How to Write Your First Book
Out of all the advice I could give you about writing your first book, the most valuable piece of advice is to just write.
Welcome to the 27th issue of The Aim and Soar Life, a weekly Christian personal growth and lifestyle newsletter that provides actionable, relatable, biblically rooted content to help you live abundantly and GROW YOU. GOD’S WAY.
Hey Fam!
I hope you are doing well this first Sunday of September. I’ve decided to go back to having a writing theme for each month, so the theme for September is new beginnings (yaay!). Although September ushers in the fall season, I have always viewed it as a time of starting over. New season. New school year. New opportunities. One new beginning most people have on their bucket lists is writing a book. So, let’s do it.
So, You Want to Write a Book?
In my previous newsletter, It’s Time to Tell Your Story, I talked about some of the reasons why it’s time to finally write the book you’ve been meaning to write for years and years. Do yourself a favor and check it out if you haven’t read it already. Now, if you are sure you want to write a book and don’t know how to get started, I’m here to help with a step-by-step guide.
Begin with a Title
For every writer, the writing process is different. However, I usually start with a title. This helps me to focus. I’m a true creative, so I always have a billion ideas flowing all around me, vying for my attention. Having a title keeps me centered on the project at hand because it’s very easy for me to go off on a creative tangent LOL.
You should be aware that you don’t have to be married to the title. Consider the title as a person you are dating to collect information (cool analogy, right?). If you find your chosen title is not a good fit by the time you finish the book, you can change it.
Sometimes the deep dive you take into the writing process will produce a new title that works better for your project. That’s okay. The object of the game here is to provide some focus and a springboard for all the subsequent chapters.
Outline
Outlining is an important process because it gives you a place to start after you have a title. You don’t have to craft an extensive outline, just a general outline of what your chapter topics will be. Again, like the title of the book, you don’t have to be married to the chapter titles either.
Think of your chapters as broken-down pieces of your book title. Then break it down even further within the chapters into sub-topics. Suppose you were writing a book called How to Earn a Million with Side Hustles, your outline could look something like this:
How to Earn a Million with Side Hustles
I. Finding Side Hustles You Enjoy
A. What Comes Easy to You?
B. Narrowing down your niches
II. Where to Invest Your Side Hustle Money
A. Choosing stocks
B. Choosing the right ETFs
Now, this sort of outline works best for a non-fiction book. If you are writing a fiction book, you can still outline, but it will look a little differently. I suggest writing out your general plot. For example, Man meets a woman on a train and discovers she is the love of his life. From here, you can brainstorm your ideas and create a loose outline.
With fiction, it’s not necessary to write in order (I never do!). I normally write in scenes, sort of how a director films a movie (the scenes are shot out of order). I write my scenes as I see them, and I fit them in accordingly.
Also, for fiction, you will need to create a character sketch of your main characters and minor characters. Author Tricia Goyer has a wonderful character chart that I use frequently. Remember an outline and character sketch will give you a springboard.
Just Write
Out of all the advice I could give you about writing your first book, the most valuable piece of advice is to just write. This is the same advice that was given to me by my high school English teacher (which by the way was a million years ago), and it still holds true today. If you don’t have a title, or if the thought of writing an outline causes you angst, just write.
Once you have something written, you have something to work with, something to improve upon. Ideas in your head are great but putting them on paper puts you closer to your goal of writing your first book. You can’t edit or critique something you haven’t written. Write with reckless abandon. Don’t worry about grammar, misspellings, etc. Just write. You can handle these issues in the editing process.
Be Intentional with Your Time
If you are going to get your first book written, you must make the time to write. It sounds simple, but most people don’t get around to writing their books because of time. We are each given the same 24 hours a day, you must be intentional with your time. You need a dedicated place and time to write. First, decide where you write best. For example, if you have a nice writing flow sitting at Starbucks, then Starbucks it is! Next, decide what time works best for you.
If you have young children or grandchildren at home, you may want to wake up early and write or write when everyone is asleep. Whatever, the case you have to set the time aside. It must become a part of your daily schedule. No exceptions.
Fit people (I’m not fit people, but I’m working on it) go to the gym regularly. It’s not up for discussion. They work their lives around their workout schedules. They make time for their workouts. Writers must make time for their craft. If you write anything, you are a writer! Let’s do it!
I will be back next week with more on writing your first book.
Until Next Time,
GROW YOU. GOD’S WAY.
Sherrhonda 😍
Meet on the web: www.sherrhondadenice.com