Encouragement · Writing Tips

How to Write a Book (hint: it’s not the “right” way.)

Saraina Whitney

When you get serious about writing, one of the most natural things (in my case anyway) to do is to look to other authors for guidance on how to write. Should you make obsessive outlines before lifting a finger to write the actual first draft, or fly by the seat of your pants? Should you crank out the entire first draft without any editing, or edit a little of the previous scene before forging ahead into the next? How – how should you go about writing a book? How should you go about thinking about how to write a book?

These are very natural, instinctive questions. I mean, maybe not that last one, but you get the point. You’re just stepping into this vast world of storytelling, and all around you are the “greats” – authors you respect and admire and are inspired by. Surely they know the right way to write? Right?

Trick question. THERE IS NO “RIGHT” WAY. Unlike a lot of stuff in life that I won’t spend an hour thinking up an example to, there are millions of ways to write the story inside your heart that is waiting to unfold onto real pages.

Every writer, every author, writes differently. Even those that follow the same method or principles. This is because every person is different – even the most identical of identical twins. Ignore the fact that something identical can’t be more identical and move on to read the next sentence.

If each of the billions of people living in this world have a fingerprint unique to them, you can bet your bottom dollar every author will have a writing process that’s unique to them – even if in the slightest of ways.

So no, I’m not discouraging you to ignore every other writer but yourself so you can have the purest writing process most unique to you and uncolored by the faintest influences of any other –

NO.

Learn about all the writing processes you can! Ask authors how they do it! Find out how they outline and don’t outline and write and don’t write and edit and don’t edit! (And yes please, share your own process!) Gather all the information you can!

And then try out the methods that appeal to you. Use the elements that you love – find what works for you – and create your own writing process through practice and experiment and trial and error (the ONLY way you will settle on the right process, I believe).

Do. not. be. afraid. to. try.

The most bestselling author’s writing process isn’t for everyone. My process isn’t for everyone. (Not even my blog is for every single writer, as horrifyingly gut-wrenching as that is to say. 😩 😉 ) And yours isn’t for everyone.

Not because it’s bad, but because, again, we’re all unique. One person might THRIVE with a guideline-less, intuitive writing process devoid of any outlines. Another person might disintegrate into literal ashes without their trusty outline template. And someone else might create the world’s next bestseller by editing only after they churn out a stream-of-consciousness first draft using white font so they can’t criticize what they’ve written.

Real-life examples? Why, so glad you asked! Julie Lessman (a panster who writes family saga Christian romances, often historical) writes detailed chapter synopses before she dives into the first draft, at least for some of her books. Abbie Emmons, currently an author of contemporary romances, makes long and thorough story outlines using the 3-Act Story Structure before writing her first drafts in Scrivener. And fantasy author Rebecca Ross? She writes completely pantser-style, seeing where the story’s first draft takes her before doing major revisions in the second draft.

(That’s what I’ve heard, anyway. If I got one of those examples wrong, just close your eyes and forget about it 😛 And let me know so I can correct it!)

And each of those authors are quite successful, if I do say so myself.

EVERY writer’s process – including yours – is going to be different in some way.

So do not doubt yourself when you tackle the problem of how to go about writing your book. Don’t feel like you have to copy someone else’s process – by all means, experiment and practice and learn all you can (I’ve stumbled upon minefields of amazing tips from fellow writers and am still working out my own process), but don’t doubt that you can put your own twist on things to work for you especially at this time in your life. Because sure, your process might change over time – dramatically, even. But you’re at where you’re at. Think about what will work for you now.

Some get incredibly profitable results by locking themselves in their room and forcing themselves to write routinely. Others just can’t write if they’re depressed; they must feel it and write from a place of deep passion and motivation, or nothing comes of the attempts they give to write.

That’s the right way for them. And writing your way is the right way for you.

So this wasn’t a post about how to write a book so much as how to deal with the wealth of information that tell you how to write a book. But let me know in the comments; what’s the right way for you? Are you still figuring out your writing process? Who would you say your process is most similar to? How has your writing process changed over time? Have any of you gone from a plotter to a hardcore pantser or vice versa, and why?

31 thoughts on “How to Write a Book (hint: it’s not the “right” way.)”

