Writing a book can feel challenging. However, if you know where to go for advice, it can make the process much easier. Now, I know there are some schools of thought that say that you don't need a book to write a book. Here's the truth, if you don't know anything, you need a book. I tend to think that the authors offering that advice just simply don't want you to write of publish anything. Here are a few helpful books if you're a new or not so new author.
Some authors still prefer to start their novels by hand with a pen and paper. This is where the Write Your Novel Notebook (SC Writing) by Stacey Carroll can help you. This writing notebook contains more than 400 pages with 20 chapters of 20 pages. This notebook starts by allowing you to write down the date you started and the date you finished your manuscript, the title of your work in progress, the subtitle and your name.
Next, answer a few basic questions, including:
Why are you writing this novel?
Why will this novel appeal to readers?
What genre is this novel?
What is your estimate of the finished word count?
On page two, you have space to add 20 main, secondary and supporting characters in 3 columns so that you can easily keep track of them, and you can write down your one-sentence overview and your paragraph overview.
Each Chapter starts with: Chapter 1: and a place to put your chapter title Date StartedDate, Finished Chapter Word Count Chapter overviewTHEN! You'll get 20 pages to write your chapter and a page at the end of each chapter that gives you the space you need to write down the chapter overview and any notes for the subsequent chapter, just in case you have to take an unexpected break from writing. All in all, this notebook offers more than 400 lined pages to help you write your novel. At 250 words a page, you could write a 100,000 word novel in this notebook.
If you're looking for a way to efficiently write your book, you may benefit from The First Five Drafts: Prevent Over-Editing and Get Your Novel Done Faster with the Five Draft Method (SC Writing) by Stacey Carroll.
The five draft method is designed to help you reduce your chances of over-editing, which can stall your writing process and cause you to either never deem your novel finished or ruin it in any number of ways, including inputting too many slow sections, taking out all the interesting details and doing too much ‘showing’ versus ‘telling’.
In this writer's self-help book, you will learn how to write your first draft and revise your manuscript to the point where it's ready for self-publication or submission to agents and/or publishers.
The Five Draft Method
Draft 1: The Junk Draft
Draft 2: The Structuring Draft
Draft 3: The Rough Draft
Draft 4: The Analytical Draft
Draft 5: Final Draft
Self editing for Fiction Writers was published in 2004, but it's information is still relevant for authors today. This is a timeless editing book that every author should read at least once. I still keep my copy handy, and I've been writing and publishing books for years.
Developmental edits are some of the most expensive edits you'll ever pay for. They can be thousands of dollars for a full-length novel. In order to save money, you should learn how to do this yourself. The good news is that there are several books available that will teach you how to perform a developmental edit, and this is one of them. You'll save yourself a lot of headaches, hassle and money by learning how to do this.
This editing book comes with a side of humor, and I can say, it's a pretty good read. So, if you want to learn and laugh, I recommend this one.
How to Self-Publish Your Book: An Indie-Author’s Guide
When you're ready to publish, it's time for How to Self-Publish Your Book: An Indie-Author’s Guide by Stacey Carroll. this book will take you through the process of formatting and publishing your book on Amazon.
These books can help you get started on your journey, make progress and actually get your book published so that people can actually read your stories. I wish you well, and I wish you luck on your writing journey.
