A killer book idea has been teasing your mind for some time. You know it'll be a bestseller, you can feel it- it has everything the readers want- drama, action, wit, intrigue-- everything except...

It’s not on paper yet.

If it’s still in your head and not on paper how will it ever get read?

The first thing you must do is write the story. Get your first draft down. This is the most important step.

Writing a book seems daunting. It feels like a lot of work and you don’t know where to start. You are thinking about marketing, advertising, synopsis, reader demographics, cover art, editors, and a hundred other things.

But remember- if you want to write a book you need to write it. Right now.

Write every day. Even if you are busy you can write one or two hundred words. Even if you're not in the mood.

All the rest will come later. Get your story down on paper first and everything else will fall into place like steps.

Get the main idea and plat points down so you do not write yourself into a corner later. It also keeps you from staring at blank pages with the dreaded writers block gnawing away at your sanity.

Summary

The first step is to write a summary of your story. One sentence, preferably 15 words or less. It tells what the book is about, painting the picture with a hint of what the main character will go through.

A one sentence summary of the Hunger Games might be, "A teen volunteers to take her sister’s place in an arena battle to the death."

Notice how the characters name, Catniss, is not in the sentence. Names are not necessary in the summary.

The goal is to tell the idea of the story in as few words as possible, and the purpose is for the reader to know if it’s something they may be interested in at all.

If you need ideas for summary structure, check out the New York Times Bestseller list.

Characters

Next you will want to write a character description for each of your main characters. I wrote a detailed piece on character description here.

Your characters must feel real and make sense. And remember- nobody's perfect! Your characters need flaws, too :)

Plot

Beginning.

Middle.

End.

Also known as:

Setup.

Conflict.

Resolution.

In order to not wander as you are putting the words on paper during your first draft, you want to have a clear outline of the plotline of your book. Who, What, Where, When, and Why.

Write this down before you start writing and you’ll never draw a blank as to which way the story should go.

An outline of your characters including who they are and what drives them, as well as the direction they will go in the story, will eliminate any questionable motives. And a clear outline of the plot will ensure there are no plot holes or misdirection, and keep your words flowing onto the paper where they belong.

Get those words out! Write down your story. The most important, and sometimes most daunting task is to get your first draft written. Once that part is finished, then you can edit and polish, and the rest comes in turn.

Take it one step at a time.

But the most important step is to get your story down on paper.

Write on my friends!