Writing your first book

Whether you're writing for yourself or intend to go all the way and publish for your audience, starting a book can be really daunting especially if you don't know where to take it and what mistakes to avoid.

Here is a list of things that I did in preparation for my first children's book.

Coming up with an idea

Sometimes ideas come to us naturally. Out of nowhere you'll have something to start you off, whether it's a character or a setting or simply an idea. Whatever it is, get it down somewhere, a piece of paper, notepad or jot it down in your phone. In my experience, it's important not to rush. Some days nothing will come to you, but don't panic it happens to everyone. Try to think of what sort of story you want to tell. Even if you may think "Oh it's been done", the truth is, no idea is completely unique but the way you write and how you get your point across is what will make the story authentic. Also don't be afraid if you change your ideas as you go along, this is all part of the process. I don't know many writers who started with the same idea that they finished with. Just trust yourself and keep going. 

Character development

Ask yourself questions about your character. Who are they? What are they trying to achieve? What obstacles will they encounter? How will they overcome them? How many characters? The list is endless, but take the time to get to know your character as though they were a real person. Your audience needs to engage with this character, so if you can't, neither can they. Does the story involve other characters? Ask the same questions. What part do they play in the story? Will they help or hinder your main character's goals?

Target audience

While you're coming up with your ideas, it's important to consider your audience. Who is this book for? Is it for teenagers? Children? What age are you trying to appeal to? Consider narrowing the age gap, perhaps a book for ages 3 - 10 may be too broad. However, 3 - 5 may be more suitable or even 8 - 10. Think about the words you'll use and if those would be suitable for your audience. Are you going for a picture book or just text? Consider the layout of the book, if it's for younger children between 3 and 10, you may want to consider using bright colours and an easy to read font. If you're writing for an older audience, consider altering the font to something more appropriate. Same goes for illustrations too.

Editing your manuscript

This is such a crucial step that people often overlook. It's so important to make sure that you edit your work. Ensure that there are no spelling or grammar mistakes and that the story is concise and makes sense throughout. It's always worth getting an editor or someone you trust to look over your work. A fresh pair of eyes may notice something you didn't. Go through it a good few times before you contact an illustrator to start the drawing. Make sure that you have the correct page count for your book. Depending how you publish, there'll be a minimum page requirement before you upload or send to publishers so make sure you establish that first.

Getting an illustrator

If you're in the fortunate position of being able to draw and intend to draw the book yourself, then you're gonna find this step particularly easy. If however, you need an illustrator it's really important that you plan the layout of your book before contacting them. Make sure that you know what text/image corresponds to what page, decide if your book should have a bleed or not. If you're not sure, you can research books similar to what you're doing and decide from there. Establish what dimensions your book will be. If it's a children's book you may consider a larger size to make room for big pictures and text. You can reduce the size if the book is for a more mature reader. Above all, be clear to your illustrator what you want without over complicating things too much. I'd also recommend you give your artist some freedom to experiment with new ideas, they may develop something you hadn't thought of that could work in favour of your story.

Be patient

This is so important throughout. Don't rush to get your book done as soon as possible. It's better to spend a little extra time to ensure that everything is as it should be rather than settle for something you're not entirely happy with. Enjoy the process of creating too because when it comes down to it, that's what you set out to do. If you face an obstacle, don't despair, keep going and get advice online. Join group pages on social media specifically for indie writers, take people's feedback on board and above all, don't give up.

One last thing

You can find so many resources for physically writing your book. If you have a story you want to tell, get it down on paper. Buy yourself a notepad just for this project, use an app on your phone for writing. I managed to do my entire book on my phone, everything from conceiving the idea, corresponding with my illustrator all the way up to publishing. If you have a laptop, tablet or PC, use them. There's always a way.

Good luck!