Somebody once famously said that everyone has a book in them, but very few people actually take the time to write it. This is true in the case of a great many people and if you are one of them then you shod at least get the prep work started. My buddy Eric Wetlaufer from Wesson has been writing books for many years now and I have been involved in a great deal fo that process both as company and as a helper. If you want to get the prep started then, here is what I would recommend based on how Eric does things.
First Thing’s First
If you are writing the book in order to find fame and fortune then it is important not to get ahead of yourself. The sheer volume of declined books which many hopeful authors receive in their email inbox or through the post far outweighs those who make it. Don’t lose hope, just focus on writing the best book that you possibly can and the rest will follow.
Themes
When you are thinking about what theme to make your book about something that Eric often does is to write out a stream of consciousness and you could benefit by doing the same. Remember that there are no restrictions here, you can literally write down any kind of theme that comes into your mind because this is about a process, the original ideas will lead to great themes. Whether you write about an elf with fidelity issues, a group of Mexican women trying to make it in the US or a bear that can talk, all ideas can be helpful.
Characters
No matter what the story is that you are telling, it is the characters that will be the most important part of the entire story. With this in mind you need to start working hard on developing the characters and creating people from your mind. In Eric’s case he will sometimes write about the person that he would like to be and creates a person based on that, alternatively he will be inspired by someone on the street, and then create a persona around them. It doesn’t matter whether or not you have at theme yet, try to start creating characters and then you can always put them into a story at a later date.
Research
Accuracy is very important as it is this that makes the story believable. Let’s say that you are writing about lawyers, you must understand the inner workings of cases and their role within it, or you won’t be writing something that people can buy into. As soon as you have a theme, you should invest a lot of time into the research in order to make your book as accurate as you possibly can.
Get the prep right and everything else will follow.
