount of free time and energy, then everyone would have published a book within days of starting their first draft!

You don’t have to worry about comparing yourself to anyone else you just need to focus on following through with your plans for success in whatever way works best for YOU (and yes, there will be times when YOU need some extra motivation).

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7. Don’t Have The Answer? Research It! Even If You Don’t Use It All, You’ll Be More Informed

You know when you have a question about something, but don’t know where to look for the answer? Sure, it’s easy enough to Google it. But what if you want more than just a fact or two? What if you want to learn all about your topic before writing anything at all?

That’s when doing research is a great idea. Researching can help with both the content and style of your book and even make your writing easier!

Researching helps:

Find out more about topics that interest you and find people who will be interested in hearing what you have to say!

Learn how experts think about these things. This will help guide how much detail (or not) goes into describing them in your manuscript; also gives more credibility to whatever claims are made therein (e.g., “this is backed up by science!”).

Find out answers to questions that were not yet asked but might arise later on, like why did this happen? Where did these characters come from? What are some examples of good ways for someone new at this skill set/profession to practice their skills etcetera…

8. Write Every Day. 15 Minutes

The best time to write is the same time every day, and the best place is somewhere quiet. You need to get into a routine and stick with it.

You should find a way that works for you: maybe that means writing in the morning before breakfast (when you’re full), or maybe it means writing in the evening after work before dinner (when you’re hungry).

Once you’ve got your routine down, start by setting aside fifteen minutes at first even if that feels like an eternity!

If fifteen minutes go by, stop writing and move on with your day – but then come back tomorrow and try again for another fifteen minutes. Eventually, it’ll become second nature: just do what’s best for YOU!

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9. Reach Out To Family And Friends For Support And Encouragement

Sometimes, you need a fresh set of eyes to look over your work. Do you know who will do the best job of offering constructive criticism? Your family and friends.

You can use them as sounding boards for your ideas, and they are also likely to keep you motivated when the going gets tough. (Remember how we talked about how important that is?)

On the other hand, don’t be surprised if your loved ones also offer their own opinions on what works and what doesn’t.

Some people may tend to nitpick even more than you do! So take their feedback with a grain of salt.

You don’t want someone’s opinion so ingrained in your mind that it prevents you from seeing anything else but theirs. Try reminding yourself that this isn’t their book; it’s yours!

10. Always Write Down Ideas And Thoughts When They Come To Mind

Write down your ideas and thoughts as they come to mind. Don’t worry about how they fit into the story or if they fit in with the rest of your writing.

Don’t even think about how they might fit in with the rest of your life. Just write them down, and don’t be afraid to take notes on sticky notes. Because who knows? You may need those ideas later!

This tip is easy because all you need is a pen (or pencil) and paper, so there’s no excuse for not doing this one every time you feel an idea coming on.

11. Writing Is Hard Work But Well Worth The Effort In The End

It’s hard work. It’s also a skill that can be learned, practiced, and honed over time. Writing is a skill that you can refine until you have it down to a fine art.

You might even find yourself polishing your writing from time to time, making sure that your work has no obvious mistakes or missed opportunities for improvement.

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Conclusion

I hope this post was helpful for you! Writing can be a lonely business, and I often find myself looking for advice from other authors.

Sometimes the best place to start is by asking yourself questions about your work by really thinking about why you write and what you want to say in your writing. I know that’s a good place to begin, and hopefully, it’s something we all do more often as writers.

FAQs

How do I get started with writing a book?

Getting started with writing a book involves brainstorming ideas, outlining your plot or structure, and setting a writing schedule that works for you.

What are some effective writing habits to stay productive?

Establishing a consistent writing routine, setting achievable goals, and minimizing distractions can significantly enhance your writing productivity.

How do I overcome writer’s block during the writing process?

To overcome writer’s block, try changing your writing environment, freewriting, or taking a short break to clear your mind before returning to your work.

What’s the importance of editing and revising my manuscript?

Editing and revising your manuscript is crucial for improving clarity, coherence, and overall quality. It helps refine your story and ensures a polished final product.

How can I find a publisher or self-publish my book?

Researching literary agents and publishers, or exploring self-publishing platforms, can help you choose the best path to bring your book to the reading audience.

Costantine Edward

Costantine Edward is a digital marketing expert, freelance writer, and entrepreneur who helps people attain financial freedom. I’ve been working in marketing since I was 18 years old and have managed to build a successful career doing what I love.