First off, you need an idea. This is obvious but since we’re going in steps here I figured the main step was probably as good a start as any. You need a unique, innovative idea that will grab a publisher’s attention as well as that of a potential reader. Once you have this you are ready to begin.

Now plan out a basic beginning and end. DO NOT DETAIL THE MIDDLE OF THE STORY. This should give you a strong enough structure to stop you going way off topic, but gives you enough freedom that you can still work from inspiration you find along the way. Writing a book should take quite a while to do well, six or seven months being the minimum, with many writers taking up to 4 years. During this time you are likely to change in opinion and your book needs to be able to change with you. If you plan out the middle of the book in too much detail you will feel forced into conforming to this structure and may lose interest in the project. Giving yourself a strong idea of the start and finish will stop you wandering too far from your original plan, and will stop a simple “romance with a twist” becoming an out of control “modern Romeo and Juliet gang war complete with deaths of main all main characters”.

The next step is to do a basic character draw up. You’ll want o think about the basic features of all the main characters; what do they look like, what are their strongest personality features, what are their relationships with other characters at the beginning of the story and so on. Try not to be too specific as they will need to be able to develop with the story but make sure you know them enough to write them without switching personalities every five lines.

Finally, you should keep a small notebook and pen on you at all times to jot down notes when inspiration strikes. Be it full paragraphs or just single lines or phrases you want to include, make the most of sudden jolts of inspiration by recording as much as you can. Alternatively keep a voice recorder handy. My friend and I, who are both writing novels, have both noticed that whilst something sounds great in our heads, by the time it’s down on paper we have altered it to a lesser being. Simply saying it into a microphone allows you to directly record the thought, instead of losing it to the time it takes to write it down.

Once your book is complete, you need to find a publisher. The publisher you chose will depend on the style and genre so research a few before submitting your manuscript. Be prepared for rejections, and don’t take them to heart, the publisher needs to be wowed by your piece and not all will be, but you must persevere. Incidentally, if a publisher takes the time to offer you some constructive criticism of your piece, take it in your stride and not to heart; use the advice to make your writing better and get your work accepted by the next company.

I wish you the best of luck with your writing and hope to see your books on the shelves soon.