But HOW Do You Write a Book? Step 7

In a previous Alexa Writes Books post, Index Cards Are My Friends, I shared the method I use to track the scenes of my book.

This index card method is Step 7 of But HOW Do You Write a Book?

Basically, for each potential scene, I write a few words, in fine-point Sharpy marker so that the cards are readable from a distance. (Ink or gel pens, even bold tips, do not provide large enough lines/lettering.)

The cards might include scene descriptions or a few words, such as:

At cabin, family still missing.

Water floods cave.

Back home.

Cross in garden.

Grave empty.

Things to consider might be using a certain color for your main plot points and another color for your love scenes. OR if your writing in multiple point of views (POVs), using a different card color for each individual POV.

Next, I tape them on the cork board, white board, door, or wall to see how the story works out.

Seeing my story laid out, even if it's in ever-changing rainbow lines of index cards, helps me to visualize or imagine what happens, what's next, and where the story goes from there.

Step 7 of But HOW Do You Write a Novel? is listing scenes on index cards and displaying them for easy viewing. 

But HOW Do You Write a Book? Step 6

In line with baking a cake, the next part of But HOW Do You Write a Book?, includes following the recipe (steps) included in Cathy Yardley's Rock Your Plot, which sells for $2.99 for an electronic download on Amazon.com. (Please note that you don't need a Kindle device to read, because there are free reading aps from Amazon that allow you to read books on your smart phone, tablet, and/or computer.)

Cathy has successfully used the basic system in Rock Your Plot for seventeen novels, and the system is working for me; therefore, this is the next step that I use and would recommend.

Rock Your Plot provides an easy to understand and easy to follow process that actually works. The book can be read and the system can be implemented in a short period of time. The process addresses: Story Idea Testing; Goal, Motivation, Conflict; Character Sketches; Plot Points; Pinch Points; Trouble Shooting; Scene Construction Basics; and Creating an Outline.

Step Six of But HOW Do You Write a Book? includes several simple steps that are part of the system shared in Rock Your Plot.

But HOW Do You Write a Book? Step 5

So far, just like following a recipe to bake a cake, the steps that I follow and have shared to write a book are as follows:

1. Deciding what type (genre) and kind (length) of book.
2. Focusing on what the story is you will be sharing.
3. Deciding whose story it is.
4. Choosing a title for your story/book.

There are two parts for Step 5, which is writing a 25-word-or-less description or a logline for your book.

25-Words-or-Less Description or One-Sentence Logline

I've been told time and time again by numerous writers and writing instructors, that if you can't describe your book in 25-words or less, you can't expect readers to get a quick, realistic grasp of what the book is about, which is what is needed for them to have interest in buying the book in the first place.

To get the information needed to writing your description, consider:

• Who is your story about?
• What does he/she want?
  
• What stands in the way of him/her getting what he/she wants? 

First off, how would you describe who your story is about?

What's his job or position or condition? (Do not use his or her name.) What one-word would describe them as well? Examples might include: reclusive teacher, shy volunteer fireman, naive politician, and precocious child.

For the book/movie Jaws, one of the main character's was a sheriff of a resort town. Resort town sheriff, perhaps? He feared and hated the water, so perhaps: Water-hating sheriff?

What does he/she want?

Jaw's water-hating, resort town sheriff wants to keep his family, the inhabitants, and tourists safe. 

What stands in his/her way of getting what he/she wants?

The mayor and chamber of commerce do not want to close the beach, also the shark definitely stands in the way of the sheriff keeping things safe. 

Potential Descriptions

(Note: The description is written in present tense, with the use of strong action verbs, such as fights, battles, struggles, etc.)

A water-hating sheriff faces off against a reluctant mayor and battles a monster shark to keep inhabitants and tourists of a small resort town safe.

Or since the sheriff wasn't the only one on the boat, perhaps:

A water-hating sheriff, a young marine biologist, and grizzly fisherman battle a monster shark to keep a small resort town safe.

Now, using the above as examples, write your own description/logline for your book.

That's Step 5 of But HOW Do You Write a Book.

