Ever thought about how you can write fiction? You are about to go over some basic steps to write that fiction book that you have been thinking about writing.

Know What and Why

The very first step is to determine what are you writing and why. You should have a clear idea as to what genre you will be writing in and the motive behind it. Some authors decide to write in a genre that they deem profitable while others decide to write in a genre that they like. Likewise, some decide to write to make a profit while others do it out of joy. During this initial phase, you should also consider your audience. Will this book be for young or mature audiences?

Once you have decided this, think about books that you have read in the genre you chose and ask yourself what do you like and don’t like about those books? This will help you avoid some of the pitfalls and will guide you as to what good habits you should pick on.

Writing Place and Schedule

Now that you have established your audience and genre, it is time to begin the writing process. It is recommended that you find a space where you can write away from distractions and interruptions. This will help you concentrate fully on your project and accomplish more each time you work on it. Fiction comes from your imagination; therefore, it is important that you have a place where you can let your ideas flow.

You should also set up a writing schedule to stay consistent with content creation. There have been many stories that have died before they are even born due to procrastination. If you set up a writing schedule, it will help you with accountability. Include goals and deadlines in your schedule to put some pressure on yourself to keep you on track. Accomplishing small goals will also keep you motivated to continue, making you a more consistent writer as a result.

Given that fiction writing flows from ideas, it is important to always carry a small notebook where you can jot down thoughts about setting, characters, plot, dialogue, etc. One of my professors in college suggested to always have a small notebook next to my bed in case ideas just flow before going to bed, and trust me, they do. If you do not like the thought of a small notebook, use your phone to create voice notes instead. Do whatever it takes to avoid losing those moments of spark that come out of nowhere because sometimes they are some of the best.

Write Your Story

It is now time for you to write down the components of your story. Briefly, write down your setting (where the story will take place), the plot (what the story will be about), and your characters (who will be the protagonist and the antagonist of the story). During this step, you can also determine the point of view (will your story be written in first person? Narrated?).

The next step will be for you to create an outline for your story. Divide your story into three main categories: your introduction, your body, and your resolution. Divide each category into chapters. This will make the writing process so much easier. It is important to introduce your characters early in the story to engage the reader. As the story unfolds, the characters will develop.

You now have a general idea as to what your story will be about, which leads to the next and longest step: writing your story. Try to find what inspires you and create an optimal writing atmosphere. Some people like to listen to music to let their thoughts flow. Others like to read a bit before writing. Find out what works for you and capitalize on it. If for some reason you are having a hard time writing, I suggest not to force it. A story should flow naturally and should never feel like it was rushed or forced. Stand up and take a walk to clear your mind. Come back to writing after you feel rested and refreshed. Ideas will flow better with a clear mind. It is important to describe your story. This means, do not tell the reader what is happening, show the reader what is happening. Paint a picture instead of just saying exactly what characters do.

Edit Your Story

Once you have finished your first draft, read it aloud. This will allow you to pick up any disruptions in the flow of the story and, most important, it will help you with the flow of the dialogue among characters. During this step, you will be able to identify any typos. You will also get rid of things in the story that do not fit or develop the story more in parts where needed.

Although editing the story yourself is recommended, it is important to have a professional editor go through your final draft. Remember that it is important to provide a high-quality story. Fiction readers tend to be high consumers and they can easily identify when a story is poorly written. You do not want to drive away readers due to poor editing. A very good story can be tarnished by typos, which can eventually lead to its failure. Therefore, before publishing, ask for feedback. Have a few people read your story and ask them to share their thoughts with you.

Title and Cover

Now that your story is complete, all you need to do is to come up with the title for your book and your cover. Have someone with experience create your book cover. This will be one of the most important marketing materials that you will invest on. If a cover is not attractive enough to spark interest on the reader, it will not sell.

Congratulations, you have now learned how to write fiction.

Happy writing!

To learn how to write non fiction, click here.

The post HOW TO WRITE FICTION – A BASIC GUIDE appeared first on Project Online Publishing.

You find yourself sitting in front of your computer one day, ready to write that book that you have been thinking about writing for some time, when suddenly, you come face-to-face with one of the biggest questions… what is the ideal book length for this specific project? Although I am an advocate of writing a book without having a word count in mind, it is important to be aware of the general guidelines for each genre so that you know what the readers expect.

Here is a basic guide about ideal book length for fiction and non-fiction books.

Fiction

When thinking about writing fiction, you must consider four important book length categories: short story, novelette, novella, and novel.

A short story is usually about a single event and it is focused on creating a mood rather than explaining a plot. It is usually under 7,500 words.

A novelette is usually of romantic or sentimental nature. Novelettes are between 7,500 and 17,500 words in length.

A novella is shorter than a novel and usually does not contain chapters. Novellas were very popular in the 19^th and 20^th centuries and are usually between 17,500 and 40,000 words. Some famous examples are “A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens, and “Of Mice and Men” by John Steinbeck.

A novel is usually long, involves different characters and it’s divided into chapters. Any book that contains more than 40,000 words is considered a novel. Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings series fall under this category.

Now that we have discussed the previous four fiction categories, let’s look at the recommended book length for different types of fiction.

Western fiction usually runs between 50,000 and 80,000 words.

Young adult is usually anywhere between 50,000 to 70,000 words.

Romance novels are between 50,000 and 100,000 words.

History fiction can easily be around 100,000 words.

Women’s fiction can be as short as 75,000 but it can reach up to 120,000 words.

Crime and Thrillers tend to be a bit longer; they range from 75,000 to 130,000 words.

Science and Fantasy fiction are the most extensive of them all because of how intricate the settings and the plots are. They can be up to 180,000 words but most do not exceed the 150,000-word mark.

