Have you always wanted to write a novel but could never get yourself to start? Many people are in this position, but you don't have to stay there forever. You can make your move and it's all about making that decision to finally get yourself to write.
For many, and probably for you, the problem is how to get the ideas flowing. There are usually two ways you can do this. You can either come up with an outline of your novel or you can just get down and start writing without defining any direction you plan to go.
Of course, choosing one over the other will depend on your writing style. Which one are you more comfortable with? Are you someone who works better with structure or do you like to work as freely as you can? Do you imagine yourself developing one chapter before you can start with another chapter or do you work better when you don't even think of chapters, just events? It's all up to you and the most important thing is to never let yourself do something you don't really like because this will ultimately affect the quality of what you've written.
If you're one for structure, you can begin your outline with chapters. Some first-time authors also don't just include chapters but actual important events as well. When you've finished everything down to the last important event in the last chapter, you can go back and fill in the details. For some, this is preferable because this allows them to feel that they have more control over their work. Although it can less exciting for a writer, others actually find this more fulfilling because an outline assures them that everything they want to include in the story will be included and that no detail will be missed.
If you're the type who would rather have your thoughts flow freely, you can just write and go with wherever your emotion and your storyline lead you. The danger here is when you miss to mention certain characters or events that would be important or even crucial to the development of your story. If you must write freely, at least, you should have a clear set of characters in mind so you don't end up introducing one who may seem insignificant at first but will be playing a very important role as you work on developing your story.
Unlike using traditional publishing companies, self publishing allows the author to be in control of the entire creative and selling process. As a self-published author, you pay the full cost of producing your work and are responsible for marketing and distribution.
Traditional book publishing is when a publisher offers the author a contract and, in turn, prints, publishes, and sells your book through booksellers and other retailers. The publisher essentially buys the right to publish your book and pays you royalties from the sales.
Now's the time to start the process of publishing your book. Don't put it off!
Get StartedWhat you must do compared to what we must do during the publishing process.