But HOW Do You Write a Book? Step 4

Step 4 of But HOW Do You Write a Book? is short and sweet. For this step, you choose a Title for your work-in-progress or WIP. (Don't you just love those acronyms.)

If we return to our baking a cake comparison or analogy, what can we call or name our cake that best describes the cake for what it is? Let's see, how about Toffee Bar Delight, Death by Chocolate, Mississippi Mud, Luscious Lemon Dream, Spiced Carrot Surprise, Caramel Divine, Strawberry Supreme, Black Forest Cherry, Easy Chocolate Chip, Apricot-Coconut Swirl, etc.?

As you can see, for the most part, the name of the cake lets us know what kind of cake we're getting and what flavorful delights we can expect.

A title of a book serves the same purpose.

For our title selection purposes, the title of the book will be your working title.

As your book evolves,  you may find a better fitting title later on, or if you intend to traditionally publish, I've been told not to "get married to" your title, because your publisher will more than likely change the title to something more to their liking.

Either way, right off, choose the best title that initially reflects the story you want to write. Consider something catchy, that will intrigue the reader and peak interest.

JA Konrath has a knack for choosing titles. He recently wrapped up a series about Lieutenant Jacqueline “Jack” Daniels, in which all of his books are either named after or are related to mixed alcoholic drinks. The titles of his books in the series are Whiskey Sour,  Bloody Mary, Rusty Nail, Dirty Martini, Fuzzy Navel, Cherry Bomb, Shaken, and Stirred. Lieutenant Jacqueline “Jack” Daniels is one of my favorite kick-butt heroines, and I would highly recommend reading the series. As Jack Kilborn, Mr. Konrath wrote Afraid, Endurance, and Trapped, where each title depicts what the books are essentially about (must reads if you enjoy novels of terror).

Cathy Yardley has a Blaze trilogy, titled The Players Club: Scott, The Players Club: Lincoln, and The Players Club: Finn, which is a series about members of an urban adventure club. Great concept, and, yes, a great series title.

And who can forget Stephen King's Carrie, Cujo, and Misery?

We don't just remember the title of a book just because of what the book was about or the caliber of writing, but because the title relates to what the book is about so precisely and revealingly.

So considering that you have decided what type and kind of cake your going to bake, uh, er, what genre and length of book you're going to write, what story you are sharing, and whose story it is, then your next step is to choose your working title.

Here's how to go about choosing a title:

1. Check on Amazon and Books a Million and on the internet for titles of books already published in your chosen genre.
2. Consider are the majority of these titles mostly one-word, two-word, three-word or more-than-three-word titles?
3. Brainstorm and jot down at least ten (10) possible title options that are not already in use.
4. Ask yourself the following questions about each of the titles you are considering:
   Does the title characterize, represent, and/or symbolize what your book is about?
   Does it fit the genre and your book?
   Does the title thrill you?
   Is it a title you can get excited about?
5. Mark off the ones off your list that don't meet the above criteria.
6. Narrow down your choice to five (5), then three (3), then to one (1).

Now, ask yourself, Do I love it?

If not, make a second list, and go back through the choosing process until you can answer the affirmative.

Once you're successful, then that's your working title.

You have now completed Step 4 of But HOW Do You Write a Book?

But HOW Do You Write a Book? Step 3

Step 3 of But HOW Do You Write a Book? addresses the basic question, "Whose story is it?"

Whose story are you sharing? From whose perspective will the story be shared. Through whose eyes will you view what's going on? Whose thoughts and emotions will you convey? Whose actions and movements will you focus on from the inside out?

Will you story be your heroine's (female protagonist's) story? Or your hero's (male protagonist)? Will you share both of their points of view (POV) of the story? What about the villain's or antagonist's? How about all three? Will their be multiple POVs shared, such as the heroine's, hero's, villains, and several victims of the villain? Or will multiple protagonists and villains share their story in the pages of your book?

For But HOW Do You Write a Book? Step 3, consider and decide whose story it is.

But HOW Do You Write a Book? Step 2

But HOW Do You Write a Book? Step 2 involves deciding what you want to write about.

Basically, what is the story you want to share?