  1. “Ignore the fact that something identical can’t be more identical and move on to read the next sentence.”
    -Saraina Whitney
    HAHAHA!
    Anyway, great points!

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    1. HAHA yes… 😂 Thank you so much, girl!!! (Lol don’t worry about the typo… I edited it so you won’t be *coughs* embarrassed but seriously no one will judge you 😛 )

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      2. Thanks!!!!!!!
        I honestly feel so much better – it’s crazy how we can be so worried about what other people will think of us when in reality they are probably not even thinking of what we thought they were!!

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  2. Ahh, this is so true! Thank you for posting this. It’s so easy to think that we all have to do something the exact same way another great author did, but we all think and write differently.

    I used to be extremely hardcore pantster, and I still probably would be if I didn’t have homework to contend with. I can’t keep homework and plots straight, hahaha! So now I do outline (sorta) more than I used to, because I literally don’t have enough brain cells to think up everything on the spot. 🙂

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    1. Thank you, Vanessa!!! Exactly, it is so easy to think that we all have to write the way another author did. Ahh, I see! Totally get it – and I relate with that!! (Seriously, homework is no joke. 😉 😀 ) Outlining at least a little bit really helps the process go much faster!

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  3. Yes! No method is one size fits all. If we focus too much on following the “experts'” advice, we’ll stunt our writing, our ability to grow while writing, and our drive to write. We have to find what’s natural for our time, our personality, and the natural way we approach things.

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    1. YES!!! That is such a great point, it not only stunts out writing and ability to grow, but our drive! We don’t feel motivated to write when we’re following advice that’s not natural to the way we approach things. Thank you for reading, Madi!! 😀

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  4. I love this post! Thank you for pointing out what so many writers forget! We do not fit in a box and not every method will work for everyone. 😂

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  5. Awesome post, Saraina!! I totally agree! I love that there really is no right or wrong way to write a book! Writing is an art, and everyone has a different approach to it!

    (Also, sorry, I realize that it’s been literally FOREVER since I’ve commented. XD WordPress locked me out of my account *frowns*. But I’ve still been really enjoying your blog and all the AMAZING content you’re putting out! Keep up the good work! :))

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    1. Ahh thank you so much, Ava!!! Amen! It is indeed an art, you’re so right!! 😀 (Aww, no worries, I totally get that! Thank you SO much for the encouragement, girl 😉 <333)

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  6. Oof! My writing process…?? Haha, I feel like I just found my writing rhythm after all these years, though I’m still open to new tips and experimenting. However, I am the kind of person to disintegrate into ashes if I don’t have an outline (of sorts…I don’t like writing super detailed ones.)

    Anyway, I really liked your points, Saraina! My mom believes that you can’t truly ‘teach’ art; yes, learn the mechanics of your craft and hone your skills and experiment. But in the end, each artist/writer has their own way of telling a story, and how they get there. There is no ‘right’ way. 🙂

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    1. That’s awesome that you’ve found your writing rhythm!! Yeah, I think it takes a long time to really figure out what it is because there’s so much room for experiment and you don’t know till you try, as they say. 😉 I’m still figuring out mine! 😀 Lol yes, I will disintegrate into ashes if I don’t have sort of simple outline, even if that’s just the character outline. Although I have done short stories without one. When I’m very short on time.

      Thank you so much, Lily!!! (By the way, do you prefer to be called Lily or Lillian? I love both!) AMEN, perfectly said! I totally agree with that! (Also, that takes some of the pressure off writing because you don’t have to conform to one specific method. 😉 )

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      1. I hear ya! I hope you figure out your writing rhythm too. Ooo, I don’t think I’ve tried pantsing a short story in a long time, lol.

        Ah, just Lily is fine. It’s my real name actually, (although I don’t mind Lillian, I chose a variation of my name to use for writing 😉 )

        I know, right? I don’t do well under pressure, so being able to go at my own pace/style has helped XD.

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  7. This was epic. I have no other words.

    Seriously, though, this is one of my favorite general-writing-related topics, and I love your take on it!

