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How to Write an Essay: A Beginner's Guide Paperback – May 14, 2016

• Print length 78 pages
• Language English
• Publication date May 14, 2016
• Dimensions 5.24 x 0.19 x 7.99 inches
• ISBN-10 153080244X
• ISBN-13 978-1530802449
• See all details

Product details

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (May 14, 2016)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 78 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 153080244X
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1530802449
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.52 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.24 x 0.19 x 7.99 inches
• #62,114 in Words, Language & Grammar (Books)

About the author

Sean o'neill.

Originally from Scotland, Sean O'Neill has traveled a bit, including living in Ireland, England (twice), Italy and the USA - which is where he currently resides. He worked as a freelance journalist for about seven years in the UK, and had a regular weekly column in national Sunday broadsheet newspapers. Sean has had poetry, short stories and articles published in a variety of publications. To date, he has published 20 books of poetry and 3 books of light verse. He has also published five novels which range from thigh-slapping funny, to nail-biting tense, and every possible nuance in between, along with 4 non-fiction books on the art and practice of writing and publishing. All of his books are available on Amazon.

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10 Best Books on Essay Writing (You Should Read Today)

“I hate writing, I love having written.” – Dorothy Parker

Here are 10 Books That Will Help You With Essay Writing:

1. a professor’s guide to writing essays: the no-nonsense plan for better writing by dr. jacob neumann.

This is the highest-rated book on the subject available on the market right now. It’s written for students at any level of education. The author uses an unorthodox approach, claiming that breaking essays down into different formats is unnecessary. It doesn’t matter if it’s a persuasive or a narrative essay – the difference is not in how you write, but rather in how you build your case . Length: 118 pages Published: 2016

2. College Essay Essentials: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing a Successful College Admissions Essay – by Ethan Sawyer

3. the only grammar book you’ll ever need: a one-stop source for every writing assignment by susan thurman.

The institution of a grammar school is defunct, but it doesn’t mean you can ignore the basic rules that govern your language. If you’re writing an essay or a college paper , you better keep your grammar tight. Otherwise, your grades will drop dramatically because professors abhor simple grammar mistakes. By reading this little book , you’ll make sure your writing is pristine. Length: 192 pages Published: 2003

4. Escape Essay Hell!: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Narrative College Application Essays by Janine W. Robinson

A well-written essay has immense power. Not only that, it is the prerequisite to getting admitted to colleges and universities, but you also have to tackle a few essay questions in most, if not all exams you will ever take for career or academic advancement. For instance, when taking the LSAT to qualify for law school , the MCAT to get into med school , the DAT to pursue a degree in dentistry, or even the GRE or GMAT as the first step in earning a master’s degree. That is why this book is highly recommended to anyone navigating through the sea of higher learning. In this amusing book, Janine Robinson focuses mostly on writing narrative essays . She’s been helping college-bound students to tell unique stories for over a decade and you’ll benefit from her expert advice. The book contains 10 easy steps that you can follow as a blueprint for writing the best “slice of life” story ever told. Length: 76 pages Published: 2013

5. The Art of the Personal Essay: An Anthology from the Classical Era to the Present by Phillip Lopate

This large volume is a necessary diversion from the subject of formal, highly constrained types of writing. It focuses only on the genre of the personal essay which is much more free-spirited, creative, and tongue-and-cheek-like. Phillip Lopate, himself an acclaimed essayist, gathers seventy of the best essays of this type and lets you draw timeless lessons from them. Length: 777 pages Published: 1995

6. The Best American Essays of the Century by Joyce Carol Oates

7. on writing well: the classic guide to writing nonfiction by william zinsser.

On Writing Well is a classic writing guide that will open your eyes to the art of producing clear-cut copy. Zinsser approached the subject of writing with a warm, cheerful attitude that seeps through the pages of his masterpiece. Whether you want to describe places, communicate with editors, self-edit your copy, or avoid verbosity, this book will have the right answer for you. Length: 336 pages Published: 2016 (reprint edition)

8. How To Write Any High School Essay: The Essential Guide by Jesse Liebman

The previous titles I mentioned were mostly for “grown-up” writers, but the list wouldn’t be complete without a book for ambitious high-school students. Its length is appropriate, making it possible even for the most ADHD among us to get through it. It contains expert advice, easy-to-implement essay outlines , and tips on finding the best topics and supporting them with strong arguments. Length: 124 pages Published: 2017

9. Essential Writing Skills for College and Beyond by C.M. Gill

On average, after finishing high school or college, Americans read only around twelve books per year. This is a pity because books contain a wealth of information. People at the top of the socio-economic ladder read between forty and sixty books per year – and you should too! But reading is just one skill that gets neglected after college. Writing is the other one. By reading the “Essential Writing Skills” you’ll be able to crush all of your college writing assignments and use them throughout your life to sharpen your prose. Length: 250 Published: 2014

10. The Hidden Machinery: Essays on Writing by Margot Livesey

Rafal reyzer.

Hey there, welcome to my blog! I'm a full-time entrepreneur building two companies, a digital marketer, and a content creator with 10+ years of experience. I started RafalReyzer.com to provide you with great tools and strategies you can use to become a proficient digital marketer and achieve freedom through online creativity. My site is a one-stop shop for digital marketers, and content enthusiasts who want to be independent, earn more money, and create beautiful things. Explore my journey here , and don't miss out on my AI Marketing Mastery online course.

5 best books on writing for beginners and beyond

Whether you’re starting out in creative writing or looking to fine-tune your writing craft, there are a wealth of reference books out there..

Here are five that I find invaluable:

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers – Renni Browne and Dave King

The first time I flicked through Self-Editing for Fiction Writers , I was unimpressed. A chapter on Show Don’t Tell? Pleeeeeease. Are you also going to tell me not to use adverbs ?

Then I actually read the chapter on Show Don’t Tell and realised I’d never fully understood Show Don’t Tell before. Every chapter of Self-Editing for Fiction Writers is like that.

Renni Browne and Dave King explain the fundamentals of writing in a way that’s clear, comprehensive and yet also concise.

Having a problem with POV? Check this book. Dialogue a bit dodgy? Check this book.

I refer to this book at least once a month. I also recommend it to fellow writers more than any other writing book.

The Story Grid – Shawn Coyne

While Self-Editing for Fiction Writers is about the nuts and bolts of writing, The Story Grid zooms you upwards 26,000ft. Shawn Coyne’s book is all about helicopter-view, big-picture storytelling.

It’s also the solution to the hardest question you’ll have as a writer, “Why don’t people find my fiction compelling?”

(Trust me, I’ve been there.)

Shawn Coyne details narrative arcs and genre beats, and gives writers a framework to begin editing (truly editing, not polishing) their novel.

I am not kidding when I say that The Story Grid method was the only way I was able to make it through the final rewrite of my debut thriller, Dead Ringer .

On Writing – Stephen King

Ever noticed how many creative writing books are by writers you’ve never heard of?

This is the reason I rate Stephen King’s On Writing . Love him or hate him, you can’t argue with his success.

Some of King’s advice I agree with, some I don’t (King is far more of a pantser than I will ever be), but there’s plenty to chew over.

Most cheering, perhaps, is the account of King’s journey to publication and success. It’s a reminder of how much of this life is perseverance .

Writing Down the Bones – Natalie Goldberg

Writing Down the Bones is the book I return to when I need a shot of inspiration. Creative writing books can be dry. “Do this. Don’t do this.”

Natalie Goldberg, by contrast, is your effervescent fairy godmother. With chapter titles like “Writing is not a McDonald’s Hamburger”, Writing Down the Bones is all about learning to love the creative process.

Goldberg’s philosophy is that writing is a type of meditation and sessions of “freewriting”, where you write and write and write without stopping, can unleash your creativity.

This isn’t the way I write, typically, but it’s a good way of battling writer’s block or forcing a start to a new project when you feel overwhelmed.

2k to 10k: How to write faster, write better, and write more of what you love – Rachel Aaron

If Writing Down the Bones is airy-fairy, 2k to 10k is just-the-facts-ma’am. It’s also the craft book that best describes the way I write. If ever I find myself floundering, it’s usually because I’ve strayed from Rachel Aaron’s triangle .

Aaron’s story is pretty incredible: as a new mother with limited time to write and deadlines looming, she had to figure out a way to write a lot, fast. I doubt I will ever be cracking 10,000 words a day like Aaron, but by using her strategies, I easily started boosting my daily word count by 500 words or more.

What are those strategies? Write during your most creative hours; plan your stories with a detailed outline; figure out what you’re going to write ahead of time (daydreaming is better done when queueing at the bank, not at your desk; plot holes are better untangled in note form, not when you’re halfway through a scene); and pack your novel full of things you can’t wait to write.

Which writing craft books do you come back to time and again? Let me know your recommendations in the comments.

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Thank you for these recommendations. I just got fired for the first time in my life! Instead of being down about it, I thought I’d use it to finally write a book. I also just found out I am going to be a grandma and would love to be a stay at home Gammy! Any other advice? Bless you.

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How to Write a Book: Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide

You’re ready to learn how to write a book…

And as a first-time author, you’re nervous about this new journey because you want first-time success (who doesn’t?).

But today’s publishing industry has become noisy . There is endless information out there on how to write a book, and with the rise of self-publishing, it can be overwhelming, to say the least.

If you’re ready to take the leap, become an author , and learn how to write a book the right way, start with this resource to get your wheels in motion.

As a first-time bestselling author, I can tell you that writing my first book was one of the most rewarding and challenging experiences of my life.

I experienced a lot of growth and pushed through many hurdles, and being able to learn how to publish is something I am truly proud of.

And I’m ready to share the steps of how to write a book with you, so that you can go on to write a book of your own, and find success as a first-time author.

Ready to learn how to write a book? Let’s get to it!

Need A Nonfiction Book Outline?

Here’s how to write a book in 12 steps:

• Develop a writer’s mindset a. Hold yourself accountable to writing your book b. Give yourself permission to be a writer c. Announce your intention to write a book
• Create a book writing space
• Choose your book writing software a. Google Drive b. Grammarly c. Evernote d. A notebook & pen
• Determine your book’s topic a. Identify your target reader b. Write about something that intrigues you c. Research potential topics d. Choose a topic you can write about quickly
• Create a book outline a. Create a mindmap b. Write a purpose statement c. Create a working title d. Write an elevator pitch for your book e. Draft a working outline for your book f. Fill in the gaps with more research g. Frameworks on how to write your book
• Finish writing your manuscript a. Break your book writing into small chunks b. Build the momentum to finish writing your book c. Collaborate with others
• Include front & back matter a. Preface or introduction b. Foreward c. Testimonials d. Author Bio e. Glossary f. Notes g. Images
• Edit your book a. Self-edit your book b. Hire a professional book editor c. Re-write sections of your book’s draft using your editor’s feedback d. Finalize your book title
• Choose a compelling book cover
• Format your book
• Prepare to launch your book a. Build your book’s launch team b. Develop a marketing mindset c. Create a book launch strategy
• Publish your book
• How To Write A Book: FAQs

In this article, we’ll start with the basics. While the steps in this phase may seem to be unrelated to actually learning how to write a book, they are very important.

In fact, setting yourself up for success will help you build the foundation needed to start writing a book .

We’ll talk about developing a writer’s mindset to get you in a frame of mind that’s conducive to writing. Then, we’ll discuss how to create a writing space that will boost your writing productivity, and how to choose the best book writing software for your needs.

Here are some tips for success as you write a book:

• Develop a writer’s mindset . This is all about embracing a mentality that will inspire you to start (and finish) writing your book.
• Create a writing space . This is all about how to set up the ideal writing environment that fits your routine.
• Use a tool to write your book . This is all about deciding on what you will use to write your book.
• Get support . A strong support network, a community of peers, and a book writing coach could be the difference between a published book and an unfinished manuscript.
• Use templates where you can. We provide you with a proven book outline template in this post. But there are templates for cover layouts, formatting, and more. Don’t recreate the wheel! Use these and build upon them to make them your own.

1. Develop a Writer’s Mindset

Learning how to write a book takes time, work, and dedication. It’s easy to romanticize becoming a bestseller like J.K. Rowling or Octavia Butler. However, every author has a story on how they started out and overcame adversity to get where they are today.

For example, Rowling, who had no job and was on welfare at the time, would take her children to a coffee shop and write.

Butler, who was a dishwasher and potato chip inspector at the time, would wake up at two or three in the morning to write and wrote herself mantras to keep her focused on her goals.

The first steps in learning how to write a book are overcoming mindset blocks, dealing with self-doubt as a writer, and developing a healthy frame of mind that will help you with your writing goals .

Let’s review three things you can do to circumvent roadblocks and crush challenges to keep you focused on your goal.

Hold yourself accountable to writing your book

It’s not good enough to write only when inspiration strikes. There will be days when writing is the last thing you want to be doing.

But you have to treat your writing as if it were a job, or a duty. This means holding yourself accountable, taking action, and showing up every day.

Here’s how to hold yourself accountable to writing:

• Set a writing goal. If you don’t have a goal, procrastination will get the best of you. Determine a writing goal, including how many days a week you intend to set aside time to write, and set a deadline or due date for when you’d like to have parts of your book.
• Block off chunks of time to write every week.  If you’re looking for a place to start, consider one to two hours per day five days per week. The more often you write, the more you’ll develop a habit for it, and making time for writing won’t be that much of a struggle.
• Set a daily word count goal.  Consider how many words you want to write each week. Use a Word Count Calculator to determine the goal you should aim for, depending on the type of book you are writing. For example, if your goal is 3,000 words per week and you have five chunks of time blocked off to write per week, then you’d need to write 600 words per day to achieve your weekly goal.

I write early in the morning before I do anything else for 1-2 hours. I find that as I go throughout the day and work on other projects my mind isn’t as fresh or sharp by the end of the day. However, sometimes I have ideas throughout the day that I jot down in Evernote to jump-start the next morning with a working outline.

Give yourself permission to be a writer

This might sound silly, but it’s true: in order to learn how to write a book, you need to give yourself permission to be a writer. Many aspiring authors get stuck in their mindset, which prevents them from initiating and completing their writing projects.

Even successful authors feel like they aren’t good enough. Acknowledge your feelings, but then shake them off, and move on with your day.

Hear this : You don’t have to be an expert to learn how to write a book. You don’t have to feel 100% confident to be a good writer. You don’t even have to be all-knowing to teach others about your experiences or knowledge.

Here’s how to give yourself permission to be a writer:

• Get inspiration from other writers . When you’re just starting to learn how to write a book, you might feel alone in your journey. But take comfort in the fact that other successful writers all started at the bottom, just like you. Many of them overcame seemingly impossible hurdles, but persisted with their writing dreams, anyway. Research some of your favorite authors, and read up on their stories to discover the issues they overcame to find success.
• Accept where you are . Acknowledge your feelings of self-doubt, and then release them. It’s okay to experience moments of feeling discouraged, but it’s important that you don’t let those feelings hold you back. Accept that you are beginning your journey and that this is a learning process.
• Use positive affirmations . Your thoughts have a huge influence on your abilities. What you think starts to become your reality, so make your thoughts good. Use positive affirmations about yourself and your writing abilities to pump yourself up. You can even read inspirational writing quotes from famous authors for motivation.
• Overcome imposter syndrome . Even expert authors and writers feel like imposters every now and again. While it’s okay to experience feeling inferior, you have to eventually get over those thoughts and push on towards your goals. Connect with other aspiring writers, get yourself a mentor, and join writers conferences or writing communities.

Announce your intention to write a book

The best way to hold yourself accountable for your work is to let others know your goals. Is there someone you trust or a group of people in your network you can appoint to check in on your progress?

Perhaps there is someone who is a seasoned writer who can serve as a mentor. If so, try to have regular check-ins with this person.

One way to keep these meetings consistent is to schedule a lunch or coffee date. Talk about your progress and perhaps any challenges you’re facing. They may be able to bring a fresh perspective.

I told my wife, Ariele, and several of my closest teammates from work about my intentions to write my first book. We had regular check-ins to talk about progress. Everyone helped keep me motivated and had different feedback for me. Without them, it would have been a lot more difficult to write Inbound Content in the timeframe I did.

2. Create a Book Writing Space

The second step in how to write a book has to do with your environment. Where you choose to write will have a major impact on your writing productivity.

Find creative spaces where you can produce your best writing.

Sure, some might argue that they can write anywhere as long as they have the tools to write. But where we choose to write plays a huge role in our writing motivation and focus.

Questions to think about: Where do you work best? What surroundings inspire you most? Identify them and make it a best practice to work there consistently.

Here are creative writing spaces to write your book:

• Coffee shops (classic)
• Beautiful park or somewhere in nature
• A dedicated writing nook at home

My main writing location is the dinette in my Airstream. I do my best work when traveling; I wrote the manuscript for my book in six weeks as I traveled the U.S. and worked full time from the road.

3. Choose your Book-Writing Software

The next step in how to write a book has to do with writing tools.

In 1882, Mark Twain sent to a publisher the first manuscript to be written on a piece of technology that would transform the writing industry: the typewriter.

Nowadays, we have computers with word processing and the internet where you can find an endless assortment of useful book-writing software and apps that are meant to help you be an efficient and effective writer. If you’re writing a novel, check out this guide to novel writing software .

You may be tempted to overload on apps because you think it’ll help elevate your writing. But honestly, less is more . The truth is that the right tools and even self-publishing companies make writing and publishing easier and more enjoyable.

Instead of overwhelming you with all the possible apps in existence, below is a list of three tools I recommend adding to your writing toolkit today (and they’re free).

Google Drive

Google Drive is one of the most versatile cloud storage services available today. But Google Drive is so much more than cloud storage. Here’s a list of ways you can use Google Drive to help you write your book:

• You can organize all aspects of your project in folders (research, outline, manuscript drafts, etc.)
• You can host files for your projects like images, photos, etc.
• You can use Google Docs as a word processor. And we have a book writing template , specifically for Google Docs.
• You can enable offline access and work on your files even when you don’t have an internet connection, such as when you’re traveling.
• You can collaborate easily with others, avoiding version control issues.
• You can access it from just about any device (laptop, smartphone, tablet, you name it).

Plus, Google will give you 15GB of free storage just for signing up.

