How To Finish Writing Your First Book
So, you want to write your first book?
I’m going to assume for the sake of this article that you have your plot and characters pretty much in place, you might even have attempted to start writing – perhaps you got a couple of chapters in and tailed off, maybe you like what you’ve written (I’m betting you probably don’t – that warm glow usually comes after a lot of editing).
You don’t need me to tell you that writing a book from start to finish is not easy – however, as I’m sure you know, it is worthwhile.
Writing a book is the stuff of dreams for many, it’s also an excellent way of boosting your reach as a business owner/brand, and an ideal way to reach new audiences.
Stories are an integral part of human life.
My goal here is to offer you a book writing plan that will keep you on track from start to finish – so you can finally finish writing your first book.
Before We Begin
The foundational stages of writing your book:
· Where - Choose somewhere that suits you (we’re all different) a quiet space, an isolated cabin in the woods, a spare bedroom, or a busy café. Take some time to really think about what will be best for you and if you need to prepare the area (clear out the spare room for example).
· Time – You will never write your book if you don’t sit down and write your book (it’s this level of insight you’re really here for I know!). In all seriousness, you must figure out the minimum amount of time you can spend on your book – if you find more time then great but establish a clear period to write from the beginning or it is unlikely you will progress.
Writing Your Book
1. Break the story down into manageable pieces.
Many writers are put off from ever completing their manuscripts because they feel overwhelmed by the magnitude of actually writing such a colossal number of words.
You must remove the fear that comes with the project and focus instead on smaller goals.
See your manuscript for what it really is (what any book is), several chapters that are further broken down into pages and paragraphs.
If you consistently write the paragraphs then they will grow into pages, become chapters, and eventually create your book.
We’re going to do this one paragraph and one chapter at a time.
2. Constructing the plot.
I know some purists like to just start writing and then develop their amazing plots (Stephen King is the master of this theory and that’s great for him…) but I believe that just as you wouldn’t set out on a long-distance journey without some idea of where you’re heading; it is similarly not wise to begin writing your book without knowing what will happen and how it will end.
By constructing the plot in advance you will also avoid the common pitfall of completely running out of steam midway through a promising manuscript because you’ve either run out of ideas or realised that it was never actually a big enough plot to sustain a novel, to begin with.
By outlining your plot you can arrange the twists, turns, conflicts and reveals for maximum effect – it is often this planning and timing that turns a mediocre manuscript into one with depth.
Start by listing the general plot points, highlight the main events, twists, and reveals – set the reader up early on so they know the plot is building to something worthwhile. Make sure you have the resolution that will make your reader satisfied at the end.
Don’t feel constrained by your plot outline – feel free – it is a fluid concept that can be amended at any time.
3. Give yourself a deadline.
I know that I’m not unusual when I say that I work better to a deadline – I would have been published years earlier if I had followed the advice on creating a deadline I’m about to share.
Let’s say that you are going to give yourself a full year to write a book of 350 pages.
Divide 350 by 48 (giving yourself a flexible four weeks off over the course of a year) equals seven pages per week. Divide seven pages by the number of minimum writing sessions you have already worked out is achievable – let’s say five. This would mean you would be aiming to write a little over one page per session.
Does this sound more achievable? I think it does.
Adjust these figures and your deadline date until it feels realistic and sufficiently achievable – then write it down, announce it to your family and celebrate that the end is in sight!
4. Eliminate distractions.
I would probably be a much more prolific writer if it weren’t for my iPhone, favourite tv shows, pets, children, family, friends, and general life. Obviously, we want and need all these things – we’d have nothing to write about without them. However, we must also balance our love of these things with providing ourselves with the headspace to write.
There are various apps you can use to restrict your electronic distractions such as Freedom, WriteRoom, and StayFocused.
Your family and friend related distractions should be managed by defining your minimum writing time as per the earlier section.
I recommend not over-promise yourself on your distraction-free time – you’re only more likely to cheat yourself. Start small, just fifteen minutes of no screens or chat, just pure writing and build from there.
5. Hold the vision.
There are really two potential visions for you to mull over as you move through the process of writing your book.
In one you have published your first book – you have accomplished your desire to become a published author. How do you feel? Proud, happy, relieved, filled with the ambition to do it all over again? Whatever your motivations, hold onto the feeling of success – so often we don’t allow ourselves to acknowledge or bask in our victories.
There is, of course, the opposite to consider – a world in which you put the manuscript to one side, again. The book remains unwritten and another year goes by without you becoming an author.
Now, to be clear, sometimes we set out with a goal in mind only to discover it was the wrong goal – perhaps your ‘book’ turns out to be a desire to write articles or another form of content.
