The Writing Process
Steps to Take from Brainstorming to Publication
So you want to write a book, but you're not sure where to start or what steps to take to get you from that little spark of an idea you have for a book to turn it into a fully written novel. Look no further as I break it down for you in eight simple-to-follow steps. As for how long each step takes? Well, that one is up to you.
Step 1: Brainstorm
So you have that small nugget of an idea for a novel, your big What If question. What if blank did blank or blank happened to blank? The brainstorming session is where you fill in all of those places. The who, what, when, where, and most importantly, the why. Either go out and buy a new notebook or use one of the ones you've been hoarding waiting for the perfect moment and fill that thing from front page to back with everything you know and don't know about your story.
Sure your protagonist's favorite color may not be important to your story now, but go ahead and dedicate an entire page to writing out why it's their favorite color.
Step 2: Outline
Outlining has nothing to do with how good a writer you are and anyone who says those who use outlines to write their novels aren't the same as those who don't - well I hope they get lemon juice in their next paper cut.
All writers should use some version of an outline and since there is no true overruling way to outline you can outline however you see fit. I outline chapter by chapter and use it as a writing guide so it becomes a bit of a fun fill-in-the-blank. Chapter Three: Darcy meets the big bad guy. Sure it doesn't give much detail, but I know how to fill in the rest of the gap from there.
Make your outline as detailed or vague as you wish, but have something to help you keep on track and avoid forgetting things or creating plot holes.
Step 3: Write a Rough Draft
Your first draft is going to be crap. There are no ifs and or buts about it. You are telling yourself the story for the very first time. You're either going to leave things out, have things out of order, have unrealistic dialogue, white room settings, or any number of things - and there is nothing at all wrong with that.
Make all the mistakes you need in the first draft, the only important thing is that you get it done, because the real magic of writing happens in the next step.
Step 4: Revise
Here's the magic.
That first draft you wrote? Make a copy of it and put one aside for the novelty of having finished and that second copy?
Here is where you destroy it. Take as many colored pens and highlighters as you have and reread that first draft. Don't think of it as destroying your work, you're simply making new art out of it with big red lines going through those passages you are going to delete and yellow question marks when even you don't understand what you wrote.
Now take what you've learned from that therapeutic reality check - and write it again. Either start from scratch if you have to or just go edit the ever-living crap out of that first one and turn it from the first draft to as many versions of it as you need to get it to as almost perfect as you can before you give it away.
Step 5: Get Feedback
Put all of those lovely colored pens and highlighters (or go out and buy new ones if those have run out of ink)and give them to someone else to turn another copy of your work into their version of art.
Whenever I have beta readers going over my work I send them a manuscript in a box with a new package of pens, some snacks, and a reminder to not go easy on me.
Step 6: Research
This one doesn't exactly have to come in as step six, but it's as good a place as any and it will keep you busy to keep you from nagging your beta readers
You told your story, but now you need to know where it fits in.
The easiest way to do this is to imagine your book on the shelf at your local bookstore. Where is it? Is it in the fiction section? Good. Now is it in the young adult section? Fantasy? This information is going to come in handy when you go to submit it to literary agents or even for choosing your category on KDP when you self-publish.
Step 7: Final Draft
Take everything you've gotten from your editors, beta readers, or even from your mom if you've decided to let her read your novel and put it all together into one final draft that is the best book that you can make (for now.) It's not the end of your book edition journey at all if you're next plan is to send it off to be traditionally published, but if you're self-publishing this is the final revision before you're putting it out before your intended audience. Best of luck to you!
Step 8: Submit
Your book is in the best shape it can be and it's ready to run the marathon! If you're self-publishing on KDP go ahead and add it together with your book cover and send it out!
If you are looking to traditionally publish, hopefully, you have your queries, synopsis, sample chapters, author bio, marketing plan, and comparative titles ready to go. At this point, your manuscript should be properly formatted to meet the submission guidelines and your presentation is perfectly professionally presentable.
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Best of luck whether you are self-publishing, or looking to traditionally publish your book, sure it's a lot of work, but breaking it down into steps gives you a checklist that you can work at crossing things off of and that always makes things a little easier to bare.
Best of luck and get to completing step one!
Keep writing and don't ever give up.
With love,
B.K. xo xo
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About the Creator
Barbara King
Barbara King is a full-time writing coach and novelist. King is a recent college graduate from Southern New Hampshire University where she earned her BA in Creative Writing.
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