intro to post with how to write a fiction book
How To Write A Fiction Book Readers Can’t Put Down
Note: Several of the links below are affiliate links, which means that if you click them and make a purchase through the link, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Read a lot.
Okay, I know this sounds rather unrelated, but if you want to develop your skill in writing, the best way to do so is reading what others have written.
If the book is poorly written, it’s a lesson in what not to do. What don’t you like about it? Are there things that make you cringe? What leaves you craving more? How might you rewrite it?
And if the book is a masterpiece, it’s a lesson in what you can try to recreate. It can also make you feel a little inadequate, but try to focus on the first half because it’s true!
If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write.
Stephen King, on writing
Reading within the genre you intend to write gives you an idea of reader expectations, tropes you like or dislike, and a feel for plot/pacing you should use within your story.
On the other hand, reading outside of your intended genre expands your horizons in other ways, from learning the craft of other writers to finding inspiration for characters and settings in your story.
Start with a strong idea.
Where do you get an idea for your book? It’s a common question for story writers, and the answers are pretty diverse.
A story is the record of how somebody deals with danger.
Dwight V. Swain, Techniques of the Selling Writer
The best advice: read a story you want to read about. It’s the best way to ensure it’s one someone else will want to read, too.
It’s how I started writing The Violin, honestly! I listened to Saint-Saens’s Danse Macabre for the first time and wanted to read a story of the origin story of the events in the tone poem. It didn’t exist. So I wrote it, and it’s one of my favorite books.
Develop your characters.
A story is nothing without its characters, so they should be memorable.
If they’re weak and unremarkable and impossible to relate to, no one will care about their story.
Here is one simple rule to remember: Characters carry theme.
James Scott Bell
To build believable characters, it’s important to consider a few basic things:
- Their motivation: What do they want most? What do they think will make them happy?
- Their flaws and strengths: No one likes perfect characters. No one. Flaws make characters relatable, because readers are flawed, too.
- Backstory: Even if this doesn’t make it into the book (note: it shouldn’t) knowing a character’s past experiences helps readers understand their motivations in the present day story.
There’s the fun surface stuff, too, like the names of the characters and what they look like, but those are only useful once you’ve gotten the hard-hitting stuff figured out. The deep stuff gives your characters, well, depth.
Want to dive deeper into character-building? Here are some resources I’ve used and love:
- Creating Characters: How To Build Story People by Dwight V. Swain
- School of Plot’s Character Workbook
- 200+ Character Questions: The Ultimate Character Questionnaire by The Novel Factory
- Fictional Character Personality Types by The Novel Factory
- 8 Character Archetypes Which Help Build Unforgettable Characters by The Novel Factory
- Villain Workbook by School of Plot
Build a good plot.
According to Dwight V. Swain, a story in its purest form is the record of how a person deals with danger.
Now, it might be physical danger in a spy novel, or the more existential danger of a romance novel, etc. Either way, this generally holds true.
A story is the record of how a person deals with danger.
Dwight V. Swain, Techniques of the Selling Writer
So how do you plot out such a thing?
There’s more than one way to do so. A few of these include:
- The three-act story
- Save The Cat beats
- The Hero’s Journey
- The Snowflake method
It’s far from an exhaustive list, but it goes to show there’s multiple options, so it depends on what makes the most sense to you.
My advice? Read through a few ideas and see which ones you connect with. Give them a shot. Whether it works or not, they’ll serve as a lesson in developing your story.
From my experience, none of these little side missions, no matter how “useless” they might appear, are ever entirely a waste of time.
Want to dive deeper into plot-building? Here are some resources I’ve used and love:
- 8 Novel Outline Templates That Help You Write Your Story
- Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight V. Swain (actually this is my all-time favorite book about novel writing, for all these points. But it seemed most applicable here!)
- Plot Structure Workbook by School of Plot
- Writing Romance Workbook by School of Plot
- Save The Cat! Writes A Novel by Jessica Brody
Create an immersive world.
The setting of your story kind of functions as another character, in a way, because of the way your characters interact with it. There are buildings, city areas, rural areas, magic systems, monetary systems, different mythical creatures, where the characters acquire food, where they live…
The possibilities are endless.
Want to dive deeper into worldbuilding? Here are some resources I’ve used and love:
- Fantasy Worldbuilding Workbook by School of Plot
- Sci-Fi Worldbuilding Workbook by School of Plot
Write a lot.
I’m going to hold your hand when I tell you this: if you want to write a book, you’re going to have to actually write it.
I KNOW. It kind of sucks sometimes. But get it out, because the more you write, the easier it is to actually put your book together. Even if it’s bad writing, that’s okay! You can’t edit a blank page, and the editing is really where the magic happens.
Revise, edit, and polish.
Writing is great, but the Shitty First Draft is a very real thing.
Doubt is normal, but don’t let it stop you. Every great writer started somewhere. Keep writing, learning, and improving!
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