If you’re new to Google Drive, here’s a list of resources that can turn you into a pro. (FYI, if you have a Gmail account, you have a Google Drive account.)

Grammarly is an editing tool that helps you identify grammatical errors, typos, and incorrect sentence structure in your writing.

Download the web extension and Grammarly will edit most anything you type in a web browser (yes, it will work with Google Docs).

You can check out this Grammarly review if you’re on the fence about this one.

Inspiration can strike at any time. Capture those thoughts and ideas as they happen in Evernote . You can even sync Google Drive and Evernote. I recommend doing this, especially on your mobile device.

A Notebook & Pen

Don’t underestimate the power of good ole’ fashioned pen and paper when it comes to learning how to write a book, which is arguably the only essential writing tool out there.

Even if you write your entire manuscript on a trusty writing software program, you’ll still want to have a dedicated notebook available for the times when inspiration strikes and you can’t access a computer.

Every writer should have a notebook handy for random ideas and thoughts. You can jot these down in your notebook, then revisit them and digitally store them in your book-writing software when you’re back at the computer.

4. Determine Your Book Topic

Now we’ll move on to how to actually start writing a book. This is the part that seems simple, but can be more difficult than you realize.

However, once you get through the process of actually writing your book, you will gain momentum to finish it, and eventually publish it.

Learning how to write a book starts with an idea. What’s your book idea ?

Maybe you already know exactly what you want to write about. Or maybe you have a million ideas floating on in your head, but you don’t know exactly where to start.

One of the most common pieces of advice for aspiring first-time authors is: “Write what you know.” A simple phrase that’s meant to be helpful, yet it begs so many questions.

If you’re struggling with a book idea, try jumpstarting your creativity by experimenting with these writing prompts .

Whether you’re writing a non-fiction how-to guide or a fictional post-apocalyptic thriller, you need to form a connection with your audience — and you can do that through emotion. The best way to create emotion with your reader is to understand them.

Here’s how to determine what you want to write about and how to write it in a meaningful way.  

Identify your target reader

The key to producing meaningful content is understanding your reader. You can do this by creating a reader persona — a semi-fictional representation of your ideal audience.

To get started with your reader persona, consider answering the following questions:

• What’s the reader’s age? Are you writing a self-help book geared towards mature adults, or are you writing a guide for teenagers? The age of your reader will set the tone for your writing and book’s context.
• What’s the reader’s education level? Are you writing a book for PhD candidates, or for recent high school graduates? Depending on the answer, your writing style, verbiage, and word choice will vary.
• Does the reader prefer visuals? Think about your book’s potential topic and if visuals like charts, graphs, tables, illustrations, screenshots, or photographs will be expected.
• What is this reader interested in? When you write a book, it’s less about what you want to say, and more about what your reader needs to know. As you start to brainstorm a topic and write your book, always have a reader-centric approach.

The more you know about your reader, the better experience you can create for them.

When you start learning how to write a book, you have to make your book about the reader. What do they need to know in order to learn what you have to say?

My main audience is marketers and business owners at small-to-medium-sized businesses. They’re strapped for time and don’t need another theoretical resource. They value real-world examples to help visualize what tips and strategies look like in action.

Write about something that intrigues you

You need to write about something that spikes your curiosity, something that keeps you coming back day after day. Something that lights you up and that you’re invested in.

I can’t stress the importance of this enough. If you choose a topic to write about for the wrong reason, don’t expect to create something that people will love.

You need to be able to stick with it through dry spells and bouts of non-inspiration. Your own desire to hear the story will be what drives you through learning how to write a book.

Research potential topics

In our digital age, we can conveniently research topics from the comfort of our own homes.

Google makes it easy to research just about any topic.

Here’s a list of ways to research your book concept on Google:

• What content already exists? Are there already books written on this topic? If so, which ones performed well? Why did they perform well? Is there anything interesting about their content that enhances the reader’s experience? Is the market over-saturated on this topic?
• What influencers exist on the subject? Are there well-known authors on this topic? Who are they? What can you learn from them?
• What do you need to learn? Are there specific things you need to learn to create a rich, meaningful narrative (ex. geography, culture, time period, etc.)?

I performed extensive research before writing the manuscript for Inbound Content. It was important for me to understand what content was already out there, which content was performing well, and most importantly, how could I make my book unique. This is exactly why I included homework after each chapter to help my readers build an action plan that they could implement immediately, something I noticed wasn’t typical in other marketing books.

Choose a topic you can write about quickly

Writing your first book is invaluable because it’s a serious learning experience. The process of actually writing a book and completing it will make this book a personal success for you, because of how much you will learn about yourself and your craft in the process.

Don’t get hung up on a topic. If you’re struggling with deciding what to write about first, go with the topic that you know best. Choose a topic or experience that you can write about quickly, with limited resources.

Here’s how to find a topic you can write about quickly:

• Write what you can teach right now. If you had to teach a lesson on something right at this second, what could you confidently teach? This is a topic you know well, that requires limited additional research, and what you can quickly create content for.
• Write about a powerful experience. Each individual is unique in their experiences. Everyone has gone through something that changed them. Reflect on your life and think about one experience that sticks out about your life.
• Write about a life lesson. What has life taught you? What unique observations have you made about the world? You can use this information to learn how to write a memoir .

5. Write A Book Outline

Once you know what you want to write about, you’re probably eager to start writing. But you need a writing guide first.

Let’s review what you can do to create a clear book outline for your book that you can use as a roadmap.

Create a mindmap

You have an idea, now it’s time to hone in on just exactly what that idea is. With a mindmap , you can drill your topic down into sub-topics. It will help you get all of your ideas out and onto paper.

Here are the steps to mindmap your book’s topic:

• Get a blank piece of paper and pen.
• Set a timer for 10 minutes.
• Write your topic in the middle of the page.
• Jot down all of your ideas related to your book’s topic.
• Do not stop writing until the timer goes off.

Once you have mindmapped your idea, you should have a full page of brainstormed thoughts, ideas, and concepts. You can then review what you’ve written, and begin to organize them. This will come in handy when it comes time to actually start plugging in content for your book outline.

Write a purpose statement

In one sentence describe the purpose of your book. A strong purpose statement will explain to readers why they should consider reading your book. For me, I was writing a book to grow my business .

This will also help you stay focused as you begin drafting your outline and writing your book. When you have trouble solidifying what your book is about, review your purpose statement.

Inbound Content‘s purpose statement: People who read this book will learn a step-by-step process on how to do content marketing the inbound way.

Create a working title

A working title is a temporary title used during the production of your book. Identifying your book by giving it a name can help set the direction.

Once you finish your work you can revisit the title and update accordingly. Don’t get too hung up on this step; think of the title as a placeholder. It isn’t permanent, but it will be helpful to begin with one in mind.

If you need help thinking of a working title, use our Book Title Generator .

Write an elevator pitch for your book

An effective elevator pitch should last no longer than a short elevator ride of 30 seconds. For context, 30 seconds equals about 65-70 words.

Having a prepared elevator pitch will come in handy throughout your book-writing process. It will help you nail your book’s purpose and topic, and it will help the concept become crystal clear not only for yourself as the writer, but for your potential readers, too.

As you ask family and friends to hold you accountable to writing, and as you connect with fellow writers, authors, and mentors, you will be asked about your book. Having a prepared elevator pitch will help you nail the answer without hesitation, each and every time.

Draft a working outline for your book

The next step in learning how to write a book is drafting a working book outline. Just like the working title you created, this outline is a work in progress. The outline can change throughout your writing process, and that’s okay!

However, it’s super helpful to start with an outline so that you know where to begin, and have a general roadmap for where to go as you start writing.

Use the related concepts and sub-topics you organized in your mindmap, and start plugging in some content into your outline.

Your outline will do wonders for you once you start writing. It can help you avoid writer’s block , and increase your writing momentum and productivity. Instead of wondering what to write about in the next chapter of your book, you’ll already have an idea of where to start with your book’s outline.

Fill in the gaps with more research

After your working outline is completed, it’s important to do further research on your topic so that you can fill in any areas that you missed or forgot to include in your original outline.

Do not get too caught up in your research that it prevents you from writing your book. Take some time to research, but set a limit. Always go back to writing.

Here’s how to research when writing a book:

• Use online resources by doing a Google search on your topic.
• Read other books that have been written about your topic.
• Listen to expert interviews, podcasts, and audiobooks related to your topic.
• Read scholarly articles and academic journals within the subject or industry.
• Search archives, collections, historical journals, data records, and newspaper clippings to get clear on events, dates, and facts about your topic, especially if you’re writing about the past.

Frameworks on how to write your book

If your book can follow a framework, this will make it easier to keep your writing organized and relevant.

By choosing a format or structure for your book’s topic, you’ll be able to align your outline in a way that will be helpful when you start to write each chapter.

Most nonfiction books can fall into a specific framework, or a blend of frameworks. It’s better to start with a specific framework, then tweak it as needed as you continue writing.

Here are common nonfiction book frameworks to consider when writing a book:

• Modular: Use this framework if you have a lot of information or concepts that can be grouped into similar topics, but don’t need to be presented in a specific order.
• Reference: Use this framework if your book will be used as a reference that makes it easy for readers to quickly find the information they need.
• Three Act Structure: Use this framework if you plan to use storytelling in your book, where you have three main parts like a Set Up, Rising Action, and Resolution.
• Sequential: Use this framework if your book reads like a “how to” with a specific set of steps.
• Compare & Contrast: Use this framework if you need to show your reader how two or more ideas or concepts are similar to or different from one another.
• Problem & Solution: Use this framework if readers need to be able to clearly identify a problem and understand the solution.
• Chronological: Use this framework if each main section of your book represents a specific time or order of events.
• Combination: If your book will fall under two or more of the above frameworks, then you will need to use a combination framework that’s adjusted to your book’s specific topic.

6. Finish Writing Your Book Draft

For many, the hard part isn’t getting started with how to write a book… it’s in actually finishing it!

Commit to finishing your rough draft , and you’re already succeeding!

Here are our top tips to keep the momentum going as you start taking action after learning exactly how to write a book.

Break your book writing into small chunks

Now that you have your book’s outline and framework, it’s time to get started with writing.

Like a marathon, your manuscript is essentially a puzzle made up of many smaller like-themed pieces. Your finished book may be 262 pages long, but it’s written one word or thought at a time. Pace yourself and stick to your consistent writing schedule.

If you approach your book writing by focusing too much on the larger picture, you can get overwhelmed. Write chapter-by-chapter.

Start with baby steps by chunking your writing into small pieces. Set milestones, and celebrate the small wins.

Here are some tips for breaking your writing into small pieces:

• Write one chapter at a time . Focus on one piece at a time, not the entire puzzle!
• Set deadlines to complete each chunk of writing . Break your goal down into smaller sections, then set individual deadlines for each section.
• Structure your writing time. Follow a routine for writing that includes time for research (if needed) and review. For example, if you dedicate two hours each day towards your book, set 30 minutes aside to review your outline so you know what you’re writing about, then 30 minutes to research anything that you need to clarify, then one hour to actually write.
• Celebrate small goals. As you accomplish milestones towards your end goal, schedule and celebrate your small accomplishments. It can be something as simple as going out to dinner, buying yourself a small gift, or doing a little dance.

Build the momentum to finish writing your book

Learning how to write a book can be difficult.

When you’re in the weeds with writing your book, there will be days you want to give it all up.

There will also be times when you have writer’s block, and even though you know what you should be writing about, it all sounds wrong as you re-read what you’ve written in your head.

Here’s how to fight writer’s block and increase your writing momentum:

• Don’t edit as you write. Writing and editing require your brain to work in two very different ways, so don’t do it! It’ll slow you down, and keep you at a standstill. Keep writing, and save the editing for later.
• Switch up your scenery. If you usually write at home in your own writing space, maybe it’s time to freshen up your writing environment. Try writing in a public park, or at a coffee shop or library on the days when writing is the last thing you feel like doing.
• Take a break. It’s okay if you’re too mentally worn-out to write. Take a small break, and then get back to it. When we say small break, we mean take a day or two off from writing (not a month or two!).
• Get creative inspiration elsewhere. Binge-watch an exciting new show, read a novel, take a walk in nature, go to an art gallery, or be around people you love. While you aren’t writing when you do these things, it can help your brain reset and recharge so you can return to your book.
• Write about something else. Sometimes, when we’re so engulfed in our book’s topic, it can be self-limited. If you’re feeling less excited about writing when it comes to your book, maybe it’s time to flex your writing muscles in a different way. Try doing some creative writing exercises, journal, or write a poem.
• Supercharge your writing with AI . AI tools, such as ChatGPT, are here to empower your writing journey. They can help you generate ideas, overcome writer’s block, and streamline your writing process. By integrating AI into your writing workflow, you can access instant feedback and suggestions, helping you build momentum and stay focused on completing your book.

Collaborate with others

There’s strength in numbers when it comes to accomplishing a huge task.

And, more importantly, it can help you feel less isolated in what can be a very solitary act. Writing a book can be lonely!

Let’s review three things you can do to collaborate with others when writing your book.  

Connect with your original accountability partner or group

A great example of finding accountability partners is through a group or self-publishing company much like what Self-Publishing School does with their Mastermind Community on Facebook.

Attend a writer’s conference

Sharing space and networking with other writers can do wonders for your own writing habits and momentum. By attending writer’s conferences, you’ll be in a room full of people just like you.

Not only will you be able to network with and learn from expert authors who have been where you are, but you’ll also be able to meet fellow aspiring writers going through the same process as you.

Collaborate with thought leaders on your subject

Ideal for nonfiction writers, this collaboration could mean asking well-known people in your industry to write a quote that brings value to your content.

Pro tip: When promoting your book launch on social media, consider creating a buzzworthy piece of content like an engaging blog article and have your audience share it.

7. Include Front & Back Matter

Now it’s time to put on your marketing pants and spread the word about your book!

There are elements outside of your book’s content that you’ll need to write, such as a preface, foreword, notes, etc. I suggest waiting until after you’ve written your book. This way, not only can you better connect them to your story, but you won’t waste time editing them in case you make changes to your manuscript.

Let’s review eight final touches you may or may not need to wrap up your book.

Preface or Introduction

Draw in your readers with a compelling story. This could be a personal anecdote related to your topic. Tell them what the book is about and why it is relevant to them (think of your reader persona from earlier).

A foreword is typically written by another author or thought leader of your particular industry. Getting someone credible to write this can add a lot of value to your readers.

Testimonials

Just like with the foreword, try and find respected, well-known people in your space and have them write a review about your book. The best way to promote yourself is to have someone else speak on your behalf.  

How do you want to be portrayed to your audience? Readers love knowing personal details of an author’s life, such as your hobbies, where you live, or what inspired you to write this book.

Pro tip: The author bio on the flap of your book might be one of the first things people read when deciding whether or not to read our book. Keep it short, but make sure it packs a punch (just like your elevator pitch).

A glossary is an alphabetical list of terms or words relating to a specific subject, text, or dialect with corresponding explanations. If you are writing nonfiction, especially a topic that uses a lot of lingo or uncommon words, make sure to include a glossary to create a better experience for your readers.

If you are writing nonfiction, keep track of your sources as you research and write. A clear bibliography will only add to your value and credibility.

Being nonfiction that was based on a lot of research and experiments, I made sure to include a notes section in Inbound Content. It included citations, stats, image sources, etc.

Using images is a nice addition to your content. Images can create a more engaging experience for the reader while improving the communication of hard-to-grasp concepts.

8. Edit Your Book

The next step in learning how to write a book is editing. This involves self-editing first, then having a thorough professional edit done.

The success of your book will depend on its quality, and a thoroughly edited book is a solid way to increase your book’s quality.

Even the best writers require editing, so don’t feel discouraged by this process. In the end, you’ll be glad you followed the editing process, and will have a completed, error-free book that you can be proud of.

Self-edit your book

Remember when we told you not to edit your book as you wrote? Well, now’s your time to shine in the editing department.

Once your book is written, it’s time to go through and read it line-by-line.

We recommend printing your entire manuscript out on paper, then going through each page and making edits. This will make it easy to spot errors, and will help you easily implement these changes into your manuscript.

There’s a specific strategy to self-editing; if you start this process blindly, it can be overwhelming, so make sure you understand how it works before diving in.

Here are some tips to self-edit your book successfully:

• Read your manuscript aloud as you edit.
• Start with one chapter at a time.
• First, go through and edit the chapter for structure revisions.
• Second, find opportunities for improving the book’s readability.
• Third, make edits for grammar and word choice.

Once you complete your self-edit, you can make your revisions on your manuscript, then get ready for the next round of edits.

Hire a professional book editor

The next step in learning how to write a book is handing your book off to a professional book editor .

As meticulous as you may be, there are bound to be some grammatical or spelling errors that get overlooked. Also, a professional editor should be able to give you feedback on the structure of your writing so you can feel confident in your final published draft.

There are many different types of editing , so think carefully to determine who you should hire.

Re-write sections of your book’s draft using your editor’s feedback

Now it’s time to improve your book using your editor’s feedback. Don’t be discouraged when you get your manuscript back full of edits, comments, and identified errors.

Think of these edits as opportunities to improve your book. You want to give your reader a polished, well-written book, and to do this, you need to edit and re-write.

This doesn’t mean you have to re-write your entire book. You simply have to go through your editor’s feedback, and make any revisions you think are necessary.

If there is something you don’t agree with your editor on, that’s okay. In the end, it is your book, and you are in control of what you want to add or take out of the manuscript.

Just be sure your revisions are coming from a place of sound reasoning, and not pride.

Finalize your book title

If you haven’t done so already, it’s time to revisit the working title you created for your book earlier in the process.

You need to finalize your book’s title before you move on to the next steps!

If you need help deciding on a title, cast a vote with your target readers and mentors in your author network. Send an email out, post a social media announcement , or reach out through text with people that are considered your book’s ideal reader.

Get feedback on your title by asking people to vote for their favorite. Include the top three choices, then use the crowdsourced results to narrow it down even more.

Once you have a title selected, don’t worry too much if you’re not 100 percent sold on it yet. Even if the title turns out to not be effective, you can always change the title depending on the publishing platform you select.