Non-fiction

Non-fiction does not have a word minimum or limit. The book length will depend on what topic is being discussed and how detailed it is. Popular non-fiction goes anywhere between 70,000 and 120,000 words. Other non-fiction such as Memoirs and Biographies tend to go between 70,000 and 100,000 words. But not all non-fiction is this long. There are many How-To books and Manuals that are as short as 7,500 words.

How Long Should a Book Be?

After briefly looking at the different genres and their suggested book length, it is easier to decide how long should a book be. I suggest for you to start writing your book without limitations and without worrying about having to fall within a range. It is important to keep in mind the word range for your genre but it should not be an influencing factor when you are writing.

In the unlikely event that you end up writing your first book as a novel with over 150,000 words, you can always reduce the book length during the editing process. You can also reconsider if the book should stay as a stand-alone book or if you should turn it into a series. Whatever you decide to do, just make sure that your story is of quality, avoid rambling, and provide your reader with a good story that is not rushed or too long.

Happy writing!

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When thinking about publishing, one of the most common questions that come to mind is whether to publish fiction or nonfiction. To decide what is the best option for you, let’s look at what each one entails and how they differ.

Definition

Fiction is anything that is not real and it usually comes from someone’s imagination and ideas. The characters and their actions are the creation of the writer’s mind. Nonfiction, on the other hand, is factual and real. It requires research and provides information or a solution to a problem.

Writing Process

The writing process for fiction is lengthy. It requires, like I mentioned before, for the writer to imagine and create characters and their personalities (what they like, dislike, behaviors, interests), the setting, point of view, and the conflict or challenge the protagonist faces that will turn into the plot of the story. It can be said that writing fiction is not an easy process, since the writer must really think about how the whole story will unfold. It also requires hours and hours of writing that can turn into a very exhausting task.
Writing nonfiction is an easier and shorter process. Many times, authors focus on topics that they already have knowledge of, making it a more convenient and faster task. We all have knowledge in some areas that we can easily share with other people such as recipes, how to do something, or even hobbies. It is a matter of pouring knowledge into a piece of paper in an organized matter to provide a solution or help to a problem or to provide general information on a specific topic. Nonfiction books tend to be short and to the point.

Competition

When talking about competition, fiction and nonfiction can be totally different. Both will have competition, don’t get me wrong, but the demands of each market vary. For instance, fiction readers tend to be high consumers. They love to read multiple books to quench that thirst for a good story. Since the demand for this type of content is high, competition is fierce. It is difficult to break into the market and establish a name for yourself. However, it is not impossible. It takes for the writer to consistently create good, compelling stories to start building a following.

Nonfiction writers tend to have less competition if the topic they are writing about is in a specific niche. For instance, let’s say a writer decides to write a book about soccer coaching techniques. It is true that there may be many books out there about soccer coaching techniques. However, if the writer gets more specific like writing soccer coaching techniques for toddlers, competition will be less because it is a very specific topic that is targeted to a very specific audience. The key to lessen the competition is to do research and find a niche where there is a high demand but not enough supply.

Revenue

Many writers decide what to write based on how much money they can make out of it. Although people have different opinions about which one is more profitable, let me share with you what I have found out.

Fiction will take longer to generate revenue. If you do not have a following, it will take some time for you to establish yourself as a writer. However, due to the high demand for fiction, if you consistently publish fiction, a following will eventually come. Make sure you start building your list of readers so that you can promote your future books to them. How can you do this? You can start by providing something of value. Perhaps, another book you wrote for free, or the first chapter of your next book if you are writing a series. An author’s blog is also a great way to build your list.

Fiction readers tend to read a lot of books, since they provide great entertainment. All it takes is to analyze the best sellers page on Amazon to see that fiction sells more than nonfiction. However, you must be careful as to what genre you publish in and what platform you use. Romance is always a genre that people will have an interest in and it usually sells well in both, eBook and paperback format. However, there are exceptions like Erotica. This genre sells well as an eBook but paperback sales are very low. The reason, many readers prefer not to be seen in public reading books in this genre.

Nonfiction pays better in the short run due to lower competition. Readers also tend to pay a bit more for nonfiction when they are looking for a solution to a problem or when they want to learn something. However, this is usually a one-time occurrence. If you are to publish books about different topics, chances are, your audience will differ with each book, making it hard to sell multiple books to the same reader.

On the other hand, nonfiction allows for back-end sales through affiliate links or links to your own products. Let’s imagine you write a book about golfing techniques. At the end of the book you can have a call to action such as a subscription to your site in exchange for step-by-step golfing lessons, and an irresistible offer such as golfing equipment at a discounted price through affiliate links. This will further monetize your book, which will eventually result in more revenue.

Fiction or Nonfiction?

There is no right or wrong answer for this question. My suggestion is to start publishing in whichever is easier for you to write in and have a passion for. The more that you write, given that it is quality content, the more that you will be benefiting others -whether it is a solution to a problem or providing entertainment through a great story. The more quality content that you create, the more followers you will have, which in turn will result in more sales.

Let’s keep in mind that there is a lot of fiction books out there. To avoid getting lost in the sea of stories, you have to make sure that you offer your readers a unique experience through stories that will keep them engaged throughout the entire book. For nonfiction, keep in mind that a lot of information can now be reached with just a click of a button through search engines. You must provide your readers with high-quality content in an organized matter that will save the reader time and effort if they were to research it somewhere else.

The bottom line is, fiction and nonfiction can both be very profitable if you do your writing and marketing the right way. So, I do suggest that you venture into both. After all, why limit yourself to just one?

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