Writing a Book in 5 Steps

Ashlyn Anderson

Writing a book is an exciting but often intimidating process. For many of us, it’s the largest project we’ve ever taken on—and one that a lot of people never finish.

But writing a book doesn’t have to be an insurmountable challenge. In fact, it can be broken down into five main steps. In this article, I’ll share these steps along with key tips for success.

Step 1: Prewriting

The first step in any large writing project is prewriting. Before you can start hammering away at your keyboard, you’ve got to figure out what you’re writing about and why.

Big idea

A good starting point is identifying your big idea: What do you want to write about? What genre will it be? Who do you want to read your book?

Then, ask yourself why you want to write this book. Is it a passion project? Do you hope to make a living as a full-time author? Do you want it to help grow your business through increased leads, referrals, or sales?

Research

Next, you may need to do some research, depending on your topic and your level of familiarity with it. Some books require no research. Others require more time spent on research than writing.

A couple of years ago, I attended a talk given by best-selling author Taylor Jenkins Reid. She shared that she spends months researching for each of her novels, doing a total deepdive into the topic—tennis, movie stars, 70s rock—until she’s practically an expert on it.

So, how do you research for a book? Consume everything you can on the topic: books, movies, YouTube videos, articles. Some topics may require interviews with subject-matter experts or people who can share first-hand accounts of an event.

Outline

After you’ve done some research, you can begin outlining your book. Try starting with a simple plot diagram. Then gradually add detail, working up to a chapter-by-chapter outline.

Step 2: Writing

Once you have a solid plan, it’s time to start writing. Find a quiet place to write free from distractions.

Ideally, choose a place you find calming and inspirational: J. K. Rowling famously wrote Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone at The Elephant House Cafe in Scotland, while gazing out the window at Edinburgh Castle.

Schedule time for writing & set word count targets

To ensure you’re productive and able to hold yourself accountable, schedule time blocks for writing. During those time frames, writing should be your priority. Silence your cell phone and put it out of reach.

Set word count targets to meet or exceed during your scheduled time blocks. Start with a goal of 100 to 500 words per hour and go from there, adjusting until you find a target that is realistic but not too easy.

Turn off your internal editor

As you write, you’ll be tempted to stop to read over your work and make changes. This often turns into a cycle of rereading and rewriting that is tough to break and hinders progress.

As hard as it may be, try to silence this voice and continue writing. You’ll have plenty of time to revise and edit later. What’s important now is that you get your words onto the page and keep your momentum going.

Step 3: Revising

After you’ve finished your draft, you’ll want to do at least one round of revision before bringing in a professional editor.

Take some time away

Don’t start revising your manuscript the moment you finish it. At that point, you’re way too close to it, and you’ll be unable to evaluate it adequately. So how long do you need to wait?

In On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Stephen King recommends a minimum of six weeks away from your manuscript. During those six weeks, he says you shouldn’t even read it; you should shift your focus entirely to another project.

Some authors take short vacations after finishing a first draft. Regardless of what you do during your time away, the key is that you give yourself some time to really separate from it, so you can come back with fresh eyes.

Start revising

When you’ve taken sufficient time away, read through your manuscript from start to finish, and then start revising. Focus on higher-order concerns, like organization, audience, and development. For fiction, look at your plot and characters, and for nonfiction, your content and substance.

The revision stage is messy, and even with time away, it can be difficult to critique your own work. Some writers find that they are overly critical of themselves, while others aren’t critical enough. After you’ve done one pass through your manuscript yourself, consider bringing in a developmental editor or having a manuscript evaluation done.

Step 4: Editing

Editing is the final stage before publishing your book. This is the time to make your writing flow more smoothly, ensure your voice is strong and consistent, and clean up errors.

Self-edit

Depending on your skill level and budget, you may consider self-editing your manuscript or using an editing software; however, most successful books are professionally edited.

Some authors opt to do some editing themselves, so that they can pay an expert only to copyedit or proofread their book. This is an excellent cost-effective option compared to more expensive, higher levels of editing.

Hire a book editor

Hiring a book editor is the simplest and most effective way to ensure your manuscript is the best it can be.

You may be wondering, “What exactly does a professional book editor do?” You can read a more in-depth answer in the article linked here, but essentially, an editor’s job is to turn your manuscript into a polished, finished product that is ready for self-publishing or querying (for those seeking traditional publishing).

Step 5: Publishing

The final stage in the book writing process is publishing. This step looks a bit different depending on whether you plan to self-publish or seek traditional publishing.

Self-publishing

Self-publishing is an increasingly popular option for many new authors. If you’re going this route, there are a few more things you’ll need to do before you publish.

You’ll need to write front and back matter, have the cover designed, and get the book laid out properly for your self-publishing platform. Then, your book will be ready for publication!

Traditional publishing

For traditional publishing, your next step will be to write a query letter and start sending your manuscript off to literary agents. If your book is picked up by a publisher, they’ll typically help you take care of cover design and layout.

Keep in mind that your odds of being traditionally published are far greater if you submit a polished, professionally edited manuscript.

A final tip …

Speaking from personal experience, the greatest enemy to writing is self-doubt. Stop thinking about whether your idea is good enough or if anyone will read your book.

Instead, just start writing. Get your words out. Then, if you’re still doubting yourself, hire an editor to work with you through the process. They’ll provide a second set of eyes and an unbiased critique of your work, and then they’ll help you make it better.