HelloOoOo everybody!
Let me guess, one of your goals is to write a book. That's why you're here on my channel . . . Before you start tapping at that keyboard, I am breaking down the 10 things you should do first. Writing a book ain't easy! It doesn't magically fall out of your mind-vagina. If you implement these 10 steps before you start writing, the process will go a lot more smoothly.
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Number 1: Study Structure
The number one most common issue I see among newbie writers is structure. You guys do not know how to build a cohesive, naturally flowing plot. Contrary to popular assumption, you cannot write a series of unrelated events and call it a novel. I mean, you can, but no one's gonna read it. Plots need to have a beginning, middle, and end. An inciting incident, rising action, climax, and resolution.
Before you write a single word, read as many books and articles as you can on storytelling structure. There are so many different types to choose from. Some are really simple. Some are a lot more complicated. You don't have to commit to one style, but you should familiarize yourself to the point where it is instinctive in your writing. Many writers develop their own structure over time, and it's usually a mishmash of other popular structures. But you can't really get there unless you do the research . . . I can’t emphasize this enough. Your career will thank you for this, and so will your readers.
Number 2: Read About the Craft
I feel like this should go without saying, but common sense ain't common. I don't care how smart you are, or how many books you've read. I don't care if your mom says you're special. Check out some craft books from the library and brush up on your writing skills. Even if you're the best writer in the world, which I guarantee you're not, these books will at least confirm what you already know.
Number 3: Research Publishing
You don't have to make a decision regarding your publishing path before you start writing, but the industry is so complex and ever-changing that fully understanding it can literally take years. Because of this, it's better to get started now as opposed to later. It took me three years of consistent research to feel comfortable with my knowledge of the publishing industry, and literally six months after I stopped researching, at least five different publishing standards were changed. I had to do that shit all over again! Save yourself some future stress and start educating yourself now.
Now, I began my research at the library, but I actually don't recommend this for this particular topic. Again, the publishing industry is constantly evolving, so if you're reading a book on publishing that was published more than a year ago, it’s already outdated. I'd recommend starting your research online with articles or publishing platforms themselves. You can also check out authors who talk about their own personal publishing experiences. Just make sure that whatever information you’re absorbing is relevant and timely.
Number 4: Thought Dump
Or brainstorm. Same thing! I find it's easiest to write a story after I've dumped all of my ideas for it into a Word doc. It doesn't have to be organized. The ideas don't even have to be good! I just gotta get 'em out of my head. Usually, my thought dump process takes about a week, and then I spend some time organizing my thoughts. Which ones are good, and which ones were absolute shit?
It's nice to get your ideas on paper because one, you'll have them saved for later in case you forget. And two, it makes starting a novel feel a lot less overwhelming because you have an actual starting point. You've got content, however messy and disjointed, to work with.
Number 5: Outline
"But Jenna, I don't outline! I'm a pantser!” Then ignore this step! Simple. Or complain in the comments... Whatever.
For everyone else, outlining is a pivotal process for a majority of writers. It's not always fun. It can be very difficult, but it exists to make writing the book itself less difficult. Fewer plot holes and inconsistencies, a stronger structure, shorter drafting time–that’s what you can expect out of outlining. There are a billion different outlining techniques. Some are very detailed, others are vague. You can kind of test the waters and figure out which method works best for you. I have a playlist about planning, outlining, and plotting for writers here. I highly recommend it, 'cause it’s awesome!
Number 6: Create a Social Media Presence
If you plan to publish a book and sell it for money, then the soonest you should start developing a social media presence . . . is yesterday. Your social media accounts should be under whatever name you plan to publish under. Not sure what name you're gonna use? Figure that out now! You also need to understand who you will likely market this book to. If it's young adults, that means teenagers, which means you should be choosing social media platforms that cater to teenagers. Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, and possibly Snapchat. If your book is for boomers, Facebook is going to be your number one social media site. I know you probably haven't even thought about target audiences or pen names, but it takes years to build up a social media audience, so you need to get started as soon as possible.
Number 7: Plan a Platform
You don't need to build your entire platform before you start writing a book. In fact, that would probably be a mistake, but you should at least be planning what your author platform should look like. You're obviously going to need an author website at some point, but most author's platforms are more extensive than that. Are you going to have a blog? If so, what blogging platform are you going to use? What are you going to blog about? These are questions you should be asking yourself. What about podcasting or YouTube? Are you going to offer advice, personal experience, or entertainment? What are the strengths and skills that you can offer to an audience? Some writers are also great photographers and have built a huge platform on Instagram. You should at the very least be thinking about this now, maybe doing some research so you can grow your platform over time. If you don't know where to start, I have a class on Skillshare all about growing an author platform! I've got it linked right here.
Number 8: Create a Budget
Releasing a book, no matter which publishing path you choose, is not going to be free. If you go the traditional route, fantastic! Your publisher is going to pay for the edit, the cover art, the copyright, and so on. If your publisher asks you for any money, run in the opposite direction! It is a vanity press and that is a scam. That said, your publisher is not going to market you to the extent that your novel will require. Most of the marketing is going to fall on your shoulders, and marketing ain't cheap. You're gonna have to fork out some cash. Sorry 'bout it!
If you're going the indie route, congratulations! You get to pay for everything yourself! The edit, the second edit, the proofread, the cover art, the copyright, the formatting. And of course, marketing. You can cut corners if you'd like, but your book is gonna look like shit and no one will buy it. I have a video all about budgeting linked here. Watch it! Start that shit now, you will thank me later.
Number 9: Read Your Genre
If you're writing a novel, you should read novels. But more specifically, you should read novels in your genre. I know it's not always fun. Sometimes we write what we want to read because the content we're looking for doesn't exist. But this is beneficial to yourself, both as a writer and a marketer. Reading expands your vocabulary and helps to solidify your technique, which will make you a better writer. It also shows you what not to do. If you're reading a book and you hate it, try to understand what about the story isn’t working for you. Likewise, if something is done really well, analyze it! See if you can possibly utilize that technique in your own future work.
Additionally, familiarizing yourself with the genre will make it easier for you to market your book in the future. You'll know what kind of covers sell. You'll know which tropes are marketable and which ones aren’t. I make it a habit to read at least 25 pages before bed each night. It's not hard to do and it will have a substantial impact on your career.
Number 10: Set Your Goals
"But Jenna, my goal is to write a book!” Writing a book can take a year, and that’s if you're speedy. Might want to be a bit more specific. The process of writing a book, especially if it's your first time, is very slow and overwhelming. If your goal is exclusively to write and publish a book, then your finish line is hundreds of miles into the distance. That is really intimidating.
Thus, it is to your benefit to create smaller, achievable goals throughout the timeline of your writing process. Your first handful of goals could be as follows: create three social media accounts, outline your book, and write 10,000 words, and you’re giving yourself one month to do this. This is a lot more manageable. These are things you can definitely achieve in one month. Once the goals are complete, create new ones and keep going until the book is done. This will make the process much easier, plus you get to reward yourself with so many wins along the way.
So that's all I've got for you today!
I know you thought writing a book would be straightforward, but that's because you’re a wee bit dumb. It's okay, we're all a little dumb when we get started, and it's my job to help you avoid the mistakes all of us published folks have already made along the way.
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