It takes me a while to turn a creative idea into a book. Over the last several years, I’ve honed that technique, so I’ll explain it here. Everyone will have their own technique, so I’d definitely look/ask around for other writers that you know and figure out what works for you! Also, see if you like the new “timeline” look for this post!
Brainstorming an idea - this can be a random idea from something I've experienced, or a multitude of ideas that have been building up over time. NOTE: This will change as you go through the writing process! But it gives you a good place to start.
Basic outlining - You can choose to outline what topics your book will cover. This can be as simple as bullet points (my fallback) or the snowflake method, which I've just recently started using and love. I am a plantser (or some would call a puzzler), and I used to not outline at all. I would just start with a blank page and start writing. Wherever my fingers took me! But in the last couple years I've learned that some outlining helps me to stay on track and actually fulfill my goals in writing. This is what I want! So I'll stick with some outlining, thank you!
Rush to start - I love jumping straight into a project! This usually involves MANY hours at a time (example: Twenty-four hour writing challenge) or several days in a row (example: Ninety-day challenge) focused only on my new book project.
Break after first draft - First of all, CELEBRATE!! You've accomplished a lot! As much as I would love to say that I sit down and finish something in a year, all of my novels have taken several years to actually get to a useable stage. After I write the first draft, I take off at least a couple months while I work on other projects. My books (click names for more) Mama (2017) and Solivagant (2024) actually evolved fairly quickly, but both were results of years and years of thought.
Editing - When I come back to my manuscript, I work on the basic editing. It usually needs a lot of work.
Rewrite - This is the honest stage, cutting out things I don't need and rearranging the text to make sense. I focus hard here on dialogue and scene settings. Does everything flow and set up the next part?
Editing - The never-ending process! This is by far my least favorite step because it is not fun...once I've rearranged everything so that it's *perfect* then I have to make sure that the "new" story makes sense and there aren't any large gaps in my story.
Line Edits - I look hard at the details of grammar, sentence structure, and word choice.
Reread - This is almost fun, and I try to turn off my editor brain, making notes to come back to awkward places. Take this time to realize that you have (nearly!) completed your manuscript!!!
Professional Editor - I get a reader for this section, someone who is NOT in my family! Yes, even if they like books, it is best to find a Beta group or a professional editor. For all of my books (so far!) I've used Reedsy(<<click) because you can choose someone based on genre or what kind of editor you want. Each bio explains experience alongside other projects that they have completed.
Rewrite - yes, again! Your editor will get back to you in the given timeframe and you will need to decide what you would like to change based on their suggestions and what (or who) you are absolutely determined not to eliminate.
Rework as needed - This is vital in order to make it the absolutely best manuscript that you can!
Query Letter - This one is tough. It is best to find a format that works best for your particular book because the query letter MUST be specific to each agent you are querying. Once you have the letter written, use something like Query Tracker to see who is available and what sort of pieces from your manuscript that they need. They will most likely not ask for everything up front.
...Waiting... could be up to six months or more.
Publishing Process - You could get snatched up by an agent who will walk you through the publishing process, or you could decide to go the independently published route. If you choose indie, I would recommend going with something like Kindle Direct Publishing or something similar. On my first book I paid a *ton* of money to have two months of advertising along with my publishing by a small company and did not see enough returns. This is where you might need to make a couple pro-con lists!
Announcements - Let the world know when you will be publishing the book. And tell them again and again!
Anticipation - Create some promo videos of you, an unboxing, a quote from your book. YOU are the creator! Have fun with this.
Published - YOU are a published author! Take time to revel in that! It is a HUGE accomplishment. Welcome to the family.
Social Media and Sales - This is vital if you are an indie published author. You are the one in charge of spreading the word and you might need to look into ways to do this on a budget. This would be a good chance, if you can afford it, to hire someone for your social media.
Write more! - And there is no stopping you! Write more! Write better! Inspire!
Now I’m motivated!
Hannah Marie.