Where to Start When Writing a Book

Where to Start When Writing a Book

It’s said that roughly half of Americans want to write a book, but only about fifteen percent actually start that book, and even fewer complete it. If you’re among this percentage who have a book idea but don’t know where to start, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’ll cover all the details of writing a book, including everything from story development to the nitty-gritty of timing and even post-writing steps. Use this handy guide to jumpstart your creativity and get your book project off the ground. Because at the end of the day, only YOU can write your book. Stop waiting—it’s time to turn your dream into reality.

What type of book do you want to write?

In general, fiction refers to stories created from the author’s imagination. The plot, setting, and characters are made-up, and while they can sometimes be based on actual events, the details are fabricated or used as inspiration. Most novels, novellas, and short stories are categorized as fiction.

On the other hand, non-fiction books are factual and focus on actual events, including history, biographies, self-help, business resources, and more. Moreover, these books are objective, reporting the truth rather than stretching it.

An intriguing combination of fiction and non-fiction is a category referred to as narrative non-fiction, which uses elements of fictional storytelling to make non-fiction books compelling and dramatic. Creative non-fiction is a newer trend gaining popularity for both writers and readers.

Now that you know the difference between the categories let’s dive a little deeper into fiction and talk about genres.

Common Fiction Genres

What’s a genre? When it comes to fiction, stories are put into sub-categories based on style, plot elements, and tone. Here are the most common fiction genres:

Literary Fiction

Works of literary fiction are character-driven rather than plot-driven and focus on the inner character’s journey. These books are often considered highly artistic and don’t necessarily follow the typical format or tropes of genre fiction.

Mystery

Mystery novels follow a detective or law enforcement as they try to solve a case. Stories often center around a case or crime, and the duration of the book drops hints to resolve all questions by the conclusion.

Thriller / Suspense

Thrillers are plot-driven, suspenseful novels that typically have dark elements. They keep readers turning pages by utilizing cliffhangers and twists.

Romance

Romance novels center on the relationship of two people, with a lighthearted storyline that reaches a satisfying conclusion. These books can range from steamy to clean and sometimes include the sub-genre of “chick lit.”

Historical

Historical fiction transports readers to another time and place from the past. It’s a vast category, including everything from the beginning of time through recent history. As a result, historical novels require extensive research into the time period, especially if they involve real people and events.

Science Fiction / Fantasy

Sci-fi is a broad book category that includes elements, not from the real world. This genre is speculative fiction and dystopian fiction, which explore imaginary universes, time travel, futuristic settings, and worlds without boundaries.

Horror

Horror novels include ghosts, demons, monsters, and more, with the intent of scaring or shocking readers. These books make readers’ hair stand on end and create unease while reading.

Magical Realism

Unlike sci-fi/fantasy, magical realism centers on the real world with magical elements sprinkled in. The imaginary elements are considered normal in the setting of the story.

Developing a Story Idea

Maybe you have a fully fleshed-out story in your head. Or you only have a few details in mind. One doesn’t need to look far for story ideas. Consider what’s going on in the world. Can you take a current event and put an imaginary spin on it? Look to your own experiences, or those of a friend or family member, then use those ideas as inspiration. Always ask yourself “what ifs” and let your mind wander to explore new ideas.

Once your story idea is solidified, start brainstorming titles. Many writers wait until the book is complete to give it a title, while others have a title in mind from the get-go. Either way, make sure the title is a reflection of the book and genre in which you’re writing. Research other books in your category to get a sense of style and trends, but don’t feel chained to them.

Elements of a Good Book

When it comes to crafting a readable, engaging novel, a few elements are considered crucial.

Character

Character development includes building primary and secondary characters that have depth, personality, and relatability. Their motivations must be clear, even if the reader disagrees with them. It’s essential to avoid “flat” characters—those that are presented at the surface level. Instead, aim for three-dimensional characters who feel rounded with strengths and flaws. Part of character development involves laying out the character arc and the transformation (internal journey) throughout the book.

When writing your cast, beware of cliches, which make characters less believable and can turn off readers. Instead, try to make your characters truly unique, just as all people are in real life. Of course, in your story, these rules apply to both the heroes and antiheroes (antagonists). But, believe it or not, even villains need to be well developed.

Conflict

There’s no story without some sort of conflict—this is what creates the plot. Something needs to happen to the character to set them off on their journey. And let’s be honest: No one wants to read a story where nothing happens. Conflict creates agency, which propels the story forward. It can be external or internal—everything from an asteroid pummeling toward Earth, or an affair rocking a marriage. Pacing your novel often depends on the type of conflict. Will your book be a slow burn? Or a runaway train barreling toward the end?