However, listen to your heart when you consider which of these visions you want to be true for you. I don’t think there is a greater motivator when times get tough than your own potential.
6. Use your own unique voice.
I know it sounds a bit fluffy to talk about ‘finding’ your own voice, as though it’s something that can be misplaced or simply found by meditating on it. However, it is actually quite simple and incredibly powerful to tap into what makes you unique:
· Think about the most exciting thing that has ever happened to you.
· Who did you tell?
· Recall exactly how you told the story – or retell it if that’s helpful.
· THAT is your unique storytelling voice – no-one would have told that story as you did.
Try this technique a few times if it helps to develop your storytelling muscle. If your characters use a different perspective, then try running through scenes from within the narrative – your unique voice will still shine through.
7. Give the reader what they want.
Readers want conflict, tension, and (generally speaking) resolution.
This is true in fiction and non-fiction.
If your manuscript is full of happy people, all getting along and going about an ordinary life…it’s not going to be considered an interesting or relevant story.
Real-life is full of tension and conflict – the best writers reflect this back.
Put your characters into interesting situations, examine their human reactions; misunderstandings, love, jealousy, forgiveness, and injustice. These are the stories that hold a reader’s attention.
You may think that this can’t be true in non-fiction but if you read some of the recent best-sellers you will still find themes of conflict and resolution in their pages. Stories of overcoming and thriving despite less-than-ideal circumstances.
If you can build and balance tension, revealing just enough to carry your reader with you, you will keep them until the end.
8. Don’t give up.
I used to think that once I got started with a manuscript it would flow; that starting was the hardest part.
As most writers soon discover though, it is, in fact, the long and lonely middle stretch that so often derails an author.
This brings us back to the merits of outlining your plot before beginning to write.
Imagine wandering lost in a maze, bored, forgetting where you’ve been, no idea where you’re going, and getting so frustrated you just opt out of the whole thing…
…now imagine if the maze had a trail of breadcrumbs or some clues to help guide you along and keep you moving forward.
Follow your plot outline to guide you through the middle stretch and resist all temptation to edit as you go. You simply cannot be a writer and an editor at the same time.
Some people wait right until the end to go back and edit the manuscript. Others choose predetermined points at which to break from writing and check the progress of the scenes. Try not to chop and change as you go, a rhythm and method will help you progress quicker.
Doing these processes separately will help to free your mind and silence your inner critic (at least while you are writing!).
9. Nail the ending.
Think of the way a successful Broadway play ends with the thud of the curtain and resounding applause – this is the ending you are aiming for.
This is just as important when writing non-fiction as opposed to fiction; the ending will dictate how your novel is remembered, the praise/reviews it receives, and how inclined your reader will be to read your other work.
So how do you create an effective ending?
· Use your plot outline – don’t leave the ending to chance. Of course, you can adjust your plans and evolve the scenes but have a clear understanding of where your story is going and how it will end before you begin.
· If your ending is going to involve a surprise twist, make it logical and believable after the reveal. You want your reader to feel delighted and invigorated by your unpredictability, not incredulous or cheated.
· Don’t rush it – rather than speeding up as you race towards the finish line, slow down, consider your main characters and align them with your ending. Take some time out if you need to think or develop any sticking points. Don’t settle at this point, keep going and editing until you are thrilled with the ending.
10. The importance of self-editing.
It is a harsh reality that most agents or editors will rule your manuscript in or out within the first couple of pages – so many books with great potential never make it beyond this point.
Perhaps they do see the merit, but they also envisage how much work the manuscript will take in editing and decide it’s not worth pursuing.
To avoid these pitfalls and keep any potential agents/editors engaged you must become an enthusiastic self-editor:
· Remove all unnecessary words.
· Give the reader some credit and avoid the urge to over-explain.
· Avoid the word ‘that’, unless completely necessary for clarity.
· Avoid overly complicated words that will distract your reader.
· Maintain a singular POV (point of view) within a scene – yes, many older famous works have shifted POV successfully, but this is not as popular today.
· Avoid cliches – the ones that make your eyes roll! Also beware of the cliched scenes, such as characters literally bumping into each other and falling in love instantly, or trite opening lines involving a character waking from a dream or to the sound of an alarm clock.
· Show…don’t tell.
Finally, get a second or even third opinion if possible – generally speaking, our friends and family are more than happy to read a manuscript and offer helpful advice. Choose people who like to read and ask them to identify and sticking points, confusing dialogue, or plot holes you may have missed. A fresh eye at this point can be invaluable but try to avoid taking on too many conflicting viewpoints – stay true to your own narrative.
Good luck!!
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