You've made the commitment to write a book.

Where do you start? What do you need to do next? Like any other job, writing has certain elements you need to know as you begin your work. Things like theme, genre, how to build characters, come up with plot ideas, plot your book -- you may not use them all or need to know them all immediately, but sooner or later you will run across them. Most of these will be covered in detail with forms and exercises you can use to assist in your work.

Some items don't really fit into the general "how to" part of writing -- things like genre and theme or writing a blurb. These may not fall into part of the writing realm but they are important things to know if you want to get published.

Getting Ideas

Once you’ve committed yourself to writing a book, the next question is where to start. The most logical place is with an idea. Or maybe you already have an idea and that is what makes you want to write a book. If that is the case, then great, you’re ahead of the game.

If you have a character in mind, but need a story to tell, you might take a look at the day's news and events or on the internet. Many writers get inspiration from a news story they've read. What is it you want your character to face? Think of how your character might react if they were in a horrible accident or if they were in a life and death situation and had to react.

Understanding Genres

Genre is one of those words that sound so easy but can be difficult to explain. What is a genre? Look around any bookstore and you'll get a partial answer. Mystery, science fiction, romance, horror -- these are all genres, but beyond that there are also subgenres such as romantic suspense or historical romance. Science fiction can range from urban fantasy to outer space.

A mystery can be a cozy or a hard-boiled detective book. Fantasy can range anywhere from vampires in the past to urban settings or steam punk.

Again, the best way to discover where the book you want to write fits in, is to visit your local bookstore and think of where it might be shelved.

The Blurb

A blurb is basically a short two or three sentences about your idea or the story you want to tell. In scriptwriting it is often also called a "logline." Coming up with blurb can often help you boil down the essence of your plot even as it helps you pitch your story.

How do you come up with a blurb or logline? One of the best ways to get started is to look at the back cover of books already on the shelf. What is it that you see that makes you want to read a particular book? Think of your story in those terms and what you would tell someone about your book. Boil it down to the bare essentials. Think of your main characters and then what they want to accomplish in the book.

Another way to think of a logline is to compare your book to a well-known movie. Is your book similar to "Star Wars" but maybe in a past day and age where the knight is fighting the evil king instead of the Empire? Is it a cross between "The Fugitive" and "Sex and the City," which might be a tale of a fashionista on the run from police.

For more on writing blurbs, see our special section.

Theme

Theme is the concept behind your story. "Love conquers all" or "honesty is the best policy" are common themes. Your book will probably carry such a basic premise behind it, but you don't need to come up with one immediately. It can follow, although if it is the basis for wanting to write, then by all means, write it down and get started with a story based on your idea.

What's next?

Plot and character come next, though they can come in whichever order your prefer. Some writers like to focus on their plot and look for characters to fit that plot, while others get the idea for a great character and then plot follows. Whichever way you want to go, just remember that a good commercial novel is going to need both, an engaging plot and compelling characters.

Setting

Setting can be as important to a book as the plot and characters. In some cases it even plays the role of another character. At times you might even list setting as the reason you want to write a certain book. Perhaps you want to focus on the Old West or set your book far into the future. You will need to research your setting as carefully as you prepare your plot and get to know your characters.

Dialogue

Marketable fiction books will contain dialogue. Your characters should speak to each other. Dialogue is a good way to provide information and to move the plot along. You can also use it to further define your character. Is he a slow, quiet talker? Is she friendly and gregarious? One syllable answers or constant comments can provide an introduction to a character without having to explain the tendency through narrative.

Is that all?

All this this will get you started working on writing your book. You still have a long way to go, and there are a lot more steps to take before you are finished and ready to look for a publisher. But if you want to start looking at the business end of writing, you might visit the page dedicated to Getting Published and Marketing. If you are interested in earning money for your writing, it's never too early to start learning about that part of the writing process.

Exercises:

• Go to your nearest bookstore and study the way books are shelved and see where your book fits in
• Read back covers and see how you would write your own back cover
• Read over news stories and think of how your character might react to each of them
• Look on the internet for possible places you might want to set your story