Tension

Conflict and tension work hand-in-hand. Beginning with the inciting incident (the event that sets the plot in motion), tension is crucial to keep the pages turning. You want readers to continue wondering what will happen next, how the conflict will get resolved, and whether the characters will get what they want. So, whether the tension is external or internal, keep the stakes high, constantly toying with what the character stands to lose.

Overall Theme

Some novels are purely for entertainment. However, others weave essential themes throughout the story, including the importance of family or friendship, the power of self and identity, sacrificial love, good versus evil, and many more. Sometimes books are tied to cultural movements, such as feminism or equality. In all of these cases, one of the author’s goals is to make the reader ask, “What is this book really saying?” Is there some sort of bigger or deeper meaning? If so, make sure it fits the genre and reader expectations.

A few more technical details

Point of View

Before you start writing, you should decide which point of view you want—that is, how you want your narrator positioned. First-person POV uses one (or more) of the characters as the narrator. The book will use “I” statements (“I did this,” “I said that”). First-person is considered closer, so the reader can get into the character’s head. On the other hand, third-person POV is where the author narrates from a more distant view, using “he/she” statements. Within this POV is the omniscient approach, where the narrator is all-knowing and can move freely through all characters’ minds.

There is no right or wrong when choosing a POV. It’s primarily a personal choice or one dictated by trends within genres. Some authors feel more comfortable writing one POV over another. If you’re unsure, try writing a scene in each to see which comes more naturally and feels right for the story.

Word Count

How long should my book be? It is a common question new authors face, and the good news is that there are standard guidelines based on genre. Generally speaking, novels range from 60,000 to 100,000 words. However, readers have come to know certain genres for specific lengths, particularly Sci-Fi/Fantasy, which often reaches up to 120,000 words. Some historical novels often lean toward the higher end due to world-building and extensive research. Anything less than 60,000 words would fit into the novella or short story category.

How long will it take to write my book?

This question is very personal, depending on many external factors like jobs or family needs. There are, however, a few ways to set yourself up for a streamlined writing process:

1. Research Phase

Even if you’re not writing historical fiction, every story requires some research. It could be coming up with ideas, character development, or even reading comp books. Other books require extensive research that could take significantly more time.

2. Outline Phase

Some authors consider themselves “pantsers” in that they write “by the seat of their pants.” On the flip side are plotters, who function best with a plan and outline. Determine where you fall and what level of outlining makes sense for you.

3. Drafting Phase

You’ve made it to the fun part—it’s time to write! Of course, no book is complete after a single draft, so be prepared to revise and edit many times (you could end up with four, six, or even ten drafts!). With that in mind, the drafting stage varies from author to author, depending on how much time is dedicated to writing. Some can produce a first draft in weeks, while others take months.

My book is done—now what?

Once you’ve drafted and revised (and revised some more), it’s time to get outside eyes on your manuscript. The first step is to find beta readers. These are readers who will read your book and provide big-picture feedback. Beta readers are not typically compensated for this service—they do it because they are avid readers and enjoy helping writers. Find betas outside your circle, meaning people who can be objective and unbiased (don’t use family and friends!).

Many authors are part of critique groups, where writers exchange manuscripts for review and feedback. Gathering opinions from average readers and experienced writers is a great way to cover all your bases. In addition, critique partners can view a manuscript with an eye for craft and mechanics.

Finally, all books should go through professional editing before publishing. Developmental editing looks at the manuscript’s structure and involves an in-depth analysis of what’s working and what’s not. Copyediting and proofreading go line by line to catch any typos and grammatical errors. All of these services can be hired out by professionals and freelancers.

Are you ready?

You’ve got the idea. You’ve done the planning. And now you know all the ins and outs of writing a book. So what are you waiting for?

How does Page Publishing Distribute our Author’s Books?

How does Page Publishing Distribute our Author’s Books?

As soon as your book is print-ready (i.e., it has been exhaustively edited and formatted, all artwork and cover designs are complete, and the ISBN has been assigned) it then moves into our “distribution” phase whereby several things happen at once. Most importantly, the print-ready electronic file (not to be confused with an ePub file which will be explained below) is uploaded to the server of our printing press. Once this is complete, the presses are fired up and an initial batch of your hard-copy book is produced.

