Writing a book for the first time can be a challenging task. Some authors set out to write a novel that’s over 100,000 words, and soon become entangled in a literary web. Others can get bogged down in the rules of prose story structure. It all serves to derail your efforts and stop you finishing.
That’s why I decided to put this guide together: to offer some practical tips from seasoned writers and novelists on finishing their books. Hopefully, you’ll find the solutions to your problems here.
1. Create A Writing Schedule
One of the difficult things when it comes to writing a book is finding the time to get the words down on paper.
Many writers create their books in their spare time. It’s classed as a hobby for many. They may have to work full-time to cover the costs of life, and whatever free time and remaining energy they have they devote to their book. That’s the case for me, anyway, and I know it’s the same for many writers out there too.
To finish that book, it’s important to maximise your time. You can do this by creating a writing schedule. This way, you can assess your week and what free time you have and diarise some writing sessions.
When you have a schedule in place and get in the habit of sticking to it, you can learn how many words you can write in that period. If you can keep that up, you’ll soon be able to work out how long it will take you to finish your book. You’ll be surprised at how soon it’ll be!
If you’d like to learn more about creating a writing schedule and routine, head here to check out my guide. It’s ideal for first time authors.
2. Don’t Give Up Hope
Writing a book of tens of thousands of words is a huge time investment. It takes commitment to finish, and at some point along the lines, your resolve will take a beating. The negative voice in your head will tell you that you can’t finish it, that what you’ve written is nonsense, that no one will ever want to read it or enjoy it. It’s called Imposter Syndrome.
That voice exists in the mind of every writer, and you should ignore it at all costs.
Whenever you’re feeling down about your writing, don’t give up hope. Remember that it’s a natural part of the process, that on some days we’re just not feeling it. You can come back to it another day when you’re feeling fresh and more enthusiastic.
3. Break Up The Task Into Smaller Chunks
One reason why many people find writing a book for the first time so difficult is because of the scale of the challenge.
Prior to the project, most people may have only ever written essays in college and university. Some people may have had to write a lot in work, such as journalists or copywriters. But in the main, most people aren’t used to writing more than a few hundred words a day. So the prospect of writing tens of thousands sounds scary.
One technique that’s useful for overcoming the psychological struggles of writing a book is to break it up into smaller parts. You can focus on each chapter alone, or break your book up into parts. Sometimes this is easier to do if your story moves through different periods of time.
When I wrote my first novel, Pariah’s Lament, the publisher wanted to divide it up into ten episodes. When editing the story, I decided to break up the challenge into those ten parts. I found it so much easier to deal with in my mind, and now I do it for every lengthy book writing project.
4. Focus On Finishing The First Draft Of The Book
When you’re writing a book for the first time, one of the best tips you can follow, especially for first time authors, is to focus on nothing but finishing the first draft.
In my Discord writing group, I always see writers asking questions about going back and editing while they’re still working on that first draft. The same writers could then still be stuck on that snag weeks or months later, with no progress made on writing the book.
So instead of looking backwards, look only forwards. Make notes for you to come back to later, but do nothing but write until you get to the end. It’s so much easier to fix a complete draft when you’ve had a chance to tell yourself the story, to test the characters and get to know them properly, and to see if those brilliant plot twists work out as well as they did in your head.
So resist the urge to go back. Keep your eyes on the road and write.
5. Enjoy The Process As Much As Possible
One of the most important writing tips I can share with you has little to do with scribbling, but it’s arguably the most important one of all: enjoy yourself.
Writing a book is a long process. There are scores of challenges along the way, with your story, the writing and the psychological battles that come with such a big task. In other words, there are a lot of things that can make it unenjoyable.
If you’re ever feeling down when you’re writing your book, take a step back and remember what it felt like when you first started writing stories—the excitement at creating something you think other people will love, of your fingers dancing across the keyboard as your thoughts and ideas pour out. When we strip all the noise away, we write for ourselves and because we enjoy it. Don’t forget that!
Bonus Tip: Save The Hard Stuff For The Editing
We’ve covered a few tips on writing a book for the first time, but I wanted to share with you one more, and it’s one you’ll thank me for while you wage war with your manuscript.
I mentioned above that some writers feel the urge to go back and fix things while they’re still writing their first draft. I echo the point here that you shouldn’t go back, but keep on writing till you get to the end. I’ll expand upon it here and say that you should highlight these potentially problematic parts and come back to them when editing.
The reality is that sometimes when we draft we can screw things up a bit. Plot holes can gape like yawning caves and knowing they exist can grind our gears. But don’t distract yourself with that challenge yet. It’s a battle for another day, one you’ll win, but it’s not to be faught today. Today, your task is to finish writing that book for the first time.
More Resources For First Time Authors
I hope these tips on writing a book for the first time have helped! My site is awash with more if you’d like to continue on with your quest for writerly learning. Here are some related guides you may find useful:
- What Is Prose? – One area writers can get bogged down in is prose. In this guide, you can find a detailed explanation and examples of the different styles
- How To Plot A Story – If you want to make the writing process even easier as a first time author you could plot your story before you start writing. This guide offers lots of practical advice.
- Tips On Characterization And Creating Characters – Your characters are the vehicles that take the reader through the journey of your story. Learn how to create them here.
Most nights you can find him up into the wee hours scribbling away or watching the NBA.
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