10 Steps to Writing Your First Book!

Writing they say is representation of symbols such as letters that express some meaning or something written, such as a document, article or book. Therefore it's the process of representing a language with symbols or letters.

A work related to that of an author with different style of writing of an individual intended for passing a message or communication.

However according to Wikipedia, Writing is a medium of human communication that represents language and emotion with signs and symbols.

 In most languages, writing is a complement to speech or spoken language.

Writing is not a language, but a tool used to make languages be read. Within a language system, writing relies on many of the same structures as speech, such as vocabulary, grammar, and semantics , with the added dependency of a system of signs or symbols.

The result of writing is called text, and the recipient of text is called a reader.

Motivations for writing include publication, storytelling, correspondence, record keeping and diary.

Writing has been instrumental in keeping history, maintaining culture, dissemination of knowledge through the media and the formation of legal systems.

Some of these habits might seem weird at first.

Experts suggest that it takes repetition and time to develop a habit. When you repeat an action, sooner or later it will become a part of who you are – you’ll develop the habits which make you a successful author.

You want to write a book or become a writer?

For sometimes now I have been written for some bloggers, but initially have always find it difficult thinking that it's something impossible and unachievable or maybe it's meant for some particular set of people?

 It's not what you think. Come to think of it, it's even something simple than what you think, eventually I develop habits and guide to help me write. 

Let's take the journey together but let me remind you that constant consistent practice of these guides or steps that matter most till you are able to master it or get used to it. 

Expert says that what you do consistently for one month will become part and pursue of you.

Here are the steps; 

1) Visualize your book and audience.

Visualize how the book will look like, the content and what you want your audience to derive from it. why they must buy or read the book 📖?

Define your target audience and stop fooling yourself. Not one product is for everyone! Fine, your book may be for more than one group of people. But there must be a group whose needs your book perfectly meet.

Think and find that target audience. Because when you do, writing will be a breeze.

What is that need that your write up want to meet/solve?

 State your objective and purpose for writing clearly because any attempt for you not to be able to convey your idea in a simple and clear sentence exactly what readers will benefit from your book, please drop your pen – or shut down your computer.

You can't feature in the future you can't picture, it's still in the dream land but we must put it bring it to reality.

2) Develop the habit of managing your time.

Writing a book or any book do not only take but also consumes time. Think about how you spend your day, because there are some hours if the day that are not your leisure time but they are time consuming; example of such is when traveling, don't just allow those few hours to waste but rather think on some actions and steps towards you writing.

If your schedule is packed – you work, you need time to commute, and time to spend with your family consider how you could fit in writing time in other words have a writing time each and every day. Many writers get up earlier so they have time to write. Perhaps if this doesn’t work for you don't panic, try and see what works. You’ll find that a dreamy half-awake state is perfect for writing for most people.

3. Develop a journaling habit

Majority of what your journal will comprises of are: your thoughts, ideas, outlines, and insights, research to gather information on your major contents and note the sources as you do so, in case you need to cite or acknowledge them in your book, outline the major book contents, list the major contents, forward, acknowledgement, topics, chapter titles, conclusion will help to achieve your objective.

A writing journal helps you to write so create a writer’s journal for your book. Your journal contains all your writing notes, it’s impossible to keep your entire book in your head. Don’t try.

You will bless your journal if you can’t write for a few days because it will put you in the right frame of mind to write when you read your journal so decide whether you’ll keep your book’s journal on paper, or in digital form. I keep my writing journals in writer (it’s free.).

However, you may prefer a hardcover notebook, or a loose-leaf folder. It’s up to you what you choose. Start your journal today.

 4. Learn to accept what you have written by lowering your expectations.

To can't get to stardom a day, so writing a book is a journey.

 It’s easy to lose confidence, don't get tired and stressed out and avoid writer’s block if you accept each day’s writing as the best you can do, on that particular day.

Never mind just write, I as much as you can talk, you can write. Writing a book is therefore a process, you write the book, then you review and revise your book and you may go through this process several times.

 It’s been said that books are rewritten, rather than written.

Accept the process, no short cut so that it will not cut you short and be happy with what you write each day. Another thing to avoid is to judge your writing. There is a style and technique of writing that is peculiar to each kind of book.

What kind of book do you want to write?

  Novel, poetry, drama, textbook, children’s book.

Learn and master the style peculiar to your kind of book as you write.

Even though you had the best grade in English in your school, and you speak polished English, you cannot edit your own work perfectly.

Give it to others who are experienced in your subject matter to view it from another angle; don’t be gentle to yourself during this stage.

Decide that you’ll develop the habit of acceptance.

5. Assume your own best possible position.

 Develop the habit of eliminating distractions while you’re writing if you easily distracted and if you like it best at a coffee shop or a noisy place or even a restaurant, no problem. When it’s time to write, eliminate as many distractions as you can by closing your eye to your phone, close your email, messaging and social media apps.

The main purpose of creating a distractions free environment is so you can focus on writing.

Many writers swear by apps which put the focus on writing, and eliminate distractions. I use WriterP – it’s free.

6. Daydream and muse.

“Muse” is both a verb and noun which is a  source of inspiration or  poet that is to become lost in thought, to ponder, to say something with due consideration or thought is refers to the Muses. As a verb, when you muse on your book, you wonder about it.

Musing is a form of daydreaming: you’ll often get ideas and inspiration from a few minutes of musing about your book.

You can’t grab inspiration by the neck and force it. You can however sit quietly, daydreaming about your book, and hope that inspiration will happen. That's the secret.

7. Use idea capturing method.

Have you ever wonder on this, “How do some things break the law of nature -----a 🌲 trees in the middle of river or waters and is growing normal and flourish and it's not growing abnormally.

This is how some individuals also break the nature and do some honorable weird things and they clap and call them genius".

 Inspiration happens anywhere and everywhere that can happen when you muse, when traveling, in the shower, when you’re driving, or when you’re playing with your friends and/ or children. It’s elusive so if you don’t capture your ideas as they happen, they’ll vanish like dreams.

 This is where your apps or note pad works, therefore be prepared to capture ideas whenever they occur.

8. Set words count target.

How long do want your book to be? Let's try out some analysis here: Most print books are around 70,000 to 80,000 words, with 250 words per print page, that’s 280 to 320 pages.

So have the end at mind decide on your estimated word count, work out how much you’ll need to write each day to meet your deadline.

You can engage word count spreadsheets online or any other apps good at this to track the date, your deadline, and how many words you write each day with your target in your mind.

9. Read daily 

The life of a writer........when you read books, you don't only improve your grammar vocabulary but familiarizing yourself to their daily usage but you also increase your mental capacity, thinking faculties and widen your horizons and scopes. Writers read; the more you read, the easier writing becomes, because you’re familiar with words, and how to express ideas in words.

Therefore as you make your plane for the day, like I use to-do list, schedule reading time into your day. Aim to read for at least half an hour a day, thereby making your reading habit to do more by improving your writing skills than anything else, other than writing.

Don't let a day end without learning new things or an idea.

10. Learn from other people's experience.

Experience that say is the best teacher, but I prefer to say that evaluated experience is the best teacher ever.

Experiences provide food for your writing. Creativity guru Julia Cameron , author of The Artist’s Way , encourages writers to go on “artist’s dates” each week.

 These expeditions are dates with you, to explore and discover new things. You go on your artist’s dates alone, so take your notebook, Observe and watch people or read or listen to other people's failures and success stories thereby viewing things from their perspective.

So there you have it. Ten habits to develop which will help you to write your first book, and the books you’ll write in the future. Thanks....