What You Should Know About Writing a Book
The first thing anyone know about writing a book is that is more difficult than it seems. Some authors spend their entire lives writing about one thing and other authors write serially, producing one book after another. But in both cases, each new beginning and end presents its own set of challenges and difficulties.
That is not to say that you shouldn’t write a book.
I’m of the opinion that anyone can write a book if they have enough nerve, over-confidence in their craft and stubbornness to outlast the inevitable writers block. If you a) think that what you have inside your head is worth putting to paper, b) possess enough belief in your own style of writing, and c) have a strategy for pushing through even the worst parts of writers block — then you are qualified for writing a book.
The real question is what do you want to write about. Unlike essays and articles, you cannot just undertake a book project without having some kind of plan mapped out. Maybe you want to write about climate change. What about climate change? From what angle? What is the narrative of your book going to achieve?
Let’s say you want to write a fiction book… about what? A story about magic or about domestic drama within a 1950s household? What kind of characters will inhabit your world? Who are they? What do they want and what do they fear?
Plans are both the demons and saviors of all writers.
On one hand, they keep you on track. If you have outlined your entire story from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, then you know exactly what you need to write. No surprises or writers block. You might have character sheets where all you do is write about one character until they are real as yourself. But then as a writer, you are faced with a dilemma. Without the surprise can come an interesting lack of creativity. If you have already decided what you will write, it can feel almost stifling. At least, it does for me.
So, how do you find that middle ground?
For myself, I find that the middle ground is easiest to find when you give yourself just enough leeway for creativity and curiosity. So rather than attaching yourself to one story, you attach yourself to an idea. Imagine that one day suddenly you are struck with the amazing idea that you ought to write about witches. If you were a dedicated planner, then you would have to map out exactly what you wanted to say. If you didn’t, you might flounder for ten or twenty thousand words before getting to the point.
Both of those options aren’t ideal. Instead, you decide that you will write about a young woman finding herself in the world. The characters don’t particularly matter and neither does the whole plot, but once you know the overall message you want your book to send, you can be freer in how you express yourself.
What’s the overall takeaway?
In short, don’t stress about making sure you have everything figured out before you start writing. Simultaneously, don’t leave everything to the last minute and freestyle write for pages on end. Take the middle ground. Find your idea and stick to your guns. We all have a book inside of us — it’s just a matter of coaxing it out.
Thanks for reading Writers Guild — A Penname publication
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