So, you’ve finally decided to write a book and that 2024 is your year to do it. But how on earth do you get started? That’s why we created Bonnie Book Writing Services – to help you make your goal come to life.
We specialize in helping writers through the entire process of writing a book, from first idea to completed manuscript. To get you started, we created the ultimate guide for writing a book in 2024, step by step. For the free full version, click here. For a brief overview, keep reading.
1. Establish a writing schedule.
Every writer needs a schedule. Your first step is to create a writing schedule that works best for you. There are three basic elements of a writing schedule:
- Setting
- Coffee shops are great writing spaces, as are libraries. Consider implementing music (we recommend this playlist) or try for absolute silence. Try out a variety of options to see what works best for you.
- Time of Day
- What time of day works best for your writing sessions? We suggest picking a time to write and sticking to it each day, which includes planning around it if necessary.
A Good Writing Schedule Will Help You Avoid This
- Word Count
- The average novel is up to 120,000 words. If your goal is to write an entire book in one year, you can break that up into the amount of words you write per day. That’s about 330 words per day, or 2,310 words per week.
Once you’ve established your writing schedule, stick to it. It takes about 2 months on average to turn an action into a habit. Be consistent for those first two months, and your writing schedule will soon be as habitual as brushing your teeth.
2. Find an accountability partner.
Your accountability partner can be a friend, family member or colleague who is also actively writing a book. Meet monthly, at a minimum (we like meeting weekly with our accountability partners!) Use the time to review your writing goals and your writing struggles, and to get honest and helpful feedback. Encouragement is also a plus.
3. Brainstorm your book idea.
Now that you’ve established a writing schedule and found a partner, use your first day or two of writing to brainstorm your book idea. This stage is not for outlining – that comes later. Treat this as an idea session. Take time to seriously think about the story you want to write. Self-Publishing School has an extremely helpful template for an effective brainstorm.
The most important thing to come from this brainstorm session is your why, also known as your purpose. There is a reason you’re writing this book. Write your why down somewhere where you will see it often. Keep it simple, easy to remember, and highly visible.
Anytime you get discouraged, stay focused on your why.
4. Create an outline.
Now that you’ve brainstormed your idea and come up with your why, it’s time to outline. Your outline is a living document that you will refer back to throughout the entire process of writing your book.
You can Google outline templates, and you’ll see that there are endless ways to structure an outline. This might feel overwhelming, but here’s how we narrow it down: decide if you’re writing a character-driven book or a plot-driven book. Outline accordingly.
We have templates for each option in our printable guide. If you feel that you focused on both characters and plot in your brainstorm, we have a printable outline for that as well.
5. Start writing a book!
This might be the scariest step of all. Now that you have your writing schedule in place, your outline completed, and your why cemented, it’s time to start writing your book.
For your first draft, focus on quantity over quality. Don’t worry about making it perfect – just do the thing you showed up to do.
Set a goal for yourself for when you’d like your first draft to be complete, based on your routine and what you think is realistic. You’re really doing it!
Here’s a great resource on how to create goals for your writing that will actually stick.
6. Stay focused and persevere.
Again, the hardest part of writing is writing, but consistency will get you further than anything else. You don’t have to be perfect, or even good! You just have to remember your writing goals, make time to write, and be consistent. You can do this. We know you can.
7. Step away from your first draft.
Congratulations! Your first draft is complete. Give yourself a pat on the back, breathe a sigh of relief, and shut down your computer. Give yourself some time to process, breathe, and get away from the specifics of your story. Allow your brain to reset.
It’s best to give yourself at least a few weeks before returning to your first draft. Once you return to your first draft, don’t be surprised if you hate it. Most authors do.
8. Begin the developmental editing process.
Developmental editing is the first step in rewriting your story, aka, writing the second draft. This editing considers the plot, characters, story structure and pacing rather than grammar, spelling or sentence structure.
Read through your first draft and begin developmentally editing as needed. Once you feel comfortable sharing it with others, now is the step to do so. Share it with people whose opinions you trust and who will be honest in their feedback. Remember, the more constructive feedback you get on your writing, the better it will be.
Here are some helpful tips on how to get good feedback on your writing. Rinse and repeat this editing process until you feel you have the best version of your story.
9. Copyediting
After developmental editing, it’s time to focus on sentence-level elements, including sentence structure, word choice, and grammar. This is called copyediting, line editing, or proofreading.
If you have the means to hire a copyeditor , we highly recommend that you do so. A professional copyeditor can provide objective edits with a keen eye for detail.
If you don’t have the means to hire a copyeditor, don’t worry. You can self-edit your book, although it will take significant time and effort. We recommend this book as an easy-to-follow guide for self-editing.
10. Preparing for publishing your book.
And just like that, you did it. You’ve written a book. We hope you’re proud of yourself for getting this far! You’ve done something not many people have accomplished. Now comes the end of the writing process: becoming a published author.
Whether you choose self-publishing or traditional publishing, we have a few tips that will make either option a bit easier.
1. Properly format your manuscript.
If you are planning on publishing your book, it is vital that you format it correctly in order to be taken seriously.
2. Create a website and/or social media presence.
In today’s world, it’s essential to have a polished, up-to-date online presence. If you are planning on self-publishing, it’s helpful to create a website and a social media platform to advertise your book. If you are planning on traditional publishing, they are more likely to consider your manuscript if you have some sort of following or fanbase.
3. Get advice from other authors.
Any local bookstore worth their salt is bound to have a “local authors” section. We highly recommend seeking out and networking with those authors who have published their own books. Ask them questions and listen to any advice they have to offer. It’s always a good idea to create a circle of mentors, friends and experts.
You can write a book.
We started Bonnie Book as a way to help people write books, and through our work, we have come to believe that it truly is possible for anybody to write a book. That includes you. Writing a book will change your life, and sharing your book with others will change their lives.
You got this. Happy writing.
Need additional help? We’ve got you. Contact us today to set up a free, 30-minute meeting all about the goals you have for writing your book.
