Writing a book is a massive undertaking, and if you want to write a book, then you need to write. However, to start writing a book, you might want to assess the following aspects first for a successful and smooth writing journey.
Understand Your Reader
Before you do anything else, you will need to understand who wants to read your book. If you want to write a book, you need a purpose. Perhaps you went through a life experience that you want to share with the world.
You have something special and unique, which is why you might find the calling to write a book. Another reason why you might want to write a book is that you heard someone else talking about peculiar things that got you intrigued. However, if you have something unique going on, you should know that nobody can tell your story like you.
Of course, you can hire an editor later or hire a freelance copy editor once you have completed your first copy so that a fresh pair of eyes can go through the copy and point out the things that you might have missed out in your final proofreading.
Nonetheless, you should know that nobody can tell your story like you. So, know who your readers are and who you are writing for. You must know the purpose and the driving force that is compelling you to write a book in the first place.
Establish a Writing Space
Once you know why, you can move on to the practical part of how to start writing a book. It all starts with establishing a writing space as it is important to have an atmosphere where you can work on your book without a distraction.
Now, if you don’t have a quiet and distraction-free space at home, you can go to a local café. You must understand that writing is a serious job, and you cannot succeed at writing if you don’t create the right type of atmosphere. So, you need to have an environment or create an environment to enable yourself to do your writing job.
So, when you have decided to write a book, it is important to start out with a designated writing space. As things will go on in your writing, you might need to change your writing space often. This aspect indicates that when you start working on your book project, your writing space might change. For instance, you might start writing in your bedroom, and later, you might walk to your local café every day. A few months down the road, you might be writing from your home office.
The thing is that your writing space might change but your mission and goal to have a designated writing should not change as your atmosphere matters a lot. It can either motivate you to get things done or t might demotivate you, and you might stop writing altogether.
You need to feel comfortable and more focused when you are working on your book. So, make sure to establish a space that allows you to be comfortable, focused, and reach one milestone after the other.
Use the Right Tools
You will need the right writing tools to be productive and complete your writing project. Perhaps the first tool might be your laptop, or if you are walking down the street and suddenly an idea pops up in your mind, then a notebook and a pen can also be useful.
In fact, you might start with a pen and paper, upgrade later, buy a MacBook, and subsequently dedicate your entire MacBook to your writing project. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you need to get a MacBook; otherwise, you won’t be able to complete your writing project.
You might start with a notepad and a pen, with the point being that you need some kind of tool to get started. Make sure you have your tools, and make sure that your tools are sacred to you. As an author, your pen and your laptop are your important tools.
Break Down Your Project
One of the biggest things for anybody new to writing is that one day, they have the epiphany to become a writer, and they have that big idea in their mind. They also believe that just like that, they will be hosting a book launch party and becoming an official author.
Now, there is nothing wrong with visualizing, as visualizing is a powerful tool. However, you must understand that things aren’t this easy. When it comes to writing a book, you will want to see the book as an elephant that you are about to eat. That being said, you cannot eat an elephant without cutting it into pieces.
The same rule applies to your book. You will have to break down the book and chop it into pieces. You will want to start with the outline first so that you have a complete overview of how your book will be. Also, you need to understand that writing is a serious job that you will have to work on every day.
Don’t forget to give yourself little rewards at the completion of each chapter. Celebrating the little milestones is important as they keep you motivated and in the right direction.
Put Your Best Foot Forward
Since you have actually started to work on your writing project, you might as well put your best foot forward. Remember – this is your book, which is why you need to go all out and not make the mistake of coming out with a mediocre book.
There are many books written and published every year, and with loads of books out there, you must ensure that you choose the grandest book idea. Never underplay the value of your ideas because your book ideas aren’t mediocre. So, don’t shrink back and think that you can just write about this and that because you don’t want to offend anybody.
So whatever the idea is and whatever the idea you have for the world, you will want to go big.
