How to write a book

The written word, today, is everywhere. Whether we are perusing the Internet, reading a label, or hunkered down with a good book, the written word is one of the most important ways we communicate. Anybody with a story to tell can write a book - either for their own enjoyment or to publish for all to see (and hopefully buy).

If you find yourself weaving alternate stories in your head as you read your favorite novels, or when you are relaxing in the park, consider writing your stories down. Although it may seem daunting, you can do it. Here are some pointers how to get started.

1. Buy a notebook, or several.
 
While you may wish to type you novel directly into a computer, It's not always possible to be near one when inspiration strikes. Thus, it's best to have good old-fashioned pencil and paper no matter where you are. Moreover, many writers trust the connection from mind to hand to pen on paper.

* A leather-bound or heavy card notebook is the most sturdy and can take lots of abuse in a backpack or briefcase, whereas a spiral-bound notebook, is easy to keep open.

* With spiral or bound, consider using graph paper versus standard lined paper. You may end up creating drawings and sketches as you go, and it is useful for identing paragraphs, or outlining.

2. Put your thinking cap on.
 
Now that you have your notebook, it's time to squash the traditional bugaboo of all writers; that empty first page. Use these first pages to create the overview of your story including your outline, notes about characters (possible names, descriptions, back stories, etc.), places, era - all the title things that go into a larger story.

* There are several advantages to this overview approach, including it will give you new ideas for your story as you describe different parts of it.

* Nothing goes to waste. You may describe a character, for instance, who never appears in the story directly but who influences another character.

* You always have something to refer to when you run out of immediate ideas.

3. Create your outline.
 
An outline will help you define the arc of your narrative - the beginning, development of plot and characters, the setting up of all the events leading to the big conflict or climax, and then the resolution and ending.

* The beginning of the story is often the hardest. The best thing to do is start as broadly as possible. For example, if you want to write a mystery novel, and you are a fan of World War II.

* Write that down: Mystery, WWII. Both categories are equally broad, but simply putting them together, you narrow the field down already.

* Now, at least you have a time period and a focus. The other questions are: is it personal, or sweeping, when does it take place, and who are the characters.

4. Timeline your outline.
 
Now that you have created the basic story (minus all the words), sketch your outline as a timeline with each character's milestone events laid out on their own line. Just draw a line where those events happen. This will give you something to kickstart your muse.

5. Edit mercilessly.
 
If you find your plot goes nowhere, and nothing you can do will help it - back up to where it last made sense, and try something else. Your story is not required to do anything you tell it to do in the outline. Sometimes, the story has other ideas where it wants to go. Wherever you are in the process, follow your heart. This is part of the joy of writing.

Also read the article guide to writing non-fiction.

Taken from: News Straits Times - 17 September 2012 (article), Google (images).