Most people who've asked me, "But HOW do you write a book?" already have a basic idea of what they want to write; however, at this stage, confirming your writing direction the next step to writing your book.

First off, what's kind and type of book do you want to write (from Step 1)? What's the genre you chose in Step 1? What length of story?

What story do you want to write in that genre and that length?

To gain story ideas, visit photo sites, such as dreamstime.com, pick a picture and consider what story the picture might inspire.

What sort of story do you like to read? Can you imagine a similar, but better story along those lines?

Consider whose story it is. Are the stories in your chosen genre told in first person (I/me) or in third person (he/she)? Are they told in present tense? (I step onto the stair. She steps onto the stair.) OR past tense? (I stepped or he stepped).

The second most frequent question I'm asked is, "Where do you get your story ideas?"

From everywhere. A newspaper article might inspire a story idea or a photograph. From whacky and sometimes disturbing things I observe in real life. My own life's experiences, sometimes good, sometimes bad. Bits of an overheard conversation. Or from a heartbreak I've suffered. Also, really strange ideas tend to creep up on me when I'm driving.

 So, for Step 2, consider what story you want to write.

But HOW Do You Write a Book? Step 1

"But HOW do you write a book?"

That's the most frequent question asked of me since I began my Alexa Writes Books blog.

Honestly, there are all kinds of instruction books and how-to books out there. (I've probably owned a copy of most of them, at one time or another.)

I only know what's working for me, but I'm happy to share. What a wonderful thing it would be if my sharing helped someone to find their way a lot faster and more readily than I did.

I've worked hard to find a repeatable process because I want to write multiple books. This works for me, so possibly it might work for others as well. (Please note, individual results may vary.)

Last night, as I was catching up on episodes of Cake Boss, I realized -- wait for it -- that writing is a lot like baking a cake. I finally got what the saying that writing a book is like developing and following your own recipe meant. 

Step 1, Choose the Type and Kind of Book You Want to Write

What type of book do you want to write?

First consider what type of cake you want to bake. Do you want a layer cake or a bundt cake? How does a molten lava, marbled, or Angel food sound? What about a butter cake or cheesecake? Or maybe a brownie-type or fruit-based, or ice-cream cake?

So, what type or length of book do you want to write?

What length of book do you intend to write? Will your book consist of a collection of short stories or an anthology? Will you write a novella? A Novel? Or how about three combined Novelettes? Perhaps an Epic family-saga? (Combinations and collections are mentioned because our focus is on producing a full-length book.)

Here's a general guideline, but please be aware if you are pursuing traditional publication word count guidelines do vary.

Classification (Type) / Word Count
Short Story (~ 1,000 to 7,500 Words)
Novellette (~ 7,500 to 20,000 Words)
Novella (~ 20,000 to 50,000 Words)
Novel (~ 50,000 to 100,000 Words)
Epics and Squeals (~ Over 110,000 Words)
~ = Approximately

It's good to note that most books fall within the Novella or Novel word-count range.

So, choose the the type of book or length of book that you intend to write. 

What kind of book do you want to write?

If you're going to bake and serve a cake, you have to choose and decide what kind or flavor of cake. What about a yellow cake with caramel icing? Or chocolate cake and frosting, with with chunks inside? Perhaps a white shortcake with strawberries? Or how about lemon drizzled with sugar glaze, or spice cake with apple butter and walnut topping? Or maybe carrot and cream cheese?

If you're going to write and publish a book, what kind of book do you intend to write?

Romance? Suspense? What about Horror or Erotica? Perhaps a Thriller? If not fiction per-say, what about a Memoir or humorous Biography, or how about an Autobiographical Novel? Or how about any of the following: Action-Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Fantasy, Historical, Mystery, Paranormal, Political, Science Fiction, Saga, Suspense, Steampunk, etc. OR perhaps any combination herein, such as a Paranormal Romance, Political Thriller, Action-Adventure Comedy, or Historical Mystery.

Secondly, choose what kind of book (genre) you're going to write. Simple, huh?

(Please note that whatever you personally enjoy and like to read is a great place to start.)

That's it.

For Step 1, answer those two questions, and you've taken your first step toward writing a book!