How to write a book

HOW TO WRITE A BOOK 

INTRODUCTION 
Anyone can learn how to write a book on any subject. Write a book about what you are interested in and knowledgeable about. It is easier than you think to have your book published, too. There are publishing companies just about everywhere. You also have the option of self-publishing and promoting your book at book stores, flea markets, festivals, and fairs. 

HOW TO WRITE A BOOK 
The first step in how to write a book is to decide on the subject of the book. Write a book about what you know or talk to people to find out what they are interested in or need to know about. Decide what type of book you would like to write. There are endless possibilities such as fiction, nonfiction, children’s, biography, how-to, or recipe books just to name a few. Next, create an outline to write a book. Start with chapter names, topics, and sub-topics, and then build on those. For example, if you are writing a book about hunting, chapters could include hunting techniques, butchering, recipes, and helpful tips. Topics for hunting techniques could be bow hunting and gun hunting. Subtopics could include information about bows and guns.

Now that you have a basic outline for your book, the title of the book can be created so you can put a name on your project and keep focused on the subject. This title can always be changed later if a more appropriate name is decided upon. Now you are at the step of how to write a book of writing the rough draft. It is important when writing the rough draft to just get your ideas down on paper. Don’t worry about putting the finishing touches on it until later. It is important to get the ideas down on paper that you want to be discussed in your book, and you can elaborate more when you revise and add information later. After writing the rough draft, go back through the manuscript to add more detailed information.

When revising your book, you will be rearranging the order of paragraphs and information, adding information, and removing or replacing information. During the editing process to write a book, you can put the finishing touches on the book. Check the spelling, punctuation, capitalization, grammar, word usage, and form. Double-check the table of contents and the chapter names for any changes. Decide if you want to have a dedication or acknowledgment page at the beginning of your book to honor or thank anyone that assisted or inspired you in the process of how to write a book or who made some difference in your life. You can also decide if you want any pictures or photos in your book. Make a final decision on the title of the book.

Also, decide what you would like the cover of the book or jacket to look like. Many books have a picture and short biography of the author on the back of the book jacket. Type the draft on your computer so it will be easier to change. Years ago, writers only had pencil and paper or an old typewriter available to write their manuscript. Nowadays, computers have made it so much easier and simpler to create and edit a masterpiece of writing without wasting time and a lot of paper. Print out the final manuscript, making sure it is double spaced for easier reading. 

PUBLISHING YOUR BOOK 
You have the option of either: Finding a literary agent who will locate a publisher for your book, Finding a publisher for your book on your own, or Self-publishing your book yourself. Oftentimes, publishers will only accept manuscripts from literary agents. On the other hand, publishers like finding unknown or new authors to turn their book into a best seller. Some publishers will even pay the advertising costs if they feel the book has great potential. Many publishers will ask for a hard copy as well as on disk. Literary agents make money by selling your work.

When deciding on a literary agent, don’t let them talk you into paying them a reading or editing fee, and don’t pay them in advance. A good idea would be to join various writing organizations and attend workshops and seminars. You will not only learn valuable insights to write a book, but this will also get you in the company of literary agents and publishers. If you decide to self-publish your book, decide on a printer you would like to produce your book. Take both the manuscript in hard copy and on disk to the printer. You will need to discuss details of the book such as typeset, jacket design, book size, and any other information necessary to turn out your book. 

SELLING YOUR BOOK
​If you hire a literary agent or publisher, they will take care of most of the advertising. If your self publishes your book, you will take on that responsibility. Your book can be displayed and sold at book stores, department stores, flea markets, festivals, fairs, and even online. 

TIPS AND WARNINGS
If you have never written a book before, start out slowly by writing small articles at first. This will give you an idea of the time and effort that is involved in how to write a book. Then move on to short stories. This will give you the experience to write a bigger project which will be a book. Set time aside every day to work on writing a book. A good practice would be to write at a certain time every day for a certain length of time. Find a quiet place to concentrate to write a book. If you are surrounded by distractions, you will not be able to stay focused and the words will not flow. Don’t get discouraged. It will take time, patience, and maybe some research to write a book.

Stay enthusiastic while writing a book. That enthusiasm will give you the determination to meet the goals you have set for yourself. Don’t rush unless you are making this your life’s work and you have a deadline to meet. Enjoy writing and take your time to write a book that others will find pleasure in reading. Keep a thesaurus and dictionary close by to help you broaden the vocabulary to write a book. Ask a family member or friend to read and proofread your finished work. They may find errors that you missed or areas where the text failed to flow. Using ghost writers is an alternative way of how to write a book. A ghostwriter uses your thoughts, ideas, and rough draft to construct the final version of your book. 

CONCLUSION
Although time-consuming and sometimes stressful times, it can be very enjoyable and exhilarating to learn how to write a book for the first time. There are millions of books available to read, but there are a million more books waiting to be written. From how-to books to recipe books to biographies or works of fiction or non-fiction, there are endless possibilities for the person who is working on how to write a book. Don’t be surprised if after you write a book that the writing compulsion in your blood calls you to write another!