A large number of this initial batch of your hard copy book will be immediately shipped directly to you, and many will be used by us for getting your book reviewed and promoting it. With your book’s file securely stored on our servers, orders for any quantity of books can be fulfilled almost instantly. In fact, because the Ingram Content Group (which we are members of) is used by most large and small brick-and-mortar book retailers, a customer wanting to purchase your book can walk into virtually any retail book store and order your book immediately.

In addition to making hard copies of your book available to the public through retail book stores and Amazon (via the Ingram Content Group), Page Publishing will also offer your book for sale through digital download venues such as Amazon (for the Kindle and Fire), Barnes and Noble (for the Nook), the Apple iTunes Store (for the iPad and iPhone), and Google Play (for Android and Google devices). As your publisher, we handle uploading the appropriate digital versions of your book to each platform (we are authorized distributors for all of these platforms) and the employment of Digital Rights Management software (DRM) to prevent unauthorized copying/sharing of your work. Finally and most importantly, we handle collecting all of the revenue from these sellers. The entire process could not be easier.

What is copyright protection?

What is copyright protection?

Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States and extended to the authors of “original works of authorship”. While this applies to many forms of authorship (literary, dramatic, musical, photographic, etc.) it is only the protection of literary works which we are concerned with here in the book publishing world. This protection is available to both published and unpublished works and it generally gives the owner of copyright the exclusive right to reproduce the work in copies (i.e. print a book), prepare derivative works based upon the work (in other words make a screenplay from a book), distribute copies of the work to the public by sale (i.e. sell copies of the book), and perform the work publicly (i.e. turn a book into a theatrical performance).

How do I obtain copyright protection for my book?

Contrary to common belief, there are no steps needed to obtain copyright protection for a book. The book need not be registered or published. Copyright protection for a book attaches automatically when the work is “created”. A book is created when the book is written with paper and pen, or typed into a computer or other device – anything that “fixes” the work in a “copy” that may be “visually perceived”. Thus, just having the idea for a book in your head is not enough to secure copyright protection – the concept for the book must actually be fixed in a copy.

Should I apply for copyright registration of my book?

As mentioned above, copyright registration is not required in order to secure copyright protection for a book or other written work. It is highly recommended, however, that all authors do indeed take steps to register their written works with the Library of Congress via the filing of a formal copyright registration application, in that the benefits of formal registration are many. In the first place, registration establishes a formal public record of ownership of the written work by the author. Additionally, if registration is made within five years of publication of the work (indeed, it is the opinion of Page Publishing that registration should always be made commensurate with publication of the book), it serves as prima facie evidence in court that the registration and facts contained therein are valid. It should also be noted that registration is a necessary condition precedent to the filing of a copyright infringement action. Also significant is the facts that registration allows the owner of the copyright to record the registration with the U. S. Customs Service for protection against the importation of infringing copies. Thus, if a counterfeiter in China were to illegally produce infringing copies of your work, the U.S. Customs Service would seize and destroy any such illegal copies.

Should I place the copyright notice “©” on my book?

Use of the notice is important because it informs the public that the work is protected by copyright, and it identifies you as the rightful the copyright owner. Also, placement of a proper notice of copyright on your book would invalidate any claims by an infringer that he “innocently” infringed the work if it can be proved that the infringer had access to the work with the copyright notice placed upon it.

What is the length of copyright protection?

Your book is automatically protected from the moment of its creation, whether you register it or not. That protection lasts for the author’s life plus an additional 70 years after the author’s death. This means that upon your death, your heirs/estate can continue to own the rights to your work for an additional 70 years.

How is a book "converted" to an ebook?

How is a book "converted" to an ebook?

Many new authors are allured by the apparent ease of self-publishing their book in electronic format on Amazon.com or iTunes. As such, one of their first topics of research is how to convert their work into an eBook. While we certainly do not discourage the self-publishing route, we can tell you that the conversion process is not as easy as clicking “File -> Save as” from your favorite word processing software.

There are a number of software programs that are making this process more intuitive, but there are some key problems that still remain. One such issue is that none of the online marketplaces can agree on a single and consistent file format. So to sell your book on more than one distribution channel, you are forced to reformat your book again, and again, and again! This is frustrating and, unfortunately, a problem that will be a thorn in every author’s side for the foreseeable future. With each major book seller having their own device and associated file format, no one standard will be victorious.

How Facebook Works For Authors

How Facebook Works For Authors

The power of social media is undeniable. Whether you’re a business, celebrity, or individual looking to gain a foothold in your career, you need to make sure that your brand is visible. This post will examine how writers can use social media for self-promotion and its importance in the literary world. We’ll be looking at a few choice examples and offering actionable tips on how the average writer can harness this relatively new medium to their advantage.