9. Choose a Compelling Book Cover

Don’t judge a book by its cover? Please.  People are definitely judging your book by its cover. 

The book cover design is generally the first thing that will pique a reader’s interest.

You can find freelance graphic designers to create a compelling book cover for you on many online marketplace sites like Upwork, Reedsy , and Snappa . You can even check with a local graphic design artist for a more hands-on approach.

Tips for creating an effective book cover:

• Whitespace is your friend.  Make it a best practice to choose a design that pops, but doesn’t distract.
• Make it creative (non-fiction) or emotional (fiction).  Do your best to connect the art to the story or use it to enhance the title.
• Consider a subtitle.  Think if this as a one-sentence descriptor on what this book is about.
• Test two or three designs.  Send a few designs to your trusted accountability group to get their honest first impressions and feedback.

Keeping these best practices in mind, I chose a cover for Inbound Content that was simple but made the title pop and let the subtitle provide the promise to the reader.

10. Format Your Book

Now that you’ve written your manuscript, it’s time to format it so you can visualize the final product — your book!

Formatting your book is an important step in learning how to write a book, because it has to do with how your book will appear to the reader. A successfully formatted book will not cut off text, incorrect indentations, or typeset errors when printed or displayed on a digital device.

If you’ve already decided to go with self-publishing vs traditional publishing , this is all on you. But if you’re not tech-savvy and don’t have the time to learn how to format your own book, you can hire a professional to do this part for you.

If you know how to format a book correctly and to fit your book distributor’s specifications, you can do so in Word or Google Docs. You can also use a program like Vellum Software or Atticus .

Otherwise, we recommend hiring someone to do this professionally, as it’s one of the most important aspects to get right. Check out Formatted Books if that’s the case for you.

11. Prepare to Launch Your Book

Before you hit “Publish” it’s time to do the groundwork to start prepping for your book’s launch, and your ongoing book launch and book marketing strategy.

There are a few steps involved in this process, which we’ll outline below.

Build your book’s launch team

This is an ongoing step that you can start doing when you are finished with your rough draft. As you send your book to the editor, designer, and formatter, you can organize a launch team in the meantime.

Your book’s launch team is essentially a group of individuals who are considered your target readers. They will help you promote your book, and will be actively involved in the launch process of your book.

Develop a marketing mindset

It’s time to start shifting your mindset from writing to book marketing . Think about your strengths and areas of growth when it comes to sales and marketing.

Acknowledge any fears or self-limiting thoughts you have, then push past them by remembering your book’s purpose. Know that the power of sharing your knowledge and experience through your book is stronger than any fear that might hold you back.

It’s important to understand in the marketing phase that your mindset has a huge role in the success of your book. You can write the best book in the world, but if you don’t channel some energy towards marketing, no one will know it exists.

Here are six ways to market your book:

• Paid advertisements
• Free advertisement opportunities
• Local or in-person events
• Content marketing on Google and Amazon
• Be a guest on podcasts and websites
• Speaker opportunities

Create a book launch strategy

There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to your launch strategy, so it’s important to draft up a plan before you publish your book.

Your launch strategy is basically how you plan to create momentum with your book. Think of it like a business launch. There’s always a big celebration to announce the launch of the business. It’s the same for your book.

12. Publish Your Book

The self-publishing process steps will vary on whether you are publishing your book as an eBook only, or whether you plan to publish it as a print book.

It will also vary depending on which self-publishing companies you plan to work with. There are many self-publishing platforms to choose from, including KDP on Amazon and IngramSpark .

If you plan to work with a different book publisher , you’ll want to follow their guidelines. You should also learn how to copyright a book to protect yourself against plagiarism.

Once you’ve hit publish on your platform, you can start implementing your launch strategies and marketing strategies, which we’ll cover in the next section.

FAQs: How To Write A Book

If you read through this guide and have specific questions on how to write a book, here are some other questions we get often.

How long does it take to write a book?

How long it takes to write a book depends on a number of factors. on average, it takes self-published authors anywhere from 3-6 months, but that can be shorter or longer depending on your writing habits, work ethic, time available, and much more.

How much do authors make?

There is no set amount that an author can make. It depends on many factors, such as the book genre , topic, author’s readership and following, and marketing success.

For a full report on this, please read our report on Author Salary

Writing a book is not a get-rich-quick strategy by any means. While learning how to write a book can help you grow your business through techniques like a book funnel , unless you sell hundreds of thousands of copies of books, you likely will not earn six figures from book sales alone.

How much money does an author make per book?

The money an author makes per book sold is calculated by the royalty rate. The royalty rate varies depending on the publishing medium, and company.

Use this Book Royalty Calculator to get a better idea of your potential earnings.

How much does it cost to write and publish a book?

With Amazon self-publishing and other self-publishing platforms, the cost to publish is actually free. However, it costs money to hire professionals that actually produce a high-quality book that you will be proud of.

For full details, read this guide on Self-Publishing Costs .

Can anyone write a book?

Yes, anyone can learn how to write a book. And thanks to the rise of technology and self-publishing, anyone can publish a book as well!

Traditional publishers used to serve as the gatekeepers to publishing, holding the power to determine which books would be published. This prevented many stories from being shared, and many talented authors from being recognized.

Thankfully, this antiquated system is no longer the only option. This also means that because anyone can technically publish a book, it is extremely important that you create a quality, professional book that’s of the highest standard.

You Wrote A Book!

And that’s it! Those are the steps to take to learn how to write a book from start to finish.

You can and will write your first book if you put forth the effort. You’re going to crush this!

Trust the process, create a consistent writing schedule, and use this practical guide to help you through the journey of learning how to write a book.

Are you ready to write your book?

Join the community.

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31 Ridiculously Simple Tips For Writing Your Next Book

What are the best tips for writing a book? We have you covered.

Maybe you have a book idea , and you’re thinking it would make a great book.

The problem? You’ve never written a book before. And with all the information out there on the steps to writing a book, you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed.

Or maybe you have written a book, and you’ve learned a few things from it, but you’re also a bit embarrassed by the mistakes you made. You want this new book to be something you’ll be proud to share and to talk about with others.

You’re ready for a clear and simple guide on how to write a book. And you’ve just found one. For this article, we’ve curated the best book writing tips you’re likely to find in books and on the web.

So, grab a cup of something you like, and read on.

• Why Learning to Write Better Is Such an Important Skill

Learning to write better has so many real-life applications, and it’s a tragedy that so few leave school (and yes, I’m including college) with a solid understanding of what makes for good writing.

As someone who wants to write a book, you already know you can make your editor’s (as well as your reader’s) life a lot easier if you know how to write well. And you learn by doing.

You learn to write by writing. You also learn by imitating exceptional writers. Benjamin Franklin taught himself to write by copying (by hand) other people’s work.

Think about that for a second. Someday, because you put in the work, your own readers might learn to write better because of something you wrote.

All the more reason to learn the tips that follow.

31 Tips for Writing a Book

1. write something (anything) every day., 2. establish a writing space and time., 3. assemble your writing tools., 4. map out your book idea., 5. write in smaller chunks., 6. treat writing like interval training., 7. summarize your book — and break it into smaller pieces., 8. break your book into smaller pieces., 9. use an app like evernote to store your ideas., 10. stop each day when the going is good., 11. get early feedback., 12. set weekly targets., 13. sketch it out., 14. write from a character’s perspective., 15. single or series, 16. get a fantastic book cover., 17. pencil in some procrastination., 18. turn off your inner editor (while writing your first draft)., 19. give your story a strong opening., 20. give your story plenty of conflict., 21. think like a reader., 22. find beta readers who read your genre., 23. commit to a “shipping” date., 24. cut yourself some slack., 25. create a plan for your book launch and marketing., 26. write the book you wish existed before you knew what you know now., 27. do your research., 28. keep it simple. keep it clear., 29. start with something short., 30. eliminate filler words and redundancies to tighten your writing., 31. call yourself a writer, tips for writing a book for beginners.

Every writer starts somewhere. Book writing tips for beginners should take nothing for granted, other than your love of words and your interest in writing a book.

It’s important that you develop the habit of writing every single day. It can help to subscribe to an email list that provides daily writing tips not only to remind you of your daily writing commitment but to help you improve your writing along the way.

Time and space are critical elements in forming a daily writing habit. If you develop the habit of writing in a specific spot at a specific, scheduled time, you associate that spot and that time of day with writing — and vice versa.

Make a point of scheduling a time to write each day, and keep it sacred. If you’re going to write a book, daily writing deserves a place on your schedule.

You’ll need a reliable computer with a word processing program, at least to create your final draft. The publishing world uses Microsoft Word, so stick with this or a program that allows you to export your work as a Word document.

Other tools might include the following:

• Pens and a notebook
• Sticky notes
• Index cards
• Paper clips
• Highlighter pen/s
• A planner or planning pages (unless you do your planning on your computer)

There’s more than one way to do this:

• Sketch out a mind map on a large piece of paper.
• Write notes about each scene or idea on a sticky note and arrange them on a planning wall or whiteboard.
• Fill out an index card for every idea you want to include in your book and rearrange them in an order that makes sense.

However you map out your book, it helps to not only see your project as a whole made up of smaller pieces but also to see how all the scenes and ideas relate to each other and join to form a cohesive whole.

One of these most useful writing tips and tricks is learning how to chunk down your writing into shorter time segments.

A timer — like this Pomodoro app — is helpful with this. If you write for smaller chunks of time (25 minutes each) and take small breaks (5 minutes) between them, you’ll return to each writing session better-prepared to focus your creative energy on writing for the next 25 minutes.

If you try to write for an hour at a time every time, not only are your eyes likely to dry out and tire more quickly, you’re also more likely to get distracted by one thing or another, even if it’s just your own thoughts getting in the way.

Do yourself and your writing project a favor and commit to at least a short break between writing sprints to rest your eyes, stretch your legs, drink a glass of water, etc.

It helps to start by summarizing your book. Just write to yourself about what your book is about, who would benefit from reading it (if it’s nonfiction), what problem would it solve, etc.

To make your book project less overwhelming and to help you keep moving from one step to the next, break the whole thing down into smaller, more manageable pieces.

And focus on one piece at a time.

It helps to have a reservoir of inspiring ideas, and apps like Evernote make it easy to store those ideas when they strike or when you take a few minutes out of your day to brainstorm a list .

Evernote also gives you a place to flesh out and organize your ideas — whether for a book, a blog post, a work of fiction, or something else.

If you stop at the end of one chapter, take a moment to plan what you’ll start with for the following chapter. Type a few bullet point ideas to help you get the words flowing when you sit down to write the next day.

Lay the groundwork, so you’ll know exactly where you left off and are excited about what you’ll write next.

Find someone whose judgment you trust — not only as a person but as a writer and someone who knows about the book market — to appraise your book idea and what you’ve written for it so far.

Consult more than one such person, if you can. Invite them out for coffee (or lunch) and a quick read. Consider it an investment in your book’s success.

Deadlines are important. Not only do they motivate you to keep moving toward your goal, but they also give you a target to celebrate once you reach it.

You need both short-term and long-term targets when writing a book. Short-term targets are the ones you set for each day or for each smaller piece of your project.

Long-term targets have more to do with the bigger picture — in regard to your book and to other meaningful goals.

Novel Writing Tips

Fiction writing tips apply to novels, novellas, and short stories. Generally, the longer your story, the more complex it tends to be and the more important it is to get all your story elements sorted.

Apply the following novel tips, then, to give yourself the best chance of finishing your story and making it a bestseller.

Create at least a rough outline of your story. It doesn’t have to look like the outlines you had to create in school. Simple bulleted lists work fine.

• Write about scenes you want in your story.
• Write what the story is about, who the main character is, and what he/she wants and stands to lose.
• Write about each pivotal character’s arc and what events in the story contribute to each one’s development.
• Write about how your story will end — and whether your main character will get what he or she wants.
• Write about possible opening scenes for your story.

Voice journaling is a great way to beat writer’s block by helping you see more clearly what your character wants and why — and what direction the story should take.

Write from any character’s perspective – the protagonist, the antagonist, or a minor character with at least a casual interest in what happens.

If your readers enjoy this first book, they’ll want to read the next one, too (if there is one) — which will help you sell more copies the next time around.

On the other hand, if your main character dies at the end, you’re probably not planning on a Book Two. And that’s okay.

If you are writing a series, though, you’ll want your cover to include a reference to the series title — which brings us to the next tip.

Having a beautiful cover for your book might just be the best motivation to write it. In any case, it’s visible proof of your commitment to finishing your book.

With fiction, it’s particularly important to have a stunning book cover , and some genres (like fantasy) require more artistry than others. If your book’s cover looks like a DIY project, most of your ideal readers will cringe and move on.

Rather than procrastinating during your scheduled writing times, why not just add some procrastination to your weekly book writing schedule?

While you’re taking a break from your novel, your mind is still working on it. And when you return to the book after your scheduled procrastination, you can

incorporate the content your mind has generated during the break.

There’s a time to let the words flow and a time to edit them. Finish your story before you edit it, and you’ll be better able to do both.

Books like this one can help you do a thorough and balanced self-edit when the time comes.

Stiff competition isn’t the only reason you’ll want to hook your reader right from the beginning of your story. A great opening makes your book instantly memorable and sets it apart from the legions of books with weak beginnings.

A great cover can only do so much to earn your book an honored place on someone’s shelf. Hook them quickly with your words, and then hold on tight.

This is how you hold onto your reader’s attention. Keep them guessing. Keep them on the edge of their seats — wondering, fearing, anticipating. Give them a reason to keep reading.

You don’t do this by describing in minute detail a group of best friends enjoying their wine and chips on the beach while everyone gets along splendidly and all the couples are blissfully in love and never argue.

It’s when the stakes are high that your reader is compelled to wonder “What will happen next?”

Just as your readers won’t stick around for long stretches of self-indulgent introspection (in agonizing detail), you probably wouldn’t either.

And as picturesque as a beach can be, does anyone really want to read five pages about a piece of driftwood and its origin story?

Probably not.

Sometimes we writers get stuck trying to make our writing more “literary” and profound.

Do what the reader does: focus on the story.

It’s a good idea to find willing beta readers (who love your book idea) before you’ve even finished your book.

Please do not cheat yourself of the opportunity to receive helpful feedback from these gems of the writing universe. Some of these will be writers, too, so you can return the favor when they need beta readers for their books.

Once you have an idea of how many words a day you can realistically commit to writing and roughly how many words your book will have, you’ll have a better idea of how long it will take you to finish the first draft if you’re working consistently toward that goal.

So, set a date and allow yourself to imagine how excited you’ll feel when you’ve reached it.

Your book is never going to be perfect. No author’s book is. Don’t let unrealistic expectations stop you from publishing or submitting your work.

Join the ranks of the imperfect but published authors. Own your less-than-perfectness and get those words out of you and onto the page. Only then can you make them better.

It’s not too early to think about your book launch and about how you’ll market your book afterward.

What will you do during the launch to get the word out about your book’s promotion? What will you do after launch — every week — to get the eyes of your ideal readers on your book?

Knowing this now can help you lay the foundation for a successful launch and an effective marketing plan.

Tips for Writing a Nonfiction Book

A nonfiction book is different from anything in the fiction universe. But if you’re comfortable writing blog posts, journalistic pieces, or other works of nonfiction, this is in the same neighborhood. It might just take a bit longer to finish.

Read on for the best tips for writing a nonfiction book.

Your big idea should be something that excites you. Write the kind of book you were looking for before you learned what you needed to know along the way. Or write about something that meets a real and significant need in your ideal reader.

Write a book that will make someone’s life better than it is now.

You want your book to add value, and you don’t do that by making assumptions based on what you think you know and treating them as facts. Nothing destroys your credibility more quickly than factual errors in your book.

You add value by asking questions, finding the best answers to those questions, and sharing those answers with others who are likely to care.

Your readers’ experience should be as enjoyable as possible. You don’t want any of them struggling to understand what you’re trying to say.

To that end, do your best to avoid the following:

• Long, rambling sentences
• Overly long paragraphs
• Stream-of-consciousness writing (with a thousand tangents and no filter)
• Unnecessary jargon
• Unnecessarily ornate language
• Analogies that don’t work

Get experience writing a complete book — finishing, editing, and publishing it — so you can learn from it and make your next book even better.

Amazon’s Kindle Short Reads could be just the place for your new book; Amazon sorts these by their estimated reading time, with the longest not exceeding 100 pages (about two hours of reading time).

If you write short stories, consider submitting one to the Kindle Singles program, which pays 70% royalties for any story accepted by their team of editors.

Once you know what filler words to look out for, you can avoid them even while writing your first draft. Don’t beat yourself up, though, if some slip through the cracks. They’re sneaky.

• Unnecessary adverbs (very, really, mostly, actually, usually, hopefully, etc.)
• And then…

It’s important to note, here, that not all of these filler words deserve the ax. If your editor agrees that a sentence sounds fine the way it is, go with it.

Writers write. Professional writers write every day.

If you’re writing a book, you’re not an “aspiring writer.” You are a writer. There is no “aspiring.” You are doing it. And by doing it, you are also being it.

So, if anyone asks what you do — for a living, for fun, for the good of humanity, whatever — tell them that, among other things, you are a writer.

Because if you’re showing up and doing the work, that’s what you are. Own it.

More Related Articles:

25 Of The Best Books On Writing

35 Of The Best Short Story Ideas To Grab Your Readers

How to Become a Better Writer

Share the book writing love.

Did you enjoy these tips on writing a book and find them helpful? Would you like to help fellow writers begin and finish their own book writing projects?

Where will you be a year from now? How many books do you want to see on Amazon with your name on them? And what tips do you think will play the biggest role in getting you there?

If you’ve found them here, this article has fulfilled its purpose. We hope you enjoyed it enough to share it.

And may your creativity and thoughtfulness influence everything else you do today.

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Tips for Reading an Assignment Prompt

Asking analytical questions, introductions, what do introductions across the disciplines have in common, anatomy of a body paragraph, transitions, tips for organizing your essay, counterargument, conclusions.

100 Writing Practice Lessons & Exercises

by Joe Bunting | 50 comments

Want to become a better writer? How much time do you spend on your writing practice? Perhaps you want to write novels, or maybe you just want to get better grades in your essay writing assignments , or maybe you'd like to start a popular blog .

