How to Start Writing a Book – 9 Sources of Blockbuster Ideas Are you wondering about how to start writing a book and, more specifically, how do novelists find story ideas? It’s a great question, and one that is answered in a number of ways. While you may be one of those lucky writers who have an idea popping into your head by the minute, for many of us it’s not always that easy. We struggle with ideas that we find interesting, wondering if readers will also find it interesting. And it’s just as important for readers to find your storyline interesting and exciting to read as it is for you to love writing it.
Write What You Love to Read Before we look at sources of inspiration, let’s look at what makes a good novel for any of us to write, and I’ll keep it simple: If you want to learn how to start writing a book, write what you love to read. This old adage is as true today as it’s ever been for three important reasons:
Chances are that if you love to read a certain type of book, as a novelist, you will also enjoy writing that type of book.
By reading many books of a certain type, a certain genre, you most likely will know what makes it a good story. Consider for a moment what enjoyment you gain from the books you read. For example, some people will recognize the suspense and excitement they feel when reading novels like those in John Sandford’s Prey series. Others will find that they enjoy the “other-worldly” societies found in stories like Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series. Still others love being swept away by lust and love in Sandra Brown’s romantic suspense novels like Slow Heat in Heaven.
As a reader of a certain genre, you know what you expect to happen in the story, and if the story doesn’t deliver on your expectation, you are most likely disappointed. If you love to read mysteries, you know that the lead character had better solve that mystery before the book ends. If you love to read fantasy novels, you expect to be swept away to some mythical place or kingdom. And so on. When you love to read a certain genre, you know what to expect from a story and are better able to write a novel that delivers the goods. And that’s how to start writing a book.
By writing what you love to read, you are also pinpointing a genre in which to write your story. Unless you are writing a “mainstream” novel, which doesn’t fit into any particular genre, you will need to select a genre. When you target a specific genre, you must follow the novel writing guidelines of that genre. Publishers and readers have expectations that writers must fulfill when writing a certain type of book. For more on genre, please see the section on Discover the Key to Writing 10 Popular Types of Novels.
How to Start Writing a Book – Everything Is Fair Game
As you explore how to start writing a book, look for ideas from which to build a great story. A story should provide readers with entertainment, evoke strong emotions, make
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them think or shift their paradigm, etc. It must be an idea that you will love enough to spend many hours developing. Many writers say that you can find a story anywhere, and I tend to agree with this philosophy. Stories ideas come from experiences, yours and anyone else’s. Your life experiences and those of your neighbors, friends, family and strangers are all up for grabs when looking for inspiration.
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