How to Get Started Writing a Book

New writers often ask how to get started writing a book. The answer of ‘putting pen to paper’ or ‘fingers to keyboard’ isn’t really the answer they are seeking. What they’re really asking is whether there is an easier or more efficient way to getting those words on the page.

It may surprise you to find out that the process of writing a book can vary for each manuscript and each writer.

I find writing a nonfiction manuscript very different to writing a fiction manuscript. This could be a personality quirk of mine but I have heard of other writers with similar experiences. One writer in particular had written almost an entire series with intricate plotting before putting words to page, but when the last book was being written all the plotting she had done didn’t help her get words on paper. In desperation she ended up ignoring the planned plot and ‘pantsing’ it (writing by the seat of your pants) to get the book finished.

There are pros and cons for both ‘plotting’ and ‘pantsing’ manuscripts, but my process for writing fiction and nonfiction start off in the same place and then start to vary. You can see below that my nonfiction process is more structured than my fiction process, which is more ‘pantser’ than ‘plotter’.

Fiction
1. Brainstorm
2. Start writing
3. Create character profiles
4. Continue writing
5. Finish writing
6. Create an outline of scenes
7. Do further research as required
8. Read manuscript to make sure it makes sense
9. Cut entire sections and rewrite
10. Re-read manuscript
11. Start editing process

Nonfiction
1. Brainstorm
2. Organise topics into priority order
3. Create contents table
4. Re-organise contents table until in right order
5. Go through contents and bullet point notes for each chapter
6. Write down further information for each bullet point
7. Do research as required for each bullet point
8. Read manuscript and make sure information holes are filled in
9. Re-read manuscript make sure all information is in right place and complete
10. Start editing process

These may look slightly similar but in the creative process they seem worlds apart. The ‘pantsing’ process I use for fiction requires extensive re-writing and editing, following the ‘plotting’ process in nonfiction means re-writing and editing is less extensive.

You may find yourself using both ‘plotting’ and ‘pantsing’ when writing your manuscript, but the only way you will figure out what works best is to start writing and see what works for you.