If you want to write better, you need practice. But what does a writing practice actually look like? In this post, I'm going to give you everything you need to kick off your writing practice and become a better writer faster.

What Is Writing Practice?

Writing practice is a method of becoming a better writer that usually involves reading lessons about the writing process, using writing prompts, doing creative writing exercises , or finishing writing pieces, like essays, short stories , novels , or books . The best writing practice is deliberate, timed, and involves feedback.

How Do You Practice Writing?

This was the question I had when I first started The Write Practice in 2011. I knew how to practice a sport and how to practice playing an instrument. But for some reason, even after studying it in college, I wasn't sure how to practice writing.

I set out to create the best writing practice I could. The Write Practice is the result.

I found that the best writing practice has three aspects:

Deliberate . Writing whatever you feel like may be cathartic, but it's not an effective way to become a better writer or build your writing skills. You'll get better faster by practicing a specific technique or aspect of the writing process each time you sit down to write.

This is why we have a new lesson about the writing process each day on The Write Practice, followed by a practice prompt at the end so you can put what you learned to use immediately.

Timed . It's no secret writers struggle with focus. There are just too many interesting distractions—Facebook, email, Kim Kardashian's Instagram feed (just kidding about that last one, sort of)—and writing is just too hard sometimes.

Setting a timer, even for just fifteen minutes, is an easy and effective way to stay focused on what's important.

This is why in our writing practice prompt at the end of each post we have a time limit, usually with a link to an online tool egg timer , so you can focus on deliberate practice without getting distracted.

Feedback . Getting feedback is one of the requirements to deliberately practice writing or any other craft. Feedback can look like listening to the reactions of your readers or asking for constructive criticism from editors and other writers.

This is why we ask you to post your writing practice after each lesson, so that you can get feedback from other writers in The Write Practice community. It's also why we set up The Write Practice Pro community , to provide critique groups for writers to get feedback on each finished piece of writing.

Our 100+ Best Creative Writing Practice Exercises and Lessons

Now that you know how we practice writing at The Write Practice, here are our best writing practice lessons to jumpstart your writing skills with some daily writing exercises, for beginner writers to even the most expert writers:

All-Time, Top 10 Writing Lessons and Exercises

These ten posts are our most viewed articles to boost your writing practice:

1. What is Plot? The 6 Elements of Plot and How to Use Them . Great stories use similar elements in wildly different ways to build page-turning stories. Click here to read what they are and learn how to start using them !

2. Top 100 Short Story Ideas . Here are over a hundred writing prompts in a variety of genres. If you need ideas for your next story, check this out!

3. How To Use Neither, Nor, Or, and Nor Correctly . Even good writers struggle figuring out when to use neither/nor and either/or. In this post, our copy-queen Liz Bureman settles the confusion once and for all. Click to continue to the writing exercise

4. Ten Secrets To Write Better Stories . How does Pixar manage to create such great stories, year after year? And how do you write a good story? In this post, I distill everything I've learned about how to write a good story into ten tips. Click to continue to the writing exercise

5. 35 Questions To Ask Your Characters From Marcel Proust . To get to know my characters better, I use a list of questions known as the Proust Questionnaire, made famous by French author, Marcel Proust. Click to continue to the writing exercise

6. How a Scene List Can Change Your Novel-Writing Life . Creating a scene list changed my novel-writing life, and doing the same will change yours too. Includes examples of the scene lists from famous authors. Click to continue to the writing exercise

7. Why You Need to be Using the Oxford Comma . Most people I've met have no idea what the Oxford comma is, but it's probably something that you have used frequently in your writing. Click to continue to the writing exercise

8. Six Surprising Ways to Write Better Interview Questions.  The interview is the most-used tool in a journalist's bag. But that doesn't mean novelists, bloggers, and even students can't and don't interview people. Here's how to conduct a great interview. Click to continue to the writing exercise

9. Why You Should Try Writing in Second Person . You've probably used first person and third person point-of-view already. But what about second person? This post explains three reasons why you should try writing from this point-of-view. Click to continue to the writing exercise

10. The Secret to Show, Don't Tell . You've heard the classic writing rule, “Show. Don't Tell.” Every writing blog ever has talked about it, and for good reason. Showing, for some reason, is really difficult. Click to continue to the writing exercise.

12 Exercises and Lessons To Become a Better Writer

How do you become a better writer? These posts share our best advice:

• Want to Be a Better Writer? Cut These 7 Words
• What I Mean When I Say I Am A Writer
• How to Become a Writer: 3 Simple Steps
• 72% of Writers Struggle With THIS
• 7 Lies About Becoming a Writer That You Probably Believe
• 10 Questions to Find Your Unique Writing Voice
• The Best Writing Book I’ve Ever Read
• The Best Way to Become a Better Writer
• The Creative Writer’s Toolkit: 6 Tools You Can’t Write Without
• Should You Write More or Write Better: Quantity vs Quality
• How to Become a Better Writer in One, Simple Step
• 11 Writing Tips That Will Change Your Life

6 Lessons and Exercises from Great Writers

If you want to be a writer, learn from the great writers who have gone before you:

• 23 Essential Quotes from Ernest Hemingway About Writing
• 29 Quotes that Explain How to Become a Better Writer
• 10 Lessons Dr. Seuss Can Teach Writers
• 10 Writing Tips from Ursula Le Guin
• Once Upon a Time: Pixar Prompt
• All the Pretty Words: Writing In the Style of Cormac McCarthy

12 Genre and Format Specific Writing Lessons and Exercises

Here are our best writing lessons for specific types of writing, including essays, screenplays, memoir, short stories, children's books, and humor writing:

• Writing an Essay? Here Are 10 Effective Tips
• How To Write a Screenplay: The 5 Step Process
• How to Write a Great Memoir: a Complete Guide
• How to Write a Short Story from Start to Finish
• How to Write a Thriller Novel
• How to Write a Children's Book
• How to Write a Love Story
• How to Write a Coming of Age Story or Book
• How to Write an Adventure Book
• 5 Key Elements for Successful Short Stories
• 4 Tips to Write a Novel That Will Be Adapted Into a Movie
• Humor Writing for People Who Aren’t Funny

14 Characterization Lessons and Exercises

Good characters are the foundation of good fiction. Here are our best lessons to create better characters:

• Character Development: How to Create Characters Audiences Will Love
• Writing Villains: 9 Evil Examples of the Villain Archetype
• How NOT to Introduce a New Character
• The Strongest Form of Characterization
• The Most Important Character Archetype
• How Do You Build A Strong Character In Your Writing?
• 75+ Antihero Examples and How to Use Them
• How to Explore Your Characters’ Motivations
• 8 Tips for Naming Characters
• The Protagonist: How to Center Your Story
• Heroes vs. Anti-Heroes: Which Is Right For Your Story?
• The Weakest Form of Characterization
• How to Write With an Accent
• How To Create a Character Sketch Using Scrivener

15 Grammar Lessons and Exercises

I talk to so many writers, some of whom are published authors, who struggle with grammar. Here are our best writing lessons on grammar:

• Is It Okay To End A Sentence With A Preposition?
• Contractions List: When To Use and When To Avoid
• Good vs. Well
• Connotation vs. Denotation
• Per Se vs. Per Say
• When You SHOULD Use Passive Voice
• When Do You Use “Quotation Marks”
• Polysyndeton and Asyndeton: Definition and Examples
• The Case Against Twilight
• Affect Versus Effect
• Stop Saying “Literally”
• What Is a Comma Splice? And Why Do Editors Hate Them?
• Intra vs. Inter: Why No One Plays Intermural Sports
• Alright and Alot: Words That Are Not Words
• The Poor, Misunderstood Semicolon

5 Journalism Lessons and Exercises

Want to be a journalist? Or even use techniques from journalism to improve your novel, essay, or screenplay? Here are our best writing lessons on journalism:

• Six Ways to Ask Better Questions In Interviews
• How to Conduct an Author Interview
• Interview In Person or Via Email?  
• What If They Don’t Want to Talk to You?
• Eleven Habits of a Highly Effective Interviewers

16 Plot and Structure Lessons and Exercises

Want to write a good story? Our top plot and structure lessons will help:

• The Nine Types of Story and How to Master Them
• Points of a Story: 6 Plot Points Every Story Needs
• How to Shape a Story: The 6 Arcs
• 7 Keys To Write the Perfect First Line of a Novel
• The Secret to Creating Conflict
• 4 Tips to Avoid Having Your Short Story Rejected by a Literary Magazine
• 7 Steps to Creating Suspense
• 5 Elements of Storytelling
• 3 Important Rules for Writing Endings
• A Writer’s Cheatsheet to Plot and Structure
• Overcoming the Monster
• How to Satisfy Your Reader With a Great Ending
• Pow! Boom! Ka-Pow! 5 Tips to Write Fight Scenes
• The Dramatic Question and Suspense in Fiction
• How to Write a Memorable Beginning and Ending
• How to Write the Perfect First Page

6 Lessons and Exercises to Beat Writer's Block

Writer's block is real, and it can completely derail your writing. Here are six lessons to get writing again:

• How To Write Whether You Feel Like it Or Not
• This Fun Creative Writing Exercise Will Change Your Life
• When You Should Be Writing But Can't…
• What to do When Your Word Count is Too Low
• 7 Tricks to Write More with Less Willpower
• When You Don’t Know What to Write, Write About Your Insecurities

7 Literary Technique Lessons and Exercises

These writing and storytelling techniques will teach you a few tricks of the trade you may not have discovered before:

• 3 Tips to “Show, Don’t Tell” Emotions and Moods
• 3 Reasons to Write Stream of Consciousness Narrative
• 16 Observations About Real Dialogue
• Intertextuality As A Literary Device
• Why You Should Use Symbolism In Your Writing
• 6 Ways to Evoke Emotion in Poetry and Prose
• 3 Tips To Write Modern Allegorical Novels
• Symbol vs. Motif: What’s the Difference

3 Inspirational Writing Lessons and Exercises

Need some inspiration? Here are three of our most inspiring posts:

• Why We Write: Four Reasons
• You Must Remember Every Scar
• 17 Reasons to Write Something NOW

3 Publishing Blogging Lessons and Exercises

If you want to get published, these three lessons will help:

• The Secret to Writing On Your Blog Every Day
• How to Publish Your Book and Sell Your First 1,000 Copies
• How to Submit a Short Story for Publication

11 Writing Prompts

Need inspiration or just a kick in the pants to write. Try one of our top writing prompts :

• Grandfathers [writing prompt]
• Out of Place [writing prompt]
• Sleepless [writing prompt]
• Longing [writing prompt]
• Write About Yourself [writing prompt]
• 3 Reasons You Should Write Ghost Stories
• Road Trip [writing prompt]
• Morning [writing prompt]
• The Beach [writing prompt]
• Fall Writing Prompts
• How to Use Six-Word Stories As Writing Prompts

Is It Time To Begin Your Writing Practice?

It's clear that if you want to become a writer, you need to practice writing. We've created a proven process to practice your writing at The Write Practice, but even if you don't join our community, I hope you'll start practicing in some way today.

Personally, I waited  far  too long to start practicing and it set my writing back years.

How about you? Do you think practicing writing is important?  Let me know in the comments section .

Choose one of the writing practice posts above. Then, read the lesson and participate in the writing exercise, posting your work in the Pro Practice Workshop . And if you post, please give feedback to your fellow writers who also posted their practices.

Have fun and happy practicing!

Joe Bunting

Joe Bunting is an author and the leader of The Write Practice community. He is also the author of the new book Crowdsourcing Paris , a real life adventure story set in France. It was a #1 New Release on Amazon. Follow him on Instagram (@jhbunting).

Want best-seller coaching? Book Joe here.

Work with Joe Bunting?

WSJ Bestselling author, founder of The Write Practice, and book coach with 14+ years experience. Joe Bunting specializes in working with Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Historical Fiction, How To, Literary Fiction, Memoir, Mystery, Nonfiction, Science Fiction, and Self Help books. Sound like a good fit for you?

50 Comments

You have THE BEST content for writing on this blog!!

Thank you, Kristen. This made my morning. 🙂

Thanks Mitch. 🙂

I can’t remember when I started following this website. I have to look in my notebooks because that’s where I did these practices. I didn’t have access to a computer when I did them, so I wrote them out, setting the time limit. But even when I do get to a computer, I have my reservations about putting my practices on the page. even though it’s practice, I want them to be the best, almost perfect. But I know it won’t be. I’ve gotten feedback before that says so. It still gets to me that I didn’t put something together that not everyone liked. I need to get over it. After all, that is what these practices are about: to learn and improve on our craft.

I don’t know either, George, but it’s been several years. Perfectionism is something so many of us face, and it’s made worse when you don’t have a critique community as warm and encouraging as ours is. I hope you and everyone here are always willing to try something new, even if it comes out a little messed up, because you know we’ll support you and try to make you better.

What a great share! Thanks so much!

You’re so welcome, Elizabeth. Thank you for commenting.

when I ran writing classes I wrote. when I am “a member of writing classes” the teacher/leader/facilitator is NOT MY AUDIENCE and so I don’t write as well/as much. I don’t get the feedback I need from fellow students because most of them have never run their own writing projects/workshops. So many people expect you to write their story for them. I’ve actually got quite a few stories of me own. I have finally decided I like owning them. 😉

It sounds like you need a new critique group, Patience! Hope you can find a place where you get the feedback you need.

Wow! Terrific round-up of resources. 🙂

Thanks Stephanie. 🙂

Practice is necessary, period. It doesn’t matter what you want to learn. If you want to improve, practice is vital.

It’s odd. I’ve known and applied that principle for years on a variety of things. Painting. Drawing. Blogging. Gardening. Laundry.

But never writing.

Like you, I had the notion that just writing every day was all it took to improve. Why not the same level of dedication to writing?

Perhaps it’s time to change that!

I can relate, Carrie. It’s easy to confuse the craft of writing with journaling, thinking that you can just write whatever you feel like and you’ll get better, write something worth reading. The truth is that writing interesting things to read is a skill, but the good news is that you can get better at it with practice. Thanks for practicing with us! 🙂

I love these suggestions , and have set Writing Practice as my homepage so the first 15 minutes of my day is spent writing, whether its a practice or exercise here or another that is sprinkled through out this site, Thank you for all you do everyone here at The Write Practice

This is great Debra. I want to write the first 15 minutes of my day too!

I agree with Joe, Do it. Could be your to do list… ( that could lead to something else story wse later)

I love that, Debra. Such a good way to start your day.

Thanks Joe!

The best! Thank you so much for this.

You’re very welcome!

I simply LOVE all the tips and suggestions given on this blog. They are super helpful!

THANK you. We love sharing them with you. 🙂

Hi! You forgot the link to How to Write a Story a Week: A Day-by-Day Guide.

Thanks a lot for your work! This post is amazing.

It’s a great post Thiago. Definitely one of our most shared. Thanks for mentioning it! BTW here’s the link:

https://thewritepractice.com/a-story-a-week/

Wow!! There are so many exercises…. I just love it..! I am gonna really enjoy it..!

Awesome! Thank you for reading and practicing with us. 🙂

I only read halfway , My tootie is jumping all over me, and typing this is a struggle when a 3yr old wants his Toy Story movie on Youtube in this computer. Thank you for this article, will come back later to finish reading.

I know the feeling! Good luck!

Can’t wait to get stuck in with this! 🙂

Very helpful! Thank you!

I’ve just bookmarked this page. Thanks for this wonderful list.

This is awesome! So many helpful tips. I will be coming back to this often. Thanks for posting this!

Wow, so many goodies! Thank you for always providing such amazing content!!

I have enjoyed all these articles. Thank you for the help an inspiration to get my writing on its way. My creativity is boosting with confidence. Tootle loo.

Amazing contents for beginners like me Joe. I am highly inspired by your commitment. Thank you.

Hey, thanks!

Although I have only read half of thisc article, the practice exercises are excellent. Some of them are exactly what a beginning writer like myself needs. I am committing to at least try ALL of them. Thanks Joe!!

very helpful! thank you..

Amazing articles! Thanks so much for sharing!

My god this article made me love this site . You know it’s kinda hard for a beginner writer, who don’t know where to start and fixing goals, even samll ones give us a direction . A place to go , an aim for our creativity so thanks you , this community and this site. Love you all . At your pens ! 😉

Wow. This is great. I find all your posts informative, but this one is the best for me to use as a guide to get my self starting to write….Thank you.

I’m an old lady who wants to publish one more book before I die — have published several, all non-fiction, and done two under contract to a major publisher (reference books). So help me, the BIGGEST problem I have all along, is keeping track of the damned paper work and research that goes into a book!!! Yet I never ever see articles on something as simple as “How to file” — Oh I know, there’s wonderful software these days so probably I will never find a way to get paper organized — everybody will use software and do it on the computer. I’m too old for that — just one look at the learning curve for software, even putting the damned stuff into computer files is even MORE frustrating than paper!! Oh well, somehow I managed in the past to get books published, I may be able to do it one more time.

you enjoy writing more than anything else and you do indeed care to help others write. I love writing but translation from Arabic into English and English into Arabic is taking all of my time from the early hours of the morning till the evening. I will soon get all of your books in order to read them as soon as possible. One thing I am sure of. You know what you are doing very well. Hamzah

Excellent! Many useful tips. Many thanks!

Liz and Joe, I have only looked at a few exercises. Already, I am convinced that your site is one of the best sites out there. Thank your for sharing your wisdom.

Wow, these are the best lessons and exercises for writing. Actually i’m participating in a compitition this wendsday. so, i’m quite nervous and exited. this helped me a lot

Magnificent post ever I have read. This article will help me a lot to write a right way. Thank you.

i need your help to improve to become a better writer please. i think i usually commit moist of these errors and i don;t pay attention to many advices too.

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Last updated on May 31, 2022

The 40 Best Books About Writing: A Reading List for Authors

About the author.

Reedsy's editorial team is a diverse group of industry experts devoted to helping authors write and publish beautiful books.

About Dario Villirilli

Editor-in-Chief of the Reedsy blog, Dario is a graduate of Mälardalen University. As a freelance writer, he has written for many esteemed outlets aimed at writers. A traveler at heart, he can be found roaming the world and working from his laptop.