Facebook and Twitter have taken over the world; today, everyone and their mother owns a smartphone, guaranteeing fast access to the internet and social media through the use of apps that come pre-installed. Authors are thought of as people who have their noses stuck to the grindstone, hard at work trying to pen something meaningful and groundbreaking. Most wouldn’t even think of mixing with the ‘unwashed masses’ on social media, given the fact that writers are more concerned with focusing on producing a great piece of literature. This has changed, and prominent authors are stepping into the social media limelight.

For instance, Booker Prize winning author Michael Ondaatje’s page was abuzz with information on his new book The Cat’s Table, weeks before his nomination. This is one author who is not afraid to get into the mix of things; he is known for actively interacting with his fans on a personal level, taking the time to answer questions posed by enthusiastic and loyal fans. If a Booker Prize nominee can do this, it follows that any author that seeks elevation and a boost to his book sales should follow in this writer’s footsteps. Through the use of a fan page, timely interaction will ensure that readers are kept engaged in the creative process, fostering a sense of community and book-club feeling, which will eventually boost a writer’s profile in social media.

Facebook isn’t just a spam dump. If you visit a famous artist’s page today (say Michael Jackson or Britney Spears), you’ll probably be bombarded by hundreds of spam comments on the walls of these celebrities. It’s hard to find something meaningful on these walls; in the same way gems aren’t found easily. However, Facebook helps when it comes to marketing products. In fact, one exciting aspect of this social media site is the fact that one can set up a virtual shop to sell products, such as eBooks. Facebook charges an individual a small fee to come up with a shopping service, complete with a secure checkout service that allows fans to buy these products. A great way of making this work would be to create a page that has shopping capabilities so that if a fan were ever to want to buy a book from an author, they would be offered the convenience of shopping without leaving the comfort of Facebook, and at the same time interacting with other literary enthusiasts, friends, and family.

Facebook interaction presents another interesting aspect that seeks to find out what readers really want. For instance, if a reader liked a page you created for one of your upcoming books, you’d be able to get a rare insight as to what this reader likes thanks to data offered by Facebook in terms of what this individual likes, their hobbies, and activities. This is information that is easily available to marketers who are able to examine the information contained in the profiles of fans. They can then create targeted posts that mirror what the readers prefer by examining data and creating a campaign that will produce a positive result and increase the likelihood of fans buying a particular book. Page post-targeting by age, gender, and likes is now available for marketers, which essentially is done to influence reader behavior.

Facebook allows a writer to establish a ‘base camp’ of sorts, where they will be able to post interesting tidbits on future projects. Additionally, this is a great place to share pages from your blogs and encourage a conversation that will grow exponentially. The premise of social media lies in the fact that people will share information in social circles, making concepts reach a larger audience in a short time. Repetition and broadcasting allow your fans to act as carriers who will influence their friends and market your work on your behalf, setting off a chain reaction that may even turn viral, leading to overnight success in some cases.

Social media is a good place to make that connection with your fan base from an authentic standpoint. For example, you could post a photo every second day that chronicles your creative journey as you pen your next book. Readers are said to have a photographic memory, and what better way to butter them up than giving them images that show them the behind-the-scenes on what it takes to come up with a great book. The video diary phenomenon is also available on Facebook, allowing you to come up with vlogs on a fortnightly basis, where you get to answer reader questions. At the end of the day, readers want to know the human being behind the books and will respond more positively to an author who is open and authentic and makes them feel that their input is appreciated.

Social media is a great place to build a name and market your books to a target demographic in a convenient and fast way, which eventually translates to increased book sales and name recognition on a wider level.

What Is Print On Demand?

The advent of digital printing has revolutionized the publishing industry. This relatively new method of printing negates the previously labor-intensive process of typesetting traditional style presses. Now printing is much more streamlined, as the printer does not require any preparation when changing titles – all the setup is done via software.

This new ability has given way to a new business model – Print On Demand (or POD). POD is a method of printing and distributing books based on individual orders. So if any bookstore receives a request for your book, or decides that they want to stock your title, they can place an order with the supplier or publisher (such as Page Publishing).

The supplier then prints and ships only enough copies to fulfill the order. This method significantly reduces the cost of bulk printing and storing un-ordered copies of a book. The cost savings allow the author to offer their title at a reduced price and, as a result, sell more books. This drives sales exponentially as more people see your book and refer it to friends.