Write a Good Fiction Book
Writing can be challenging. Here are some helpful tips to get fiction writers on their feet, then soaring.
Contents
Steps
Fiction Book Samples
Doc:Fiction Book Brainstorm,Fiction Book Excerpt
Writing Your Own Fiction Book
- Be creative! Imagination has no limits. Don't let other people steal your ideas.
- Get an idea. Plain and simple, it may come in the form of a dream, or perhaps that annoying dog across the street sounds like it's saying cookies. Any idea can be excellent.
- Write your idea down. No matter how ridiculous or stupid it may sound, it could be good. Maybe that idea about the dog that says cookies is lame, but someone will like it, or you can change it a bit later on.
- Work out the details and main story line. What color is the dog? Is it a boy or a girl? It could even be both! Why does it want cookies? How does it get the cookies? There are many questions that you can answer but decide on the story line before you get on the details.
- Don't copy other authors. Bob Atkinson is a great author and illustrator and he doesn't copy Nick Bland. Be yourself.
- Decide if it's a short story or novel. How many pages or chapters are there? Get the basics.
- Write a rough draft.
- Spell check. Change it if it says its incorrect, if it doesn't seem right check with someone who knows English as a profession. Don't leave it to chance.
- Read through it again. Does it make sense? Have your friends and family read through it. Let them make changes with a pencil or pen.
- Retype it with the corrections and send it to a publisher. (If you want to) Have fun!
Tips
- Make sure you are interested in what you are writing. That way you can really get into detail about the topic.
- Writing should be fun and you should love the book as much as the readers who read it.
- Plan your story, but allow yourself to be surprised by things you didn't expect that come up as you go. Many "plot twists" can arise that even YOU didn't expect, and are often the best ones.
- Make sure your story is well-organized.
- Think of the possible dangers the character may face when trying to solve a problem. For example, an avalanche would be good if their adventure takes place on a mountain.
- Be original. Think of topics you enjoy reading about, and then make your own story about them.
- Make sure you are away from distractions.
- If you stop for too long, you lose interest. So either keep writing, or read some books to pass the time. Any electronics are fine, just not too long or it'll make you forget!
- Remember to write every day, no matter how boring it might get. Stopping for a day may lead to stopping for a week, thus forgetting many ideas you might have had previously.
- Have depth in your story.
- Don't use too many uncommon names as then it becomes unrealistic.
- Pace yourself. Do a chapter at a time; you can even do a paragraph.
- Ensure that you are able to go to an inspiring place, preferably a quiet one, where your ideas can flourish with the influence of your surroundings.
- Experiment with changing the point of view of your narrator.This technique can mix up your story and keep the reader entertained.
- Talk to other people and maybe an idea will pop in to your head!
- Keep a notebook or app on your phone with you at all times so you can record ideas, names even lines that pop into your head before you forget them !
- A good technique to use is to tell from your dreams.
- Use names that are easy to remember. Remember to put in twists in the plot and give your main character problems to resolve so you keep your book interesting.
- Always begin your story with tension. It gets your readers captivated.
- Try making an original character. You have to spend time developing the character, so when you write about him or her, it would be easier.
Warnings
- Don't create a problem (which takes ten pages to investigate), and make the protagonist find the solution in four pages. Lengthen it. Is there something/someone who wants to stop you? Do you need to find clues? Don't rush!
- Choose names that are easy to remember. They can be unique but don't include too many foreign names, as it will make the book harder to follow.
- If you decide to use a thesaurus, make sure that you look up the meaning of the synonym. It might mean something completely different than what you had intended to say.
- Don't overload it with details and information. Make sure that there is room to wonder but make sure all questions are answered.
- Watch your dialogue, and avoid repetitive words of phrases.
- Don't have more than 3 storylines in your book. You will have to switch between them and by the time you're done with the other characters, the readers will have forgotten what happened in the main storyline.
- Give yourself a time line: 1st chapter rough draft ready on a day you choose.
- This might take a year or two if you plan to publish your book
Things You'll Need
- Computer (optional)
- Any writing utensil/utility/program
- Publisher (Optional)
- Paper or several notebooks
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