For this post, we’ve scoured the web (so you don’t have to) and asked our community of writers for recommendations on some indispensable books about writing. We've filled this list with dozens of amazing titles, all of which are great — but this list might seem intimidating. So for starters, here are our top 10 books about writing:

• On Writing by Stephen King
• The Kick-Ass Writer by Chuck Wendig
• Dreyer’s Englis h by Benjamin Dreyer
• The Elements of Style by Strunk, White, and Kalman
• The Story Grid by Shawn Coyne
• A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders
• Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott
• Mouth Full of Blood by Toni Morrison
• How to Market a Book by Ricardo Fayet
• On Writing Well by William Zinsser

But if you're ready to get into the weeds, here are 40 of our favorite writing books.

Books about becoming a writer

1. on writing by stephen king.

Perhaps the most-cited book on this list, On Writing  is part-memoir, part-masterclass from one of America’s leading authors. Come for the vivid accounts of his childhood and youth — including his extended "lost weekend" spent on alcohol and drugs in the 1980s. Stay for the actionable advice on how to use your emotions and experiences to kickstart your writing, hone your skills, and become an author. Among the many craft-based tips are King’s expert takes on plot, story, character, and more.

From the book: “Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.” 

2. The Kick-Ass Writer by Chuck Wendig

If you haven’t checked out Wendig’s personal blog, head over there now and bookmark it. Unfiltered, profane, and almost always right, Wendig has become a leading voice among online writing communities in the past few years. In The Kick-Ass Writer , he offers over 1,000 pearls of wisdom for authors, ranging from express writing tips to guidance on getting published. Written to be read in short bursts, we’re sure he’d agree that this is the perfect bathroom book for writers.

From the book: “I have been writing professionally for a lucky-despite-the-number 13 years. Not once — seriously, not once ever — has anyone ever asked me where I got my writing degree… Nobody gives two ferrets fornicating in a filth-caked gym sock whether or not you have a degree… The only thing that matters is, Can you write well? ” 

3. Find Your Voice by Angie Thomas

Taking advice from famous authors is not about imitation, but about finding your own voice . Take it from someone who knows: Thomas is the New York Times #1 Bestselling author of The Hate U Give , On the Come Up , and Concrete Rose . While she’s found her calling in YA literature, she has plenty of insight into finding your own voice in your genre of choice. Written in the form of a guided journal, this volume comes with step-by-step instructions, writing prompts, and exercises especially aimed at helping younger creatives develop the strength and skills to realize their vision.

From the book: “Write fearlessly. Write what is true and real to you.” 

4. The Forest for the Trees by Betsy Lerner

Since its publication in 2000, The Forest for the Trees  has remained an essential resource for authors at various stages in their careers. As an editor, Lerner gives advice not only on producing quality content, but also on how to build your career as an author and develop a winning routine — like how writers can be more productive in their creative process, how to get published, and how to publish well .

From the book: “The world doesn't fully make sense until the writer has secured his version of it on the page. And the act of writing is strangely more lifelike than life.”

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5. How to Write Like Tolstoy by Richard Cohen

From the book: “Great writers can be inhibiting, and maybe after one has read a Scott Fitzgerald or Henry James one can’t escape imitat­ing them; but more often such writers are inspiring.”

6. Feel Free: Essays by Zadie Smith

Smith is well-known for her fiction, but she is also a prolific essay writer. In Feel Free , she has gathered several essays on recent cultural and political developments and combined them with experiences from her own life and career. In “The I Who Is Not Me”, she explores how her own lived experience comes into play in her fiction writing, and how she manages to extrapolate that to comment on contemporary social contexts, discussing race, class, and ethnicity.

From the book: “Writing exists (for me) at the intersection of three precarious, uncertain elements: language, the world, the self. The first is never wholly mine; the second I can only ever know in a partial sense; the third is a malleable and improvised response to the previous two.”

Books about language and style 

7. dreyer’s english by benjamin dreyer.

A staple book about writing well, Dreyer’s English serves as a one-stop guide to proper English, based on the knowledge that Dreyer — a senior copy editor at Random House — has accumulated throughout his career. From punctuation to tricky homophones, passive voice, and commas, the goal of these tools should be to facilitate effective communication of ideas and thoughts. Dreyer delivers this and then some, but not without its due dosage of humor and informative examples. 

From the book: “A good sentence, I find myself saying frequently, is one that the reader can follow from beginning to end, no matter how long it is, without having to double back in confusion because the writer misused or omitted a key piece of punctuation, chose a vague or misleading pronoun, or in some other way engaged in inadvertent misdirection.”

8. The Elements of Style (Illustrated) by William Strunk, Jr., E. B. White, and Maira Kalman

A perfect resource for visual learners, this illustrated edition of The Elements of Style has taken the classic style manual to a new, more accessible level but kept its main tenet intact: make every word tell. The written content by Strunk and White has long been referred to as an outline of the basic principles of style. Maira Kalman’s illustrations elevate the experience and make it a feast for both the mind and the eye. 

From the book: “A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts.”

9. Sin and Syntax by Constance Hale

If you’re looking to bring a bit of spunk into your writing, copy editor Constance Hale may hold the key . Whether you’re writing a work-related email or the next rap anthem, she has one goal: to make creative communication available to everyone by dispelling old writing myths and making every word count. Peppered with writing prompts and challenges, this book will have you itching to put pen to paper.

From the book: “Verbose is not a synonym for literary.”

10. The Sense of Style by Steven Pinker

Combining entertainment with intellectual pursuit, Pinker, a cognitive scientist and dictionary consultant, explores and rethinks language usage in the 21st century . With illustrative examples of both great and not-so-great linguistic constructions, Pinker breaks down the art of writing and gives a gentle but firm nudge in the right direction, towards coherent yet stylish prose. This is not a polemic on the decay of the English language, nor a recitation of pet peeves, but a thoughtful, challenging, and practical take on the science of communication. 

From the book: “Why is so much writing so bad, and how can we make it better? Is the English language being corrupted by texting and social media? Do the kids today even care about good writing—and why should we care?”

11. Eats, Shoots, & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss

From the book: “A panda walks into a cafe. He orders a sandwich, eats it, then draws a gun and fires two shots in the air. "Why?" asks the confused waiter, as the panda makes towards the exit. The panda produces a badly punctuated wildlife annual and tosses it over his shoulder. "I'm a panda," he says, at the door. "Look it up." The waiter turns to the relevant entry and, sure enough, finds an explanation. Panda. Large black-and-white bear-like mammal, native to China. Eats, shoots and leaves.”

Books about story structure

12. save the cat by blake snyder.

Best known as a screenwriting manual, Save the Cat! is just as often named by authors as one of their most influential books about writing. The title comes from the tried-and-true trope of the protagonist doing something heroic in the first act (such as saving a cat) in order to win over the audience. Yes, it might sound trite to some — but others swear by its bulletproof beat sheet. More recently, there has been Save the Cat! Writes a Novel , which tailors its principles specifically to the literary crowd. (For a concise breakdown of the beat sheet, check this post out!)

From the book: “Because liking the person we go on a journey with is the single most important element in drawing us into the story.” 

13. The Story Grid by Shawn Coyne

Shawn Coyne is a veteran editor with over 25 years of publishing experience, and he knows exactly what works and what doesn’t in a story — indeed, he’s pretty much got it down to a science. The Story Grid: What Good Editors Know  outlines Coyne’s original “Story Grid” evaluation technique, which both writers and editors can use to appraise, revise, and ultimately improve their writing (in order to get it ready for publication). Coyne and his friend Tim Grahl also co-host the acclaimed Story Grid podcast , another great resource for aspiring writers.

From the book: “The Story Grid is a tool with many applications. It pinpoints problems but does not emotionally abuse the writer… it is a tool to re-envision and resuscitate a seemingly irredeemable pile of paper stuck in an attack drawer, and it can inspire an original creation.”

14. Story Structure Architect by Victoria Schmidt

For those who find the idea of improvising utterly terrifying and prefer the security of structures, this book breaks down just about every kind of story structure you’ve ever heard of . Victoria Schmidt offers no less than fifty-five different creative paths for your story to follow — some of which are more unconventional, or outright outlandish than others. The level of detail here is pretty staggering: Schmidt goes into the various conflicts, subplots, and resolutions these different story structures entail — with plenty of concrete examples! Suffice to say that no matter what kind of story you’re writing, you’ll find a blueprint for it in Story Structure Architect .

From the book: “When you grow up in a Westernized culture, the traditional plot structure becomes so embedded in your subconscious that you may have to work hard to create a plot structure that deviates from it… Understand this and keep your mind open when reading [this book]. Just because a piece doesn’t conform to the model you are used to, does not make it bad or wrong.”

15. The Writer's Journey  by Christopher Vogler

Moving on, we hone in on the mythic structure. Vogler’s book, originally published in 1992, is now a modern classic of writing advice; though intended as a screenwriting textbook, its contents apply to any story of mythic proportions. In The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers , Vogler takes a page (literally) from Joseph Campbell’s Hero of a Thousand Faces to ruminate upon the most essential narrative structures and character archetypes of the writing craft. So if you’re thinking of drawing up an epic fantasy series full of those tropes we all know and love , this guide should be right up your alley.

From the book: “The Hero’s Journey is not an invention, but an observation. It is a recognition of a beautiful design… It’s difficult to avoid the sensation that the Hero’s Journey exists somewhere, somehow, as an external reality, a Platonic ideal form, a divine model. From this model, infinite and highly varied copies can be produced, each resonating with the essential spirit of the form.”

16. Story Genius by Lisa Cron

From the book: “We don't turn to story to escape reality. We turn to story to navigate reality.”

17. A Swim in a Pond in the Rain by George Saunders

More than just a New York Times bestseller and the winner of the Booker Prize, A Swim in a Pond in the Rain is a distillation of the MFA class on Russian short stories that Saunders has been teaching. Breaking down narrative functions and why we become immersed in a story, this is a must-read for anyone wanting to understand and nurture our continued need for fiction.

From the book: “We’re going to enter seven fastidiously constructed scale models of the world, made for a specific purpose that our time maybe doesn’t fully endorse but that these writers accepted implicitly as the aim of art—namely, to ask the big questions, questions like, How are we supposed to be living down here? What were we put here to accomplish? What should we value? What is truth, anyway, and how might we recognize it?”

Books about overcoming obstacles as a writer

18. bird by bird by anne lamott .

Like Stephen King’s book about writing craft, this work from acclaimed novelist and nonfiction writer Anne Lamott also fuses elements of a memoir with invaluable advice on the writer’s journey. Particularly known for popularizing the concept of “shitty first drafts”, Bird by Bird was recently recommended by editor Jennifer Hartmann in her Reedsy Live webinar for its outlook take on book writing. She said, “This book does exactly what it says it will do: it teaches you to become a better writer. [Lamott] is funny and witty and very knowledgeable.”

From the book: “Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft.”

19. Take Off Your Pants by Libbie Hawker 

From the book: “When it comes to the eternal quandary of pantsing or plotting, you can keep a foot in each camp. But if your goals will require you to write with speed and confidence, an effective outline will be your best friend.”

20. Writing into the Dark by Dean Wesley Smith 

And for those who eschew structure altogether, we’ll now refer you to this title  from profile science fiction author Dean Wesley Smith. Having authored a number of official Star Trek novels, he definitely knows what he’s talking about when he encourages writers to go boldly into the unknown with an approach to writing books that doesn’t necessarily involve an elaborate plan. It might not be your action plan, but it can be a fresh perspective to get out of the occasional writer’s block.

From the book: “Imagine if every novel you picked up had a detailed outline of the entire plot… Would you read the novel after reading the outline? Chances are, no. What would be the point? You already know the journey the writer is going to take you on. So, as a writer, why do an outline and then have to spend all that time creating a book you already know?”

21. No Plot, No Problem by Chris Baty

If you’re procrastinating to the point where you haven’t even started your novel yet, NaNoWriMo founder Chris Baty is your guy! No Plot, No Problem  is a “low-stress, high-velocity” guide to writing a novel in just 30 days (yup, it’s great prep for the NaNoWriMo challenge). You’ll get tons of tips on how to survive this rigorous process, from taking advantage of your initial momentum to persisting through moments of doubt.

Whether you’re participating in everyone’s favorite November write-a-thon or you just want to bang out a novel that’s been in your head forever, Baty will help you cross that elusive finish line.

From the book: “A rough draft is best written in the steam-cooker of an already busy life. If you have a million things to do, adding item number 1,000,001 is not such a big deal.”

22. The 90-Day Novel by Alan Watt

And for those who think 30 days is a bit too steam cooker-esque, there’s always Alan Watt’s more laid-back option. In The 90-Day Novel , Watt provides a unique three-part process to assist you with your writing. The first part provides assistance in developing your story’s premise, the second part helps you work through obstacles to execute it, and the third part is full of writing exercises to unlock the “primal forces” of your story — in other words, the energy that will invigorate your work and incite readers to devour it like popcorn at the movies.

From the book: “Why we write is as important as what we write. Grammar, punctuation, and syntax are fairly irrelevant in the first draft. Get the story down… fast. Get out of your head, so you can surprise yourself on the page.”

23. The War of Art by Steven Pressfield

If you feel like you’re constantly in the trenches of your “inner creative battle,” The War of Art is the book for you. Pressfield emphasizes the importance of breaking down creative barriers — what he calls “Resistance” — in order to defeat your demons (i.e., procrastination, self-doubt, etc.) and fulfill your potential. Though some of his opinions are no doubt controversial (he makes repeated claims that almost anything can be procrastination, including going to the doctor), this book is the perfect remedy for prevaricating writers who need a little bit of tough love.

From the book: “Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands Resistance.”

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Books about writing as a lifestyle and career

24. steal like an artist by austin kleon.

As Kleon notes in the first section of Steal Like an Artist , this title obviously doesn’t refer to plagiarism. Rather, it acknowledges that art cannot be created in a vacuum, and encourages writers (and all other artists) to be open and receptive to all sources of inspiration. By “stealing like an artist,” writers can construct stories that already have a baseline of familiarity for readers, but with new twists that keep them fresh and exciting .

From the book: “If we’re free from the burden of trying to be completely original, we can stop trying to make something out of nothing, and we can embrace influence instead of running away from it.”

25. Mouth Full of Blood by Toni Morrison

From the book: “A writer's life and work are not a gift to mankind; they are its necessity.”

26. Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg

No matter what stage you’re at in your writing career, Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones will help you write more skillfully and creatively. With suggestions, encouragement, and valuable advice on the many aspects of the writing craft, Goldberg doesn’t shy away from making the crucial connection between writing and adding value to your life. Covering a range of topics including taking notes of your initial thoughts, listening, overcoming doubt, choosing where to write, and the selection of your verbs, this guide has plenty to say about the minute details of writing, but excels at exploring the author life.

From the book: “Write what disturbs you, what you fear, what you have not been willing to speak about. Be willing to be split open.”

27. Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury

What does it take to become a great author? According to the beloved writer Ray Bradbury, it takes zest, gusto, curiosity, as well as a spirit of adventure. Sharing his wisdom and experiences as one of the most prolific writers in America , Bradbury gives plenty of practical tips and tricks on how to develop ideas, find your voice, and create your own style in this  thoughtful volume . In addition to that, this is also an insight into the life and mind of this prolific writer, and a celebration of the act of writing. 

From the book: “Every morning I jump out of bed and step on a land mine. The land mine is me. After the explosion, I spend the rest of the day putting the pieces back together. Now, it's your turn. Jump!”

28. The Kite and the String by Alice Mattison

One of the most common dilemmas an author faces is the struggle between spontaneity and control. Literary endeavors need those unexpected light-bulb moments, but a book will never be finished if you rely solely on inspiration. In The Kite and the String , Mattison has heard your cry for help and developed a guide for balancing these elements throughout the different stages of writing a novel or a memoir. Sure, there may be language and grammar rules that govern the way you write, but letting a bit of playfulness breathe life into your writing will see it take off to a whole new level. On the other hand, your writing routine, solitude, audience, and goal-setting will act as the strings that keep you from floating too far away. 

From the book: "Don’t make yourself miserable wishing for a kind of success that you wouldn’t enjoy if you had it."

29. How to Become a Successful Indie Author by Craig Martelle

This one’s for all the indie authors out there! Even if you’ve already self-published a book, you can still learn a lot from this guide by Craig Martelle, who has dozens of indie books — “over two and a half million words,” as he puts it — under his belt. With patience and expertise, Martelle walks you through everything you need to know: from developing your premise to perfecting your writing routine, to finally getting your work to the top of the Amazon charts.

From the book: “No matter where you are on your author journey, there’s always a new level you can reach. Roll up your sleeves, because it’s time to get to work.”

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30. How to Market a Book by Ricardo Fayet 

From the book: “Here’s the thing: authors don’t find readers; readers find books . [...] Marketing is not about selling your book to readers. It’s about getting readers to find it.”

31. Everybody Writes by Ann Handley

The full title of Handley’s all-inclusive book on writing is actually Everybody Writes: Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content — which should tell you something about its broad appeal. Not only does Handley have some great ideas on how to plan and produce a great story, but she also provides tips on general content writing, which comes in handy when it’s time to build your author platform or a mailing list to promote your book . As such, Everybody Writes is nothing like your other books on novel writing — it’ll make you see writing in a whole new light.

From the book: “In our world, many hold a notion that the ability to write, or write well, is a gift bestowed on a chosen few. That leaves us thinking there are two kinds of people: the writing haves — and the hapless, for whom writing well is a hopeless struggle, like trying to carve marble with a butter knife. But I don’t believe that, and neither should you.” 

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Books on writing poetry 

32. madness, rack, and honey by mary ruefle.

With a long history of crafting and lecturing about poetry, Ruefle invites the reader of Madness, Rack, and Honey to immerse themselves into its beauty and magic. In a powerful combination of lectures and musings, she expertly explores the mind and craft of writers while excavating the magical potential of poetry. Often a struggle between giving and taking, poetry is, according to Ruefle, a unique art form that reveals the innermost workings of the human heart.

