Outline

An outline can be a simple plot diagram or a complex chapter by chapter breakdown. The important thing is to have an idea of where your story is going.

Get all your ideas on to the page. The first draft will be rough, you’ll want to give up and feel like your writing will never be good enough to publish. This is normal. Keep writing. You can do it.

Read books or watch movies similar to your book. If your book is realistic, find information about the time and place. If it is fantastical, try to find real world examples of elements you want to include in your story.

You can edit the book yourself, or find an editor to do it. Read through your first draft, looking for boring words, plot holes, and inconsistencies in your characters or world. Keep track of the edits you make on a document or speadsheet.

On the second draft you apply what you’ve learned when editing. In addition you should ask yourself overarching questions, like what the tone of your book is and what themes you want to convey. This is the time to make your book feel like a cohesive work.