How To Begin Writing Your Book

One of the most common questions I get from my writing clients is how do I get started on my book? Where do I even begin? I love this question so much, because like many questions there are often deeper questions underneath them. Here are some common questions that usually lie buried beneath are fears of beginnings:

What if I fail?
What if no one likes my writing?
What if I find out I’m not any good?
What if I don’t finish what I started?

Consider this for yourself– what are the layered questions underneath the more obvious ones?

Beginnings are tricky, am I right? Oftentimes beginnings hold a certain amount of intensity like a pressure filled tank. So much pressure in fact that we stop before we even get started.

Before we dive into how to begin a book, I want to address the fear of beginnings in general. What is it about them that makes them so terrifying? Usually there is a story attached to every fear and creative block that keeps us stuck. When we begin to identify these attachments, they lose their power over us.

When I think of beginnings, I am ushered back to first days of school, the hour long indecision of what to wear that would be deemed ‘cool enough,’ the sick stomach wrought by anxiety thirty minutes before the first bell rang, the asking of my mom to park a block away from the school entrance and then watching her drive away so I could skip class and head back to the house to watch soap operas and eat hot pockets. Beginnings were always a sort of stage fright for me and something that I have had to choose to move through rather than run away from. What about you?

Take a moment to free write on this subject. What stories, narratives, or words arise when you think of beginnings? Don’t censor yourself, even if these don’t seem to make sense now. When you’re finished, notice what themes arose. Was it surprising? When we name the monster we’ve been scared of, suddenly they don’t look as big when exposed in the light. So, if you have felt terrified of beginnings because of an unnamed wound, it is time to call it out and bravely move forward.

Now that we have talked through the importance of beginnings, let’s get into the practical ways to begin your book:

• Consider the core message of your book.
  What story or mic drop line can you have at the beginning of your book to hook the reader? This is really important as you start your draft and often can fuel the writing itself. Place yourself in the reader’s shoes of your book. What is it about this book that made them pick it up off the shelf? What was in the first few pages that made them want to keep reading? Begin there.
• Write a list of stories, pick what resonates with you, and begin writing one story at a time.
  This is a slower, more ambiguous process to writing your book, but could be really helpful in developing your writing voice, writing stories that energize you, and then locating themes and core messaging after the fact.
• Break your book into small bite size pieces.
  It can be overwhelming to picture a 250 page book or 15 chapters glaring back at you. Instead, take it ‘frame by frame’ and write a paragraph or single section at a time. Writing is not a sprint, it’s a marathon or better yet a stroll through a park with hour long breaks on the bench watching the people passing. Anne Lamott writes about this framing process in her epic book, Bird By Bird: “I go back to trying to breath, slowly and calmly, and I finally notice the one-inch picture frame that I put on my desk to remind me of short assignments. It reminds me that all I have to do is to write down as much as I can see through a one-inch picture frame.”
• Construct an outline to be a container.
  Outlines can be incredibly helpful if you are needing structure and direction with your book. Even if the structure of your outline changes, the content within your outline should be a well in which you can draw from when you are feeling empty.
• Do your writers research beforehand.
  I have my writing clients create a brainstorming folder where they can compile all their research for their book beforehand. This can be filled with things like statistics and data that you are writing about, details on settings or places, or even a folder filled with images to inspire characters and scenes. Skies the limit with this, but having a robust brainstorming folder could be helpful to refer to in your book writing process.
• Set deadlines for your writing with weekly word count goals.
  Let’s be real, we are creative folks writing books and need ALL the accountability to keep us showing us to the page. Be really honest with yourself about what is achievable and set goals accordingly. If you feel like 5000 words a week is what you can commit to, awesome! That will get to 60,000 words within three months! Set up your calendar or excel sheet and write your word count weekly. Don’t forget to give yourself a high five when you meet that goal!
• Construct a narrative arc and create the building blocks on your book.
  Consider, how do I want the book to begin, what will be included in the biggest body of the book, and how do I want to end it? Have fun with the shaping of your book. I have my clients literally draw an arc and fill in the beginning, middle and end with key stories and messages that will define the flow.
• Lastly, just write and don’t worry about editing yet.
  Put pen to paper and don’t look back. Perfectionism is the fastest way to halt the creative process. Remember, revisions can come later.

That’s it my friends. This is what you need to know before you dive into beginning your book. I hope that as you consider beginnings for yourself, that you uncover the fears that have frozen you in the past and bravely put one forward to start this book of yours.

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR SUPPORT IN WRITING YOUR BOOK, THEN CHECK OUT MY 1:1 BOOK COACHING WHERE WE WILL WORK TOGETHER TO TAKE YOU FROM BOOK IDEA TO COMPLETE DRAFT.

Megan Febuary is an author, trauma-informed book coach and creative mentor. Helping women write their books, heal their stories, and understand their unique human design. You can learn more about working with Megan at yourbookyear.com