From the book: “In one sense, reading is a great waste of time. In another sense, it is a great extension of time, a way for one person to live a thousand and one lives in a single lifespan, to watch the great impersonal universe at work again and again”

33. Threads by Sandeep Parmar, Nisha Ramayya, and Bhanu Kapil

If you’re looking for something that explores the philosophical aspects of writing, Threads asks big questions about writing and the position of the writer in an industry that has largely excluded marginalized voices. Where does the writer exist in relation to its text and, particularly in the case of poetry, who is the “I”? Examining the common white, British, male lens, this collection of short essays will make it hard for you not to critically consider your own perceptions and how they affect your writing process.

From the book: “It is impossible to consider the lyric without fully interrogating its inherent promise of universality, its coded whiteness.”

34. The Hatred of Poetry by Ben Lerner

Despite its eye-catching title, this short essay is actually a defense of poetry. Lerner begins with his own hatred of the art form, and then moves on to explore this love-hate dichotomy that actually doesn’t seem to be contradictory. Rather, such a multitude of emotions might be one of the reasons that writers and readers alike turn to it. With its ability to evoke feelings and responses through word-play and meter, poetry has often been misconceived as inaccessible and elitist; this is a call to change that perception. 

From the book: “All I ask the haters — and I, too, am one — is that they strive to perfect their contempt, even consider bringing it to bear on poems, where it will be deepened, not dispelled, and where, by creating a place for possibility and present absences (like unheard melodies), it might come to resemble love.”

35. Poemcrazy by Susan G. Wooldridge

If you’ve ever felt that the mysterious workings of poetry are out of your reach and expressly not for you, Wooldridge is here to tell you that anyone who wants to can write poetry. An experienced workshop leader, she will help you find your inner voice and to express it through the written word . Giving you advice on how to think, use your senses, and practice your writing, Wooldrige will have you putting down rhyme schemes before you know it. 

From the book: “Writing a poem is a form of listening, helping me discover what's wrong or frightening in my world as well as what delights me.”

36. Writing Better Lyrics by Pat Pattison

From the book: “Don't be afraid to write crap — it makes the best fertilizer. The more of it you write, the better your chances are of growing something wonderful.”

Books about writing nonfiction

37. on writing well by william zinsser.

Going strong with its 30th-anniversary edition, On Writing Well: The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction is an evergreen resource for nonfiction writers which breaks down the fundamental principles of written communication. As a bonus, the insights and guidelines in this book can certainly be applied to most forms of writing, from interviewing to camp-fire storytelling. Beyond giving tips on how to stay consistent in your writing and voice, how to edit, and how to avoid common pitfalls, Zinsser can also help you grow as a professional writer, strengthening your career and taking steps in a new direction. 

From the book: “Don’t try to visualize the great mass audience. There is no such audience—every reader is a different person.”

38. Essays by Lydia Davis

Ironically enough, this rather lengthy book is a celebration of brevity. As one of the leading American voices in flash-fiction and short-form writing, Davis traces her literary roots and inspirations in essays on everything, ranging from the mastodonic work of Proust to minimalism. In both her translations and her own writing, she celebrates experimental writing that stretches the boundaries of language. Playing with the contrast between what is said and what is not, this collection of essays is another tool to the writing shed to help you feel and use the power of every word you write.

From the book: “Free yourself of your device, for at least certain hours of the day — or at the very least one hour. Learn to be alone, all alone, without people, and without a device that is turned on. Learn to experience the purity of that kind of concentration. Develop focus, learn to focus intently on one thing, uninterrupted, for a long time.”

39. Essayism by Brian Dillon

In this volume , Dillon explores the often overlooked genre of essay writing and its place in literature’s past, present, and future. He argues that essays are an “experiment in attention” but also highlights how and why certain essays have directly impacted the development of the cultural and political landscape, from the end of the Middle Ages until the present day. At its heart, despite its many forms, subject areas, and purposes, essayism has its root in self-exploration. Dip in and out of Dillon’s short texts to find inspiration for your own nonfiction writing.

From the book: “What exactly do I mean, even, by 'style'? Perhaps it is nothing but an urge, an aspiration, a clumsy access of admiration, a crush.”

40. Naked, Drunk, and Writing by Adair Lara

From the book: “Write it down. Whatever it is, write it down. Chip it into marble. Type it into Microsoft Word. Spell it out in seaweeds on the shore. We are each of us an endangered species, delicate as unicorns.”

With a few of these books in your arsenal, you’ll be penning perfect plots in no time! And if you’re interested in learning more about the editing process, check our post on books on editing next!

ZUrlocker says:

11/03/2019 – 19:46

I'm familiar with several of these books. But for new authors, I urge you caution. It is very tempting to read so many books about writing that you never get around to writing. (I did this successfully for many years!) So I will suggest paring it down to just two books: Stephen King on Writing and Blake Snyder Save the Cat. Snyder's book is mostly about screenwriting, so you could also consider Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody. Best of luck!

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Essay Writing for Beginners: 6-Step Guide with Examples

If you need to write an essay, whether for a college course or to pass a writing test, this guide will take you through the process step-by-step.

Even if you have never written an essay before, this guide will make the process simple and easy to follow.

It is divided into two parts. 

First, I’ll show you the steps of writing an essay from scratch using a simple example. 

And in the second part, we’ll go through the process together and write a complete sample essay.

Let’s dive right in. 

Writing an essay is a 6-step process.  

Step 1. Decide on your main point and write it down

You could be in one of the following situations:

• Your teacher or professor gave you a prompt, and you have to follow it
• You are allowed to make up your own essay topic
• You must pass a writing test and are practicing

Whatever the case, let’s assume that you have some kind of a topic or an idea for an essay. Many essay prompts ask you to decide for or against an idea. You must agree or disagree.

And in your first step, you need to simply make that decision – whether you agree or disagree – and just write it down as a simple sentence. 

This is a very simple example, but it shows you what a thesis essentially looks like. It is also your main point.

Try not to make your thesis sentence too complicated. Keep it simple so that the point is perfectly clear to both you and the reader. 

In this case, our example thesis is:

And we’re ready for the next step.

Step 2. Come up with three supporting ideas

Whether you need to write 300 or 3,000 words, as a beginner you only need three supporting points to prove your main point.

This is why I teach the Power of Three. 

So, why three? You see, you need to divide your topic into subtopics. If you don’t, the whole essay writing process will be harder than it has to be.

If you divide it into only two parts, that’s okay. But it doesn’t give you enough meat when you’ll be writing the body of the essay.

If you divide it into more than three, that is also a recipe for frustration. It’s just too many. 

Three is a very comfortable number for the brain to deal with. Trust me. I’ve taught many, many people. 

Let’s apply the Power of Three to our simple example. 

Why do I love apples? I love them for three reasons. Not one, not two, not seven. Just three reasons. 

I love apples because they are:

• Nutritious 

In this step, your job is to make sure that these three reasons are really different from one another. In this case, they are. 

Here is a wrong way to do it:

In this case, apples being filling is too similar to being nutritious. This means that when you’re writing the body of the essay, you may run into writer’s block.

This happens because you realize that you’ve already said everything there is to say about the nutrition of apples, and now them being filling is too closely related. And you’re out of words to write. 

Don’t let that happen. Just keep your supporting points really distinct from one another. 

Step 3. Write out the complete thesis statement

Now you have everything you need to write a complete thesis statement. You have your main and supporting points. 

Take them and write them out as complete sentences in one paragraph. Let’s do it very simplistically, using our apples example:

Again, this is overly simple, and I don’t expect you to write such short sentences one after another this way. 

But it’s crystal clear. And the supporting points really sound like good evidence for the main point. 

In other words, this thesis statement works. 

Your Thesis Statement Is Also Your Outline

Students often ask how to write an essay outline. But once you have written your thesis statement the way I just showed you, you have yourself a nice outline. 

In addition, you already have the first paragraph. It may not be complete. You may choose to add some words to it. You will also add an introduction in a later step.

But your first paragraph is, for the main, done. It exists, and it’s good to know that you just wrote a nice paragraph. 

We are ready for the next step. 

Step 4. Write the body of the essay

We already know that we have three sections in our little example. And you will also have three main sections if you apply the Power of Three to your essay.

Each of your sections will contain one or more paragraphs. 

But as a beginner, just stick to one paragraph per section. Each of your sections will be a paragraph, and you need to write only three paragraphs in the body of the essay.

Body Paragraph Structure

You must begin each of your body paragraphs with a lead sentence (also known as a topic sentence). And then your job is to fill the rest of the paragraph with evidence to support what you just stated in the lead sentence.

You may have heard that in your essay you should proceed from more general to more specific ? That is exactly right.

The lead sentence (the first sentence in the paragraph) is the most general statement in that paragraph. 

For example, in our essay about apples, the second section is about how nutritious apples are. So, you would begin your paragraph with something like this:

This is the most general statement. And now, your job would be to unpack that, to write a little more specifically. 

As an explanation , you can write a sentence or two on what kinds of nutrients apples contain. 

And as examples , you can write about what some of these nutrients do in the body that makes them nutritious. 

Does this make sense? You are proceeding from general to specific. We’ll take a closer look at this process in the essay topic sample that is coming up. 

Once you’ve written the body paragraphs, you’re ready for the next step. 

Step 5. Write the introduction and the conclusion

Introductions.

The introduction is really just a sentence (two at most) that you add in the beginning of your first paragraph. 

Introductions are not necessary. Many instructors will expect that you write them while others won’t. You can go straight to the point by starting your first paragraph with the thesis. 

However, most instructors will expect an introduction, and you should know how to write one. 

To write an introduction, just zoom out a bit and write a more general and less relevant sentence. For example, we can start our essay about apples with this sentence:

And then we proceed straight to the thesis: “I love apples.” And so on…

Conclusions

In your conclusion you can do one of several things. But I recommend that, as a beginner, you stick to the time-proven restatement .

Basically, you simply repeat what you stated in your thesis statement, using different words.  

Yes, this is repetitious, but that is the nature of conclusions. Don’t worry. 

You can literally copy your thesis statement, paste it at the end of your essay, and make sure you change the wording so that it reads like a new paragraph.

For example, this is how we can write our conclusion about apples:

Yes, your conclusion can be just one sentence. But it can also contain many sentences. 

Step 6. Proofread

Our final step in writing an essay is to go back and proofread our draft.

We must look out for:

• Any contradictions (to make sure we don’t contradict our own points)
• Any irrelevant material (stuff that doesn’t belong in the essay at all)
• Grammatical errors
• Misspellings

One good, thorough round of proofreading can be enough to be ready to submit your essay for grading. 

You can use a variety of tools sto spell-check your essay. Google docs is one great tool for that. But many others, such as Grammarly, are available as well.

Guess what! Now you know how to write an essay, even if you’re a beginner. 

And now, let’s apply what we learned.

Let’s take a sample topic and follow the 6 steps to write a nice sample essay.

Let’s do this!

Sample Essay: “Parents are the best teachers.” 

This essay topic came from one of my readers. Let’s develop it into an essay by following the steps we just learned.

Step 1. Decide on the main point and write it

Let’s say that we are given a choice – whether we agree or disagree that parents are the best teachers.

All we have to do is take a stand. We have to simply decide – yes or no.

Let’s decide that parents are indeed the best teachers.

We simply state this as the main point:

Step 2. Think up three supporting ideas

Why could parents be the best teachers?

This will take some thinking. But that’s what we need to do.

Let’s use the Power of Three . And here is what we came up with:

• They are the first teachers, and that’s very important.
• They have the child’s best interests in mind.
• They spend more time with their child than anyone else. 

We really want to make sure that these supporting points are different from one another. Are they?

If we read them over, we’ll see that each of them is indeed distinct. Great!

Step 3. Write out the thesis statement

We have our main point. We have our supporting points. And writing the full thesis statement is now easy.

Let’s do it:

We really just took the thesis and the supporting statements and wrote them all in a sequence as one paragraph. 

As a result, we now have a nice, clear opening paragraph.

We also now have our outline:

We know exactly how many sections our essay will have.

We also know in which order we’ll be presenting our support. It’s all in the thesis statement, which is also our outline. 

Now our job is to write three good supporting paragraphs, one at a time.

Let’s start with the first body paragraph.

The first sentence is always the lead sentence – the most general sentence in a body paragraph. 

Writing the Lead Sentence

Let’s first copy and paste our first supporting point from our thesis statement:

I copied this because this is exactly what my paragraph is about. And this would be a perfect lead sentence if it were not repetitious. 

To make sure it’s not simply repetitious, we’ll tweak and expand it a little:

We made sure that the subject is clear – that it is not “ They ” but “ Parents .”

And we expanded the sentence by adding an explanation: “…because what is imprinted early stays with the child forever.”

You don’t have to necessarily add an explanation in the lead sentence like this. But this is an option that you have. 

All we really want to do in the lead sentence is just expand it slightly over the initial supporting point that it came from. 

Writing the Rest of the Paragraph

Let’s review our body paragraph structure:

In our paragraph, we proceed from more general to more specific. Our lead sentence is the most general statement. 

The next most general part of the paragraph is where you explain your point. You can provide a scientific explanation with data and research. You can explain it logically, using your own rationale. 

But it is still a general part. Let’s write it.

Explanation

We are keeping it simple and not using any references to scientific studies. You can and should cite sources in your essay when necessary.

If you’re writing an essay in an exam or test, you won’t need any references. You can just make things up as you go along. And it works as long as your content is logical and supports the main point.

If you’re writing for a college course, you will likely need to cite sources, unless it’s English 101 where you write basic essays like this one. 

But now, we have three explanatory sentences in our paragraph. Our next step is to add at least one example. You can add more, but one should do it for a beginner. 

This example presents a phenomenon that is well known in psychology. It is an example because it describes one extreme kind of a phenomenon. It is also much more specific than our explanation. 

Note that we can add more words by talking about a specific wild child from history. But let’s stop here and look at our full paragraph:

We have 113 words in this paragraph. And it’s a perfect body paragraph that supports the first part of our thesis statement.

Let’s write the next one. 

Again, let’s copy the second supporting point and then tweak and expand it.

This sentence already starts with the subject, which is “ parents .” Now, all we need to do is to expand it slightly:

We added a short phrase just to make the lead sentence a little longer and more detailed. Now it doesn’t read like plain repetition.

Let’s write the next most general part of this paragraph – the explanation:

These three sentences explain why it makes sense that parents would have the child’s best interests in mind. She is the most precious thing to them in the world. 

It’s time for an example. And I’ll use my personal experience:

It’s totally okay to use personal examples in an essay. You can use them even in advanced research papers. Your personal experience is valuable. Use it.

Let’s take a look at our second body paragraph in its entirety:

This paragraph contains 98 words of evidence to support the second point. 

It’s time for the final body paragraph.

Again, you know what we’ll do. We’ll just copy our third supporting point and tweak and expand it a little:

Let’s make sure the reader knows what the real subject is in this sentence. And let’s also expand it just a bit:

Great! It’s time for the explanatory part:

Again, we won’t be citing any sources here and will keep it simple. This explanation works really well because it provides evidence for the third supporting point.

Let’s be even more specific and write at least one example.

Again, I’m using a personal example to show that whoever spends the most time with the child will have the most influence.

And let’s take a look at our third body paragraph as a whole:

We have here 116 words of great, general-to-specific content that supports our third point. 

As a result, if we look back at what we’ve done, we’ll see that everything we wrote in the body paragraphs supports the main point that parents are the best teachers.

It’s time for the next step. 

Introduction  

Our introduction will be just one sentence, which is enough. 

First, let’s revisit our complete thesis statement. We will write the introductory sentence based on it. 

In this paragraph, we go straight to the point, and there’s nothing wrong with that. 

However, as we know, most instructors will expect some kind of an introduction. So, we’ll add one sentence before we get to the main point.

This sentence must be more general. We are zooming out a little. Let’s do it:

And let’s take a look at the full paragraph together with the introduction:

Note that I took out the phrase “for three reasons.” It is unnecessary because it is clear that you are providing three supporting points. And the whole paragraph sounds better this way.

To write the conclusion, we’ll simply reword the thesis statement. We only need to make sure that we don’t sound like we’re just repeating things.

That was not too hard, was it?

It’s time for the final step. 

In this step, we just need to go over our essay, making final edits and corrections. And that’s all.

I hope this tutorial really helps you in your essay writing. 

Stay tuned and we’ll talk soon!

How to Write a 300 Word Essay – Simple Tutorial

How to expand an essay – 4 tips to increase the word count, 10 solid essay writing tips to help you improve quickly, 6 simple ways to improve sentence structure in your essays.

Tutor Phil is an e-learning professional who helps adult learners finish their degrees by teaching them academic writing skills.

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• Knowledge Base

The Beginner's Guide to Writing an Essay | Steps & Examples

An academic essay is a focused piece of writing that develops an idea or argument using evidence, analysis, and interpretation.

There are many types of essays you might write as a student. The content and length of an essay depends on your level, subject of study, and course requirements. However, most essays at university level are argumentative — they aim to persuade the reader of a particular position or perspective on a topic.

The essay writing process consists of three main stages:

• Preparation: Decide on your topic, do your research, and create an essay outline.
• Writing : Set out your argument in the introduction, develop it with evidence in the main body, and wrap it up with a conclusion.
• Revision:  Check your essay on the content, organization, grammar, spelling, and formatting of your essay.

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Table of contents

Essay writing process, preparation for writing an essay, writing the introduction, writing the main body, writing the conclusion, essay checklist, lecture slides, frequently asked questions about writing an essay.

The writing process of preparation, writing, and revisions applies to every essay or paper, but the time and effort spent on each stage depends on the type of essay .

For example, if you’ve been assigned a five-paragraph expository essay for a high school class, you’ll probably spend the most time on the writing stage; for a college-level argumentative essay , on the other hand, you’ll need to spend more time researching your topic and developing an original argument before you start writing.

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Before you start writing, you should make sure you have a clear idea of what you want to say and how you’re going to say it. There are a few key steps you can follow to make sure you’re prepared:

• Understand your assignment: What is the goal of this essay? What is the length and deadline of the assignment? Is there anything you need to clarify with your teacher or professor?
• Define a topic: If you’re allowed to choose your own topic , try to pick something that you already know a bit about and that will hold your interest.
• Do your research: Read  primary and secondary sources and take notes to help you work out your position and angle on the topic. You’ll use these as evidence for your points.
• Come up with a thesis:  The thesis is the central point or argument that you want to make. A clear thesis is essential for a focused essay—you should keep referring back to it as you write.
• Create an outline: Map out the rough structure of your essay in an outline . This makes it easier to start writing and keeps you on track as you go.

