With the help of two fantastic writers, we’ve compiled this guide, showing you how to start writing a book. Find out everything you need to know about putting pen to paper . . .
We might be a tad biased but we think writing out your first draft by hand really gets your creative juices flowing.
However, don’t be alarmed when your handwriting becomes slightly messier, it’s just because of the speed you are writing at.
To avoid this take a look at the ‘Write Neatly’ section on the uni-ball website.
What the writers say
It is important to remember that all writers have different processes when they start to write a book.
Author, Lacey Dearie told us about how she begins writing a book. Lacey said: “I start with the cover. If I have a particular idea or a phrase that would make a good title, I get an image and I create the cover.”
“I look at the image often and I spend usually one day planning the book’s plot.”
Lacey added: “I’m not big on going over and over things. Nothing ever moves forward if you keep overthinking it.”
“I write the book and that doesn’t usually take too long. Maybe three months at the most. The editing is the most time-consuming part.”
To find out more about Lacey have a look at her website. Or if you are interested in reading one of her books click here.
Writer, Haris Čolić also believes that having a plan is crucial. He says: “If you are writing a book for the first time, you must have a plan.”
“You don’t have the experience to just restructure the whole story, or change huge parts of it when you get to the end.”
Here are five more writing tips from Haris . . .
1) There are no minor characters. Each character in the book is important.
2) Your story mustn’t be predictable in any way.
3) Make your writing interesting and diverse by choosing unconventional words.
4) Every scene in the book must progress the story. Every character must in some way impact that progress.
5) Imagine you only have half an hour to tell your best friend a great story from yesterday. Write your book as if you were telling that friend a story.
If you want to find out more about Haris and his writing, click here to visit his website.
Let us know how you get on
We hope you have found our guide to writing your first book helpful, for a bit of fun please post the name of your ‘work in progress’ underneath this blog post on our uni-ball Facebook page.
And keep an eye on the uni-ball blog as we’ve got more creative writing advice coming soon . . .