    As for my writing method/process…I take the whole every writer is unique thing to a WHOLE NOTHER LEVEL. As in, every BOOK is different for me. XD For most of my Daughters of the Seven Seas novels, I have dove in headfirst and figured things out as I went, not stopping to outline the story until I was about halfway through. For some of my other projects, I just write and never outline or plot…and for others, I do detailed (for me, that is) outlines and map out how I want the story to go! I’m definitely a planster, but the exact method I use differs between projects!

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    1. Thank you so much, Grace!!!! THAT IS BRILLIANT. Honestly, that gave me a lightbulb moment… I love the freedom that concept gives writers!! Like, you don’t even have to conform to your OWN method you used for another book! *grins* Thank you sooo much for sharing that, girl!! (I guess this is how I can honestly say I can be a panster and a plotter; different processes for different books. 😉 )

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  9. Such a good point!! Every writer has to figure out what works best for THEM, which might be different from others. Trying to fit a mold that isn’t you won’t help in the long run. Thank you so much for sharing, Saraina!

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    1. Thank you so much, Kristianne!!!! 😀 Amen, trying to fit into a mold won’t help in the long run! Lol, I wish I had learned that sooner in my writing journey. Absolutely, and thank YOU for reading!! 😀

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  10. Wow!!!! So true!!!! You voiced what we’ve had knocking around in our head for years…lol….our dad always encourages us to read books and articles on writing but to only pick the things that work for us, never feel like you have to use all the info.

    Our process when we write as a group is to come up with a very vague plot, basically character names and a few highlights that we want to hit at some point of the story, then we wing it! Just write and see where the characters take us. We have to rein them in sometimes, but it is fun to just write whatever comes!

    This was an amazing post!!! We love it!!!!

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    1. Ahh thank you so much!!!!! 😀 Lol, that’s awesome… I completely agree. There’s just SO much information out there that it can get overwhelming knowing what to follow and what not, so this is a subject that I’ve thought a lot about.

      Really!!! Wow, I love that!!! Yes, it is so very fun to write just whatever comes to mind – it’s amazing to see how the story can twist and turn and surprise you, lol! 😉

      That means a lot! Thank you, my friends!!!

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  11. YES YES YES YES YES!!!!!! This is so, so, so, so, SO true, Saraina!!! I loved how you took the time to write a whole post on this because I see SO many young writers who get stuck at this point, trying to find that perfect, one, right way to write a novel. I couldn’t agree more that every author is unique in how they go about writing, and what matters more is that you make it to “the end” no matter what it takes you to get there!!!!! That’s kind of why I get frustrated with author friends who always pressure me into writing an outline or plotting (I’m a die-hard panster through and through). I’m happy that process works for them, but for me, every. single. time. I try to outline, but I end up quitting the story because I’m bored. I love to discover my world and characters the same time my characters are discovering their world and themselves! But that’s not the process for every author…. okay now I”m just rambling and pretty much restating everything you already said. THIS POST WAS FANTASTIC AND I LOVED EVERY SECOND OF IT!!!!!!!!!1

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    1. Awww thank you Issabelle!!!! And YES, exactly!!! “What matters more is that you make it to “the end” no matter what it takes you to get there.” AMEN AND AMEN. Oh, I completely understand that. 😉 I think it’s beautiful how you’re such a die-hard panster and you love to discover your world and characters at the same time as the characters are!! That’s just so cool. The whole writing experience is so much more fun if we don’t box ourselves in to something that doesn’t fit for us! (Lol, here’s a secret… *whispers* I love ramblings, so no worries at all. 😜 ) EEE I’M SO GLAD TO HEAR THAT!!! <333

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  12. Pingback: “What’s Your WIP” Tag (+ snippets!) – Saraina Whitney

  13. I loved this. I haven’t quite found my style yet but I’m becoming a plottster. I outline my characters names, ages, fears, book synopsis, goals, and Motivations 1st but I can’t go through and outline every single detail or I get frustrated and bored. Sometimes I do chapter synopsis but it often feels stifling to me. Lol.

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    1. I’m SO glad you enjoyed the post, Sara!!! Ah, yes, I totally get that! If I outline too extensively, I get rather bored and plus, I find that when I actually sit down to write, the characters take over the plot and do things I didn’t expect. 😂

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