Once you’ve got a clear idea of what you want to discuss, in what order, and what evidence you’ll use, you’re ready to start writing.

The introduction sets the tone for your essay. It should grab the reader’s interest and inform them of what to expect. The introduction generally comprises 10–20% of the text.

1. Hook your reader

The first sentence of the introduction should pique your reader’s interest and curiosity. This sentence is sometimes called the hook. It might be an intriguing question, a surprising fact, or a bold statement emphasizing the relevance of the topic.

Let’s say we’re writing an essay about the development of Braille (the raised-dot reading and writing system used by visually impaired people). Our hook can make a strong statement about the topic:

The invention of Braille was a major turning point in the history of disability.

2. Provide background on your topic

Next, it’s important to give context that will help your reader understand your argument. This might involve providing background information, giving an overview of important academic work or debates on the topic, and explaining difficult terms. Don’t provide too much detail in the introduction—you can elaborate in the body of your essay.

3. Present the thesis statement

Next, you should formulate your thesis statement— the central argument you’re going to make. The thesis statement provides focus and signals your position on the topic. It is usually one or two sentences long. The thesis statement for our essay on Braille could look like this:

As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness.

4. Map the structure

In longer essays, you can end the introduction by briefly describing what will be covered in each part of the essay. This guides the reader through your structure and gives a preview of how your argument will develop.

The invention of Braille marked a major turning point in the history of disability. The writing system of raised dots used by blind and visually impaired people was developed by Louis Braille in nineteenth-century France. In a society that did not value disabled people in general, blindness was particularly stigmatized, and lack of access to reading and writing was a significant barrier to social participation. The idea of tactile reading was not entirely new, but existing methods based on sighted systems were difficult to learn and use. As the first writing system designed for blind people’s needs, Braille was a groundbreaking new accessibility tool. It not only provided practical benefits, but also helped change the cultural status of blindness. This essay begins by discussing the situation of blind people in nineteenth-century Europe. It then describes the invention of Braille and the gradual process of its acceptance within blind education. Subsequently, it explores the wide-ranging effects of this invention on blind people’s social and cultural lives.

Write your essay introduction

The body of your essay is where you make arguments supporting your thesis, provide evidence, and develop your ideas. Its purpose is to present, interpret, and analyze the information and sources you have gathered to support your argument.

Length of the body text

The length of the body depends on the type of essay. On average, the body comprises 60–80% of your essay. For a high school essay, this could be just three paragraphs, but for a graduate school essay of 6,000 words, the body could take up 8–10 pages.

Paragraph structure

To give your essay a clear structure , it is important to organize it into paragraphs . Each paragraph should be centered around one main point or idea.

That idea is introduced in a  topic sentence . The topic sentence should generally lead on from the previous paragraph and introduce the point to be made in this paragraph. Transition words can be used to create clear connections between sentences.

After the topic sentence, present evidence such as data, examples, or quotes from relevant sources. Be sure to interpret and explain the evidence, and show how it helps develop your overall argument.

Lack of access to reading and writing put blind people at a serious disadvantage in nineteenth-century society. Text was one of the primary methods through which people engaged with culture, communicated with others, and accessed information; without a well-developed reading system that did not rely on sight, blind people were excluded from social participation (Weygand, 2009). While disabled people in general suffered from discrimination, blindness was widely viewed as the worst disability, and it was commonly believed that blind people were incapable of pursuing a profession or improving themselves through culture (Weygand, 2009). This demonstrates the importance of reading and writing to social status at the time: without access to text, it was considered impossible to fully participate in society. Blind people were excluded from the sighted world, but also entirely dependent on sighted people for information and education.

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The conclusion is the final paragraph of an essay. It should generally take up no more than 10–15% of the text . A strong essay conclusion :

• Returns to your thesis
• Ties together your main points
• Shows why your argument matters

A great conclusion should finish with a memorable or impactful sentence that leaves the reader with a strong final impression.

What not to include in a conclusion

To make your essay’s conclusion as strong as possible, there are a few things you should avoid. The most common mistakes are:

• Including new arguments or evidence
• Undermining your arguments (e.g. “This is just one approach of many”)
• Using concluding phrases like “To sum up…” or “In conclusion…”

Braille paved the way for dramatic cultural changes in the way blind people were treated and the opportunities available to them. Louis Braille’s innovation was to reimagine existing reading systems from a blind perspective, and the success of this invention required sighted teachers to adapt to their students’ reality instead of the other way around. In this sense, Braille helped drive broader social changes in the status of blindness. New accessibility tools provide practical advantages to those who need them, but they can also change the perspectives and attitudes of those who do not.

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Checklist: Essay

My essay follows the requirements of the assignment (topic and length ).

My introduction sparks the reader’s interest and provides any necessary background information on the topic.

My introduction contains a thesis statement that states the focus and position of the essay.

I use paragraphs to structure the essay.

I use topic sentences to introduce each paragraph.

Each paragraph has a single focus and a clear connection to the thesis statement.

I make clear transitions between paragraphs and ideas.

My conclusion doesn’t just repeat my points, but draws connections between arguments.

I don’t introduce new arguments or evidence in the conclusion.

I have given an in-text citation for every quote or piece of information I got from another source.

I have included a reference page at the end of my essay, listing full details of all my sources.

My citations and references are correctly formatted according to the required citation style .

My essay has an interesting and informative title.

I have followed all formatting guidelines (e.g. font, page numbers, line spacing).

Your essay meets all the most important requirements. Our editors can give it a final check to help you submit with confidence.

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An essay is a focused piece of writing that explains, argues, describes, or narrates.

In high school, you may have to write many different types of essays to develop your writing skills.

Academic essays at college level are usually argumentative : you develop a clear thesis about your topic and make a case for your position using evidence, analysis and interpretation.

The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

Your essay introduction should include three main things, in this order:

• An opening hook to catch the reader’s attention.
• Relevant background information that the reader needs to know.
• A thesis statement that presents your main point or argument.

The length of each part depends on the length and complexity of your essay .

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.

The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:

• It gives your writing direction and focus.
• It gives the reader a concise summary of your main point.

Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.

A topic sentence is a sentence that expresses the main point of a paragraph . Everything else in the paragraph should relate to the topic sentence.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

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How to Write an eBook for Beginners in 8 Steps

Comes with built-in workflows that create focus and routine.

EBooks are more convenient and accessible than printed books. According to some statistics, over 190 million ebooks were sold during 2020. Digital publishing is efficient for e-readers, who prefer to access content directly on their smartphones, tablets, or computers.

If you want to become an expert in eBook creation, follow this step-by-step guide to help you create the best eBook possible. Be aware that creating an outstanding book may take a long time and background knowledge on the writing process, content creation, and selling digital products will help with the overall success of your project. Be patient and remember this is part of the learning curve. Most best sellers faced many obstacles before getting to this level.

AI-powered tools have made eBook creation simpler than before. Tools like Typeset , will automatically format your eBook, including title pages, table of content pages, and eBook cover design based on your topic. Typeset allows people with any level of design experience to create a professionally formatted ebook. It also provides an integrated AI eBook Creator Tools that will generate or enhance text, lists, quotes, check spelling, and more.  

Why Write an eBook?

Learning how to write, design, publish, and promote your own eBook can help you make money as a passive income, regardless of your level of writing and publishing experience. Top digital sellers make a living selling their digital content. According to Statista , eBook revenue in the United States reached 1.1 billion U.S. dollars in 2021. 

Even Amazon and Apple have invested in eBooks through Amazon Kindle eBook and Apple Books. Because of this, users have been able to browse, buy, download, and read eBooks, newspapers, magazines, audible audiobooks, and other digital media via wireless networking to the Kindle Store. These companies are just two of the many that know digital services are the future. 

Learning how to create an eBook also benefits marketers who are interested in creating a complete content marketing strategy. Some of the additional benefits of eBooks include: 

• Displaying unique design capabilities that might not possible through a blog or website
• Embedding links in your own eBooks
• No additional cost for eBook distribution 
• Increase of website visitors 

Step 1: Define Your Target Audience

As an author, determining your target audience is one of the most important steps. Consider your niche, including the age range, gender, location, and even the specific interests or hobbies of the people you are interested in reaching. Ask yourself the following:

• What problem(s) does my eBook aim to address?
• Who am I going to help with the content of my eBook?
• How will I promote my eBook to the target audience and demographic groups I want to reach?
• Why will the target audience think my eBook is interesting or useful?

Asking yourself these questions before starting to write helps you better frame your eBook. It makes you address your audience the right way. Instead of taking a broad universal approach, dig deeper by doing research to validate your audience to understand their motivations, pain points, likes, and dislikes.

Try to always get in the head of your potential clients to know what information will help them. Do the research for your audience and read through existing publications about your topic and identify knowledge gaps and areas that require further exploration. 

Looking at creators with similar businesses helps you narrow down your target audience, too. These businesses are likely to share a very similar niche. 

Remember that your eBook will also serve as the template for any social media, ads, or other promotional content that will drive interest in your topic. An idea so good may compel people to pay for your eBook, or free eBooks are used to draw an audience to other digital platforms or services. 

Step 2: Choose a Compelling Topic

Choose your eBook topic and consider its importance in relation to your business and brand. Try to go for only topics that are aligned with your job, company, or hobby. Remember this is your opportunity to do a deep dive into a subject you have only lightly covered until now, but something your audience wants to learn more about.  

Think: How will the topic you discuss help the audience you intend to reach? Has the topic been discussed too much? Can your company or brand provide a new and unique point of view on the topic you intend to discuss?

Step 3: Craft an Effective Hook

In a world overflowing with content, the first few seconds are your only chance to engage your audience and save your writing from the digital abyss. An effective hook plays a fundamental role in your marketing efforts. 

As the term ‘hook’ suggests, its purpose is to catch potential readers, publishers, agents, or other partners so they are eager to learn more. Basically, the compelling hook is the difference between a passing glance and someone eagerly reading every word—and potentially paying for your content.

A strong book hook should be short—around one to two sentences long— and share just enough information to grab someone’s attention. Make sure it is clear and concise, contains intriguing language, connects to the core theme, evokes emotion, and promises something specific. 

Some people choose to create the hook as one of the last steps of the process, but creating it from the beginning can help you understand your main goal and objective throughout the writing eBook process. Doing so also helps you keep your ebook focused on the main topic. 

If you do not have a good hook, you will struggle to give this book away for free, let alone sell it as a stand-alone or as part of an online course.

Here are a few questions to help you get to your hook: 

• Is my eBook idea unique compared to other approaches?
• Are there eBooks with similar topics to mine?
• What problem does your eBook solve?
• Does your solution provide a unique perspective that potentially goes against common advice in your industry?

Step 4: Outline Your Ebook

Now, it is crucial to clarify supporting facts that the eBook will cover to support your topic Note that a book has to be long enough to answer the main questions but short enough to prevent e-readers from getting bored. 

Let’s take this blog article as an example. It is designed to clarify the process of creating an eBook. Our table of contents  includes an introduction, the importance and advantages, and a step-by-step from the thinking process to selecting a publishing platform. This way, we answer the main questions without overexerting the reader.   

Some people state that writing eBooks is like being a blogger who writes in their blog different chapters. While you should treat each chapter as an individual blog post, the chapters of your eBook should also flow smoothly from one to another. If it is difficult for you, try to make use of bullet points at first. Take note of any ideas you would like to include under your main points. 

Start outlining these chapters and writing subheaders to create a break for the book. Starting a new book without a chapter outline can leave you feeling stuck or lost, especially if you are not sure where to start. Use this outline to guide the tone, narrative, and ultimately the layout of the book you intend to publish. 

Step 5: Write Your First Draft

Once you have a basic idea for your eBook organization, it is time to set up your eBook content. Start writing each of the chapters. Use sources, statistics, and links to support each claim if you are publishing a nonfiction eBook. In this phase, you do not have to worry about fluency or correctness. 

Simply share as much information as possible in each of the chapters you have designated in the outline.

Be sure to write what is needed to educate your audience effectively about your selected topic. Avoid giving details that escape from that aim. This draft can be done in a Word document or in Google docs. 

Do not forget to use keywords in the title that emphasize the value of your offer. Examples include adjectives like ‘wonderful,’ ‘awesome,’ or ‘amazing.’

Keep your format consistent, so you create a mental model for readers and enhance their understanding of the material.

When appropriate, use formatting—like bulleted lists, bold text, italics, and font size changes—to draw people’s eyes to your most important content or emphasize specific points you want readers to keep in mind.

Nothing you write is set in stone yet. Just try to prevent yourself from making exhaustive edits before you have a full draft. Chances are, you will make many more changes before the end of the process anyway. Investing hours into the perfect paragraph or introduction might be wasted if an editor says it is redundant or if you hate it tomorrow.

Step 6: Edit and Refine Your Content

After writing the first draft of your eBook, you will need to spend time completing the editing process. Edit the eBook chapter by chapter to avoid feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of rereading and editing the entire book. The length of ebooks in the business and marketing world have been getting shorter and shorter as reader’s attention span gets shorter, so editing out redundant information or sections that stray from your core message should be considered. 

A fresh set of eyes is always helpful in the edit process. Ask a colleague for feedback or even work with an editor locally or even remotely to streamline the editing process. Some AI tools help you with that process faster and cheaper than asking for someone who is an editor. 

If you want to hire an editor you can check websites like Reedsy , Upwork and Fiverr . Reedsy is a site dedicated to book professionals, while sites like Upwork and Fiverr can connect you with freelancers and contractors that specialize in eBooks and writing. Regardless of where you decide to source an editor, you need a good edit before you go to the next step of design for download. 

Step 7: Format Your Ebook

After all the effort you have made, now it is time to take it and put it in an eBook format. The design and appearance of the book can significantly influence engagement and success once the book is published and available. Therefore, it is critical to focus on this part of the process. 

Take into account that you only have one chance to make a positive and lasting first impression, particularly when trying to promote and sell an eBook in a popular, competitive and even extremely saturated market. 

The design process can be time consuming and tedious, especially if you do not have design experience. Using AI tools like Typeset can streamline this process and deliver professional results, often for much less cost than hiring a graphic designer. Typeset will help with cover design, formatting, and maintaining a consistent look throughout the document. The more visually appealing and relevant a book is, the more likely it is to get clicks and, ultimately, sales. Incorporating images and graphics will improve readability by helping make your topic more understandable, as will quotes or stats that emphasize your point. 

Typeset provides ready-made ebook templates to help further accelerate the design process. Other, more manual design tools that provide eBook templates include Canva, InDesign, Picstart, Scrivener, and Kindle Create. 

Watch this video to see how AI Tools like ChatGPT and Typeset can be combined to create compelling eBook topics and designs in a short period of time. Or watch this video Youtube video for a tutorial on using Canva to create an attractive eBook design. 

Step 8: Select a Publishing Platform

The eBook Publishing work is more than just saving a Microsoft Word document and sending it to an email list of potential publishers. Knowing how to publish an eBook can help you take any content strategy to a higher level. Publishing an eBook is much easier today and can be done with a wide variety of publishing platforms and document formats. 

Establishing what format you will use and trying to convert the same book to different formats is recommended if you want to ensure compatibility with your readers and their devices. Doing this will make your ebook more widely available across various devices, ultimately increasing the reach and accessibility of your eBook.

Some of the most common formats are ePub file, AZW, MOBI, ODF, IBA, or the most commonly used, PDF file. 

Now, it is time to choose an eBook publishing platform that is right for you and the eBook you intend to create. With so many eBook publishing platforms to choose from, it is best to take the time to research, review, and compare each of them before making a decision. Check the following:

• Amazon KDP: Amazon is the largest and one of the most popular self-publishing platforms available for writers and editors with any level of experience. You can upload your work through the Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing portal. 
• Barnes & Noble Press: It is a great alternative publishing platform, ideal for those who want to stay away from Amazon.
• iBooks: iBooks is a publishing platform suitable for Apple-device users. It provides a seamless reading experience and allows you to publish and sell your ebook in the Apple Books store.
• Kobo Writing Life: If you are looking for an alternative to large publishers and corporations when it comes to sharing your eBook, Kobo Writing Life is a comprehensive online community that can help you get started. Now you can publish your eBook with Kobo Writing Life in just 72 hours, from start to finish.

Before publishing, do not forget to preview your eBook to ensure it looks as intended and ensure there are no errors or formatting issues. Once you are satisfied, click the publish button to make your eBook available for purchase.

Join thousands of satisfied users and bring your eBook to life in just 8 simple steps!

We understand how scary it must be to start writing your first book. Many questions are probably going through your head now. So, we decided to answer the most commonly asked ones according to our experience during the last few years. 

How much money can you make writing an eBook?

Even if writing eBooks is profitable, simply publishing one is not enough. You need time and a lot of content to have regular customers who enjoy your content and are anxious to read the next book. 

After a good period of time, good content, and many eBooks, you can potentially make more than $1,000 a month. This depends on different factors such as the topic itself, the size of the industry you are targeting, as well as the demand for the information. 

How do I start writing an eBook?

First of all, you need motivation and ambition for sharing your ideas or products to the rest of the world. Find a novel idea and follow the previously mentioned steps: Choose a Compelling Topic, Craft an Effective Hook, Outline Your Ebook, Write Your First Draft, Edit and Refine Your Content, Format Your Ebook, and Select a Publishing Platform. 

How much does it cost to write an eBook?

Completely free if you are self-publishing and without help from an editor or graphic designer. Expect to pay anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 for a professional edit and designer. One of the best ways to save money and time is by using AI tools designed for eBooks. 

Is selling eBooks profitable?

Even if making money is not easy and it is getting highly competitive, most experienced digital creators will say that selling eBooks is still profitable and is a way of earning money. 

How many pages should my first eBook be?

The average length of a best-selling eBook can be anywhere between 5-50 pages (and, sometimes, even 100). 

What are the most popular eBook topics?

Trending topics are not easy to identify most of the time, but you can get a bit of help through Google Trends , a free tool from Google that allows anyone to analyze the popularity of search queries that are entered into Google Search across regions and languages. Some of the most common topics for eBooks are: 

• How To (guide): Everyone's looking to learn a particular skill, technique, or technology and sometimes eBooks are the perfect way to make it true.  
• Self-Help: Covering areas like time management, personal development, mental and physical health are very lucrative nowadays. 
• Diet and Recipes: Recipe books are hugely popular, covering everything from batch cooking for busy families to impressive dinner party meals with an array of fancy side dishes.
• Parenting Guides: Being a pair of parents for the first time can be overwhelming. So, some tips might be helpful!
• Personal Finances: Personal finances have become more important than ever with rising energy and food costs in many parts of the Western world. Focus on providing practical tips and advice, and potentially encouragement and emotional support. 
• Fiction: This article focuses on creating non-fictional eBooks, but Fiction is also a huge marketplace. Who does not love a cool unrealistic story like Harry Potter or The Lord of the Rings?
• Children’s Ebooks: Cute stories with a lot of images and short paragraphs are required for this type of book. 

Transform your ideas into a stunning eBook effortlessly with Typeset's AI-powered design tools. Click here to start designing today and see how easy and quick eBook creation can be.

Read more information from Typeset about new products and features, case studies, and the benefits of using an AI design engine to generate better content faster.

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If you are looking to write your first ebook to share a bold idea with the world, doing so has never been more convenient with the platforms and tools available to help you today.

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If you’re looking to write a book that could sell well and make money , you might want to consider channeling your experience, career skills, and acquired know-how into a self-help book. Self-help is currently one of the top-selling and fastest-growing categories of nonfiction in the U.S., with annual sales topping 18.6 million units in 2021. Writing a self-help book is also an excellent way to put something positive out into the world; these books can be powerful tools for healing and growth, and their low cost makes them accessible to many people. But what might you write about? What could your potential self-help book genre be?

While you don’t have to be an expert in your field to write a self-help book, it helps to have some authority in the subject matter; this establishes credibility with your audience. A degree is not required, but degrees certainly lend weight to your words. However, the subject matter might be just as well served by the equivalent in life experience, such as a recovering alcoholic writing about addiction. And this might sound obvious, but you’ll want to write about something you’re interested in! Your passion for the material will make for a better book, and it’s perfectly acceptable and often a good idea to educate yourself along the way while writing it. Bearing this in mind, here are a few suggestions to assist you in picking a self-help book genre.

Table of Contents: • 1. Personal development • 2. Mindfulness and inner peace • 3. Health and wellness • 4. Relationships and communication • 5. Career success and leadership • 6. Financial advice • 7. Spirituality and purpose • 8. Creativity and inspiration • 9. Resilience and overcoming adversity • 10. Happiness and life satisfaction • Which self-help genre sparks your imagination? • Self-Help Book FAQs

1. Personal development

Personal development books are what many people think of when they think of self-help. They include personal growth books which are focused on self-awareness and address the underlying causes of obstacles, and self-development books which are more about concrete actions that lead to self-improvement. Subtopics can include increasing your productivity, forming better habits, and learning how to move in the direction of personal success. Some classics of the genre are The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People, Atomic Habits, and How To Win Friends And Influence People.

2. Mindfulness and inner peace

This self-help book genre overlaps with philosophy, new age, and spirituality. Generally influenced by Eastern philosophies and religions, books on mindfulness are often about applying Zen and Taoist principles to everyday life. Teaching meditation in some fashion, be it formal sitting meditation or breathing and walking practices, is usually a central theme. Often journaling and self-acceptance tools are also part of these books. Some well-known titles in this category are The Power of Now, The Art of Living, and The Gifts of Imperfection.

3. Health and wellness

Physical and mental health are perennially popular topics as the desire for this kind of self-improvement never fluctuates. From diet books and exercise programs to books that focus on attitude adjustment and therapeutic self-examination, often people will turn to this self-help book genre for its affordability. If you can’t afford a gym membership or a therapist, a self-help book is often the next best option. Famous titles include Good Energy, The Body Keeps The Score, and Becoming Supernatural.

4. Relationships and communication

If there is an unaddressed need in our modern society, it is effective communication. In this age of social media where we have more communication tools than ever before, communication skills themselves seem to be in short supply and are often a lost art. Improving communication will improve your interpersonal relationships and conflict resolution. Along the way, you can acquire more emotional intelligence which will aid in your ability to connect to people. Suffice it to say, this is a solid topic for a self-help book with a dependable audience. A few of the best-selling self-help books in this category are He’s Just Not That Into You, Getting The Love You Want, and Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus.

5. Career success and leadership

Most business gurus and publications agree that the most important quality for career success and leaders in today’s business world is self-awareness. It’s a foundation for empathy, improves your communication skills, and leads to better decision making and time management. For these reasons, self-help books in this category are seen as valuable tools in not just self-development but in improving businesses as a whole. If you’re going to be writing in this self-help book genre, some experience/success in the business world will make your thesis more convincing to a potential audience. Other variations on the topic include tips for networking and more specific focus on aspects of professional development. Examples of this kind of book include The Confidence Code, The Slight Edge, and What Color Is Your Parachute?

6. Financial advice

Most people would love to have more money. If you have credentials in the financial services industry, writing a financial self-help book might be very lucrative. These books can be aimed at those with money and helping them manage it through investing and planning, and also at those without money to help them earn more, work towards financial independence, and learn budgeting skills. Think and Grow Rich, Secrets of the Millionaire Mind, and Rich Dad, Poor Dad are some classic examples of this self-help book genre.

7. Spirituality and purpose

Since ancient times, people have been seeking answers to the great questions of the meaning of life. What is our purpose? Why are we all here? Books helping to answer these questions can provide solace to searching minds and souls in these troubled times. Broader than the mindfulness category above, this topic would include books connected to organized religion and those with a more esoteric and spiritual focus. You don’t need a deep pedigree to write a book in this category, but spiritual community leaders and those in related fields like yoga and psychotherapy would have an advantage. Some of the best-known spirituality self-help books are Man’s Search For Meaning, The Four Agreements, and Be Here Now.

8. Creativity and inspiration

Artists, musicians, and creators of all stripes are always seeking new sources of inspiration. Exploring the creative urge itself can help any artist at any level of their craft to deepen their practice and move to the next level in their work. As a self-help book genre, it’s open for anyone with experience as a creator to assist others with their creative journeys – particularly if one has also been a teacher of some kind. Often books in this area will have tangible exercises and even workbooks which accompany the main book to provide hands-on engagement into untangling one’s creative process. Classic creativity self-help books include The Artist’s Way, Creative Visualization, and Make Your Art No Matter What.

9. Resilience and overcoming adversity

There is a saying in 12 step programs: “life on life’s terms.” This means that no matter our best intentions, the bad parts of life will occur regardless, and it is up to us to process them and incorporate their lessons. Life can be brutal; death, addiction, disease, disability, and despair are all part of the total package. Coping with traumatic events requires the help of professionals, but self-help books are a great adjunct to treatment. If you have experienced loss of this kind, your experience can be of great benefit to others should you choose to write a self-help book in this genre. Well-known examples include On Death and Dying, Resilient, and numerous books on addiction/recovery.

10. Happiness and life satisfaction

Much emphasis is placed on personal happiness in our society, but the psychology behind happiness is often misunderstood. Researchers and psychologists are beginning to prove what mystics and yogis have known for centuries: happiness is an internal condition often independent of external realities. Life satisfaction tends to derive from the pursuit of pleasurable activities and living with purpose, not from experiencing external rewards. This self-help book genre is open to anyone with a story to tell and enough life experiences to be able to distill universal themes. Rising Strong, You Become What You Think, and The Art of Happiness are some titles that exemplify this topic.

Which self-help genre sparks your imagination?

Within the broad umbrella of self-help, there are quite a few niches for an author to explore. Whether you are looking to write something tangible aimed at personal development or something more impalpable in the realm of spirituality or philosophical exploration, there’s probably a self-help book genre that your book will fit into nicely. If you contemplate the wheelhouse of your experience and interests, the category of your book will be obvious to you. Don’t be afraid to stretch a bit and educate yourself while telling your story to your readers; some of the best self-help books come from people who don’t seem to have all the answers but, like the rest of us, are searching and learning as they go along.

And when you’re ready to self-publish your self-help book , BookBaby is here with you every step of the way. From cover design and book editing to distribution and marketing , it’s all right here when you’re ready to get started.

Self-Help Book FAQs

1. What genre is a self-help book? A self-help book belongs to the nonfiction genre. The primary goal of a self-help book is to provide readers with practical steps and insights to achieve their personal or professional goals based on one’s own personal experience. 2. Can I write a self-help book as fiction? Yes, you can write a self-help book as fiction. This approach combines storytelling with practical advice, allowing readers to learn through the experiences of fictional characters. By weaving self-help principles into a compelling narrative, you can engage readers on an emotional level and illustrate concepts in a relatable way. This method can make the advice more memorable and impactful, blending entertainment with personal growth. 3. What’s the difference between a self-help book and a memoir? The main difference between a self-help book and a memoir lies in their purpose and structure:

• Self-Help Book : Focuses on providing readers with advice, strategies, and tools to improve their lives. It is often structured around specific topics or issues, offering step-by-step guidance and actionable insights. Your personal experiences may be included as examples, but the primary aim is to help readers achieve their goals.
• Memoir : Centers on the author’s personal life experiences, offering a reflective and narrative account of significant events and moments. While memoirs can offer inspiration and life lessons, their primary purpose is to share the author’s story rather than to provide direct advice or guidance. Memoirs are more about storytelling and personal reflection, whereas self-help books are more instructional and goal-oriented.

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How to Write Onomatopoeia (Sound Effects): Ultimate Guide

Writing sound effects is one of the easiest ways to pull readers into a scene.

Whether it’s a sudden crash or the soft rustle of leaves, onomatopoeia transforms the story into an auditory experience.

Here is a quick answer for how to write onomatopoeia:

To write sound effects, use onomatopoeia—words that mimic real sounds. Choose sounds that match the intensity of the scene (e.g., “Bang!” for explosions), use italics to emphasize, and elongate or repeat sounds for added effect. Always balance with description for full impact.

In this guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about how to write sound effects in your stories.

What Is Onomatopoeia?

Table of Contents

Onomatopoeia is the use of words that mimic real sounds, making your writing more immersive and dynamic.

It’s a form of figurative language that triggers sensory engagement, giving your readers an experience that’s not just visual, but auditory too.

Think of the word buzz . When you read it, you can practically hear a bee or a phone vibrating.

This natural connection between sound and meaning makes onomatopoeia a valuable tool in storytelling.

Why Use Onomatopoeia?

Onomatopoeia brings readers closer to the action. It’s a shortcut to creating a sense of presence in your story. Instead of explaining that “the gunshot echoed loudly,” you can write Bang! and it will land instantly.

Examples of Onomatopoeia in Writing:

• Action Sounds: Boom! Crack! Wham!
• Nature Sounds: Buzz, drip, rustle.
• Human Sounds: Murmur, cough, snore.

Importance in Writing:

• Enhances Engagement: Onomatopoeia makes readers feel like they’re in the moment.
• Saves Space: You can convey more with one sound word than with a long description.
• Improves Pacing: Sound effects can break up long descriptions and keep the action moving.

Different Types of Sound Effects in Writing

Not all sounds are created equal. They serve different purposes depending on the tone, action, or mood of the scene.

Let’s explore the different categories of sound effects and how you can effectively use them in your writing.

1. Action and Impact Sounds

Action and impact sounds often signal quick, intense movements or events, like fights, accidents, or explosions. They are abrupt and loud, giving the reader a sudden jolt. These sounds can underscore key moments of tension or climax in the story.

• Bang! – Gunshots or loud explosions
• Crash! – Objects colliding or breaking
• Thud! – Something heavy falling

How to Write Them:

• Place these sounds at the height of action, making sure they reflect the intensity of the moment.
• Use italics or exclamation points to add punch and emphasize the sound.
• Keep these sounds short and sharp for greater impact.

Expanded Example in a Story:

The glass slipped from her fingers and fell. Crash! Shards scattered across the floor, leaving her frozen in place.

2. Nature Sounds

Nature sounds are often subtler and used to create atmosphere.

Whether it’s the distant sound of rain or the wind whispering through trees, these sounds help readers feel the environment without needing long descriptions.

• Rustle – Wind through leaves or fabric
• Buzz – Insects or electrical devices
• Splash – Water hitting a surface
• Use nature sounds to build a sensory-rich environment.
• Pair these sounds with visual and sensory descriptions for greater impact.
• Be careful not to overuse them. One or two sound words can be enough to set the tone.

The leaves rustled underfoot as they walked, their breath mingling with the soft buzz of insects darting through the evening air.

3. Human Sounds

Human sounds range from simple verbal noises to sounds that communicate emotions, such as sighs or gasps.

These sounds can replace dialogue tags or show emotions that might otherwise be hard to describe.

• Sigh – A soft breath, indicating relief or frustration
• Gasp – A sudden intake of breath, signaling shock or surprise
• Mumble – Incoherent speech, often associated with tiredness or shyness
• Use them sparingly in dialogue to add subtle emotion.
• Combine them with body language to give the reader a clearer picture of the character’s state of mind.
• Experiment with volume. A gasp can be tiny and personal or loud and dramatic.

She let out a small sigh , glancing around the room for any sign of recognition. Nothing.

4. Animal Sounds

Writing animal sounds can add depth and realism to scenes involving pets, wildlife, or farm animals. These sounds are often instantly recognizable and can help readers visualize the action or setting.

• Meow – A cat’s sound
• Bark – A dog’s noise
• Roar – A lion’s call
• Use animal sounds to connect with your reader’s familiarity with animals.
• Make sure it’s clear which animal is making the noise by providing context.
• Experiment with using these sounds to highlight the emotions of the scene—whether it’s tension, comfort, or danger.

The dog barked loudly at the intruder, its growl rising as it stepped closer.

5. Mechanical and Technological Sounds

Modern life is filled with mechanical sounds, from the beep of an alarm to the whir of a computer.

These sounds are essential in tech-heavy or futuristic settings, but also add realism to contemporary stories.

• Click – Pressing a button or switch
• Whirr – A machine running
• Beep – Notifications or alarms
• Use these sounds to build immersion in technological settings.
• Pair them with descriptions of actions to give them context (e.g., clicking a switch).
• Vary the intensity and volume depending on whether the tech sound is a background noise or an important part of the scene.

The computer let out a soft beep as the message appeared on the screen. A second later, the hard drive started to whirr .

How to Format Sound Effects in Your Writing

You can format sound effects in writing in lots of ways. Here are some of the most common and most powerful ways.

Italics help distinguish the sound effect from the rest of the text, especially in dialogue or narrative. Italicizing onomatopoeia ensures that the sound stands out and signals to the reader that a sound is being conveyed.

Example: Crash! The vase hit the floor, shattering into hundreds of pieces.

2. Exclamation Points

Exclamation points emphasize loud, sharp sounds. They’re great for adding punch to sounds that carry urgency or drama.

Example: Boom! The cannon fired, shaking the ground beneath their feet.

3. All Caps

For particularly intense or overwhelming sounds, all caps can make the sound more visually powerful, giving it weight on the page.

Example: BANG! The door slammed shut, echoing down the hallway.

4. Repetition

Repeating a sound effect can communicate ongoing or repetitive noises, like dripping water or footsteps.

Example: Drip. Drip. Drip. The slow, steady sound of water echoed through the empty halls.

5. Elongation

Elongating words by stretching them out can make readers feel the drawn-out nature of a sound, like the slow squeak of a door.

Example: The door creeaaaked open, sending shivers down his spine.

How to Use Sound Effects in Writing

It’s not enough to fill each page with literary explosions or metaphorical mumblings.

You need to know how to strategically use sounds effects. Here’s how to do just that.

1. Match the Tone of the Scene

Use sound effects that reflect the mood.

A tense scene benefits from sharp, abrupt noises like snap or crash , while a peaceful scene might have softer sounds like whisper or hum .

• Action Scene: Wham! His fist connected with the assailant’s jaw, sending him reeling backward.
• Calm Scene: The breeze carried the soft rustle of the trees, mingling with the distant hum of bees.

2. Use Sound Effecst Sparingly

Too many sound effects can overwhelm your writing, making it feel like a cartoon.

Use them at key moments for impact, but don’t rely on them to carry the scene. Too many sound effects can dilute and distract from the story.

3. Create a Balance with Other Descriptions

Sound effects should enhance your descriptions, not replace them. Combine sensory details to give readers a full picture of the scene.

Example: The thud of footsteps grew louder, accompanied by the faint smell of cigarette smoke.

4. Consider the Reader’s Experience

Sound effects need to flow smoothly within the story. If a sound effect feels clunky or disrupts the pacing, rework it to ensure it enhances the narrative rather than distracting from it.

Special Sound Effects for Genre Writing

Different genres lean into different types of sound effects, depending on the tone and style of the story.

Here’s how you can adapt onomatopoeia to suit specific genres:

Horror thrives on suspense, and sound effects play a crucial role in building tension.

The right sound can foreshadow danger or heighten fear.

Use eerie, subtle sounds to build suspense, and louder sounds to punctuate moments of terror.

• Creak – A door opening slowly, signaling an approaching threat
• Tap tap tap – Footsteps echoing down an empty hallway
• Scream! – A sudden, blood-curdling cry in the darkness

Expanded Example in a Horror Scene:

The floorboards creaked under her weight as she tiptoed through the old house. Suddenly, a loud thump echoed from upstairs, sending chills down her spine.

In comedy, sound effects often serve to exaggerate physical actions or punchlines, adding a layer of humor through timing and absurdity. They can be deliberately silly or over-the-top.

• Boing! – A spring-like noise when a character falls or gets hit
• Splaat! – The sound of a pie hitting someone’s face
• Whoosh! – A fast, exaggerated movement

Expanded Example in a Comedy Scene:

He slipped on the banana peel with a loud boing! and landed face-first into the cake. Splaat! went the frosting.

3. Action/Adventure

In action-packed scenes, sound effects help