How to Write a Book: a Step-By-Step Guide

As an award-winning author of almost thirty novels, I can teach you how to write a book in this step-by-step guide. Writing a book is easier than you think, especially if you break it down into manageable parts. I’ve mentored dozens of new authors on their road to publication, and I created this series as a jumping-off point. It is designed to help both new and aspiring authors.

How to Write a Book

The writing series I have created incorporates the knowledge and information I have garnered in my thirteen years as a hybrid author. It is laid out in easy-reading articles designed to help you not only to start, but to finish your book. You will find these articles laid out below if you scroll to the bottom of this page.

I have tried to structure this series in a roughly chronological sequence, but much like with book writing, the process can become blurred. I strongly suggest you go through the entire series and use it more as a toolbox, to pick and choose whatever you might need at any given point through your writing process:

Book Writing Step-by-Step

This process is expanded in the resources that follow, but put simply:

Step 1: The Big Idea

The first book I ever wrote began as an idea that came to me in a traffic jam. It was 2012, and I was on my way home from work. I’ve always been an avid reader and at that time I was reading a lot of dystopian fiction – The Hunger Games, the Divergent series, The 5^th Wave, The Darkest Minds, Shatter Me… this was at the height of the dystopia craze, so the list was extensive.

And so, Rebecca Davis was born (in my mind, at least), and she would exist in a post-nuclear United States. I made it through the traffic, got home, and started writing The Legacy.

A year later, it was published by Tracey McDonald Publishers. I began an entirely new career, and it started with one original idea.  

Step 2: Create an Outline

You don’t have to have it all figured out when you sit down to write your opening chapter, but you should have an overall idea – the bones of your plot (or the spine, at the very least).

Whether you use a spider diagram, linear plot notes, or a fancy timeline, the key is to have a vague sense of where you are going.

Step 3: Start Writing

A friend once told me you can eat a whole elephant if you start with a single bite. The same applies to book writing – the only way to finish is to start. You need to keep working, keep writing, and keep putting one word after another on paper until the job is done.

How to Start Writing a Book

It sounds obvious and far too simple but when aspiring writers ask “How do I start writing a book?” my answer is always the same: “Start at the beginning.” In the words of Fraulein Maria, it’s a very good place to start.

When I first started writing I had all the gear and no idea. I had a degree in English Literature, a passionate love of the written word, and a cool story idea. Not much else. I had no idea how to write a book, so I just started at the beginning. I wrote that first sentence, and let the story take me where it wanted. It’s a process that worked so I’ve used it ever since, although I’ve learned that those first few pages are a lot more important than I ever gave them credit for. If I could go back in time, I’d scrap the first seven chapters of The Legacy, but that’s a tale for another time.

Focus on the Writing

Do not think further than the story. If you get bogged down with publication information, and what comes after the writing is done, your book will most likely never see the light of day. There is a lot to take in, and it can become incredibly overwhelming. The road to publication is a long one. The only way to get through it is to take one step at a time. Once you have a completed manuscript in hand, you can begin to focus on what comes next. I created a Publishing Guide for this very reason but I implore you not to even peek at it until you have typed THE END.

Step 4: Character Tracking and Development

Once you are far enough into your manuscript to have introduced a few characters, you must keep track of them. Names, physical appearance, character traits, motivations – all of these things should be recorded. I usually find an image online (actors and actresses work well!) and use that as a visual reference. It makes it much easier to recall a character’s physical traits if you have an image of them in your mind.

Step 5: The Dreaded Middle

No one knows better than me how awful that dreaded middle of your book can be. I’ve dedicated an entire article to it, and how to push through the midpoint to cross the finish line.

Step 6: Finish the First Draft

This is a milestone worthy of celebration! Once you have made it through the mire of the middle, you will emerge on the other side re-energized, and probably sprint your way to the finish. Be careful that your ending doesn’t unravel in your haste. I will be the first to admit that almost every one of my books has a stronger start, because like a berg pony, I tend to start rushing on the back half.

Take your time and slow down if you can. But get there… the finish line is in sight and nothing can stop you now!

Step 7: Revise and Self-Edit

Once you have written the end, take a moment to savor the feeling of completing your first draft! Most writers never get there, so you are already ahead of the pack. A first draft is a feat, but your work isn’t done yet. At this point, you go back to the beginning to self-edit and revise. Look out for obvious issues like spelling and grammar mistakes, but also for structural problems, inconsistencies, and plot holes.

At this point I recommend you read your manuscript out loud, paying special attention to the dialogue. Speaking it out loud will help you to make your dialogue sound natural, and not stilted.

Step 8: Get Feedback from Beta Readers

It’s time to be brave! Choose between 1 and 10 trusted readers to provide feedback on your manuscript. This is a nerve-wracking phase of the journey because it’s the first time others will read your work. Nail-biting is normal. I strongly suggest you choose people with an affinity for English – avid readers are the gold standard here because they tend to know a lot about novel structure and language through their reading experience.

There are a few things you need to keep in mind when receiving feedback from beta readers:

1. Be open to criticism. Do not take negative feedback to heart. Rather use it to become a better writer.
2. Be decisive. This is your book after all and any changes are ultimately up to you. Don’t overthink it – use or discard feedback as you see fit. Just don’t let your pride get in the way at your manuscript’s expense.
3. Look for common threads. Stories are subjective and every reader’s experience is different. If you give your book to 5 beta readers and 3 come back with the exact same issue, the chances are that it is a problem you need to fix. If only one beta reader points something out, it could be their subjective opinion and you are more likely to disregard it.

Step 9: Finalize Your Manuscript

Once you have implemented your beta readers’ feedback and given your manuscript a final once-over, you need to be done. I have witnessed authors who go back over their book, over and over and over, and never get to the publication stage. The second your book is as good as you can get it, move on and turn your attention to the next steps in your author journey: getting your book published. My publication guide is a great place to start.

Step 10: Start Writing Your Next Book

The best way to move on from a project is to begin a new one. Start writing again as soon as you can, to capitalize on your momentum and make writing a daily habit.

I hope that you will find these articles useful and inspiring. Use what you need and discard what you don’t. I hope to inspire you to take the first step – or the last if you presently have a work in progress that needs finishing! You’ve got this, writer friends. However, if you have worked through this entire guide and still feel that you need a one-on-one coach, you are welcome to work with me on Fiverr.

Championing authors is one of my greatest passions. I wish you nothing but success in your writing career, whether it is simply a once-off bucket list book you are writing or the start of a professional writing career.

MD x

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