The Nine Stages of Writing a Book

Posted on October 25, 2021

There is no one-size-fits-all approach to writing a book. Some authors may sit and write the first draft straight off. Others will meticulously plot out every scene, every character, every little detail.

You need to find the right way that works for you, which might not necessarily be the same as the way that works for other writers.

For me, there’s a simple set of steps that help turn an idea into a manuscript…

Idea

The fun bit! You’ve got a cracking idea for a book and it is swirling about your head 24/7 – you’re going to have to write it!

Procrastination

Uh-oh. Now you’ve got the great idea, you are actually going to have to write it. Stop scrolling, start scribbling.

Plotting and research

If it’s a fiction book –  pull together every detail about your characters, your story’s journey, dates, times, locations…

If it’s a non-fiction book – outline what you’re covering, pull together all of the research you need – which gaps do you need to fill?

Spreadsheets are your friend!

Outline

It’s time to outline your book. Sum up the gist of what it’s all about, what is the core plot and where does it take the reader? Build the blueprint for your book. It’s not always the most popular route, but it’s the easiest way to avoid writer’s block half-way through your first draft.

Writing your first draft

The serious work starts now. You’ve got your outline, now you need to start to colour it in. Your outline and research are your roadmap – keeping your draft on track, whilst avoiding the dreaded writers’ block. It’s a big job but you’ve got this!

Despair

Inevitably, once your first draft is done, if not in the middle of it, despair will hit! Everything becomes a distraction, motivation is at an all-time low, and you cannot bring yourself to look at another word ever. Ever.

Power through. Give yourself a break and then get back to it!

Revise, revise, revise!

Once the first draft is down, there’s no room to be precious with it. Yes, it’s full of your blood, sweat and tears. There’s no doubting it. But every first draft is always a bit rubbish. Read back through it, finesse it, review it and check for spelling and grammar mistakes.

Terror

Yikes! It’s written, it’s revised, it’s to a point where you’re happy with it. Now you have to share it  – with your publisher, with an editor, whoever that may be. Be brave. This is where the hard work starts to pay off!

Submit manuscript

That final moment of sharing your manuscript, of clicking send, is huge. HUGE. It’s the leap that you need to take to become a published author. Whether you’re submitting to a publisher or to self-publish your work, this is where your manuscript becomes a book. A real, actual book. Congrats!