Anyone can be a writer if they really try. All it takes is patience, determination, imagination and dedication. Whether you prefer pen and paper, typing on your laptop, or using a type writer, it doesn't matter. We're all writers. We can all come up with fantastical ideas that'll grab an audience's attention. I'm not saying all books have to be Fantasy. Action, Adventure, Drama, Mystery and Thriller books all grab a reader's attention as well. There's a combination of thoughts, planning and skill that go into creating a successful book. With practice and motivation, you could soon be selling a best seller.
1. Create Interesting Characters
Would you rather read a story about two super heroes saving the world, or a grandma going through her everyday routine in the nursing home? You have to remember through their eyes is how the story is going to be told. So, let's say you take grandma. She's just a normal, little, old lady who loves getting cards from her granddaughter in college. Boring. You need to spice it up. What makes grandma different? Does she have Alzheimer's? Does she secretly go to raves every night? It's all up to you the way you want to portray grandma. Now who wouldn't want to read about a rave loving grandma?!
2. Organize Your Thoughts
Organization can make or break a person and their story. Yes, some people work differently from others, but there needs to be some sort of organization so you can tell Chapter 4 and Chapter 5 apart. By creating a story board, you can add details, characters involved in the scene, major plot points and even how many pages each chapter should be in length. There are different methods for doing so, like time lines, beat sheets and story boards. Once you find what suits your way of thinking, stick to it so no idea can be misplaced. There are plenty of websites you can find blank sheets to use at your disposal.
3. Plan Out EVERYTHING
When I say everything, I mean everything from the way your character walks, the way the sun sets at 8:03 p.m. and the color of grandma's shoes. From the author's point of view, the more information you have, the better. If you have pages upon pages of character, scene and plot details, the more concrete your characters and story will be. And trust me, that'll show in your writing. No detail is too little.
4. Save Every Revision As Its Own Document
I say this for a reason. Say if you're working on an essay and decide to redo a whole section because you thought you did it wrong. So, like a good student, you save your work then double check the assignment — only to see you had it right the first time. Now, there's no way of getting all that hard work back. Same goes for when you're writing a book. If you decide to change Chapter 3 and make it combine with Chapter 2, you're going to want to save the original before you make such drastic changes because if you decide down the road you preferred the original version, it won't be such an effort to get that work back.
5. Don't Fall For Cliques
What I mean by cliques is stock characters or stock situations. If you have the damsel in distress who needs rescue from the evil villain, basically all readers will know a knight in shining armor will be knocking on the palace door waiting to save her. If you really want to use that sort of situation, add a twist to it; your personal twist. If you develop the situation and characters, those cliques might turn into plausible situations and characters that'll leave your readers wanting more.
6. Ask Yourself: "Who Cares?"
So what if Jenny broke up with Brad on the first page? Why should I care? I know that's a little rough, but that's my point. You have to create characters who your readers will fall in love with and care if they break up just before Senior Prom. If Jenny's running from a masked murderer and encounters a dead end, you have to make your readers care enough about Jenny in the first few pages of your book so they'll keep reading to know her fate.
7. Take Writing Classes
A little help never hurt. If you're really serious and want to become a best selling author, then taking writing classes should be in your future. You can learn so much just from one session and having something to keep you writing may be the push you need. You can also buy books to help you learn how to write. Stephen King even wrote one that some college writing classes use today.
8. No Idea is Stupid
Simple as that. If it sounds stupid or silly, still go for it and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. That stupid idea you had may turn into a well written book if you work to mold it.
9. Don't Be Afraid to Take Risks
Storytelling is all about the risks, whether it be what your characters do to achieve your goal or what you put down on the page. Who knows? Your risk could become the greatest plot twist known to date, or plot period! You won't know until you try. If you really have to, save one copy without the risk and put the risk into another copy. Have your peers read both and see if your risk makes your story better or you need to make a risk in another part.
10. Never Stop Writing
You choosing to stop writing is the one thing that will get in your way of writing a good book. Even if you have to force yourself. Keep. Writing. You can always carry around a small notebook everywhere you go like journalists do. If something sparks a story idea in your mind, write it down so you won't forget it. Nothing's worse than forgetting that perfect story idea. The more you write, the more you grow and the more you grow, the better your writing becomes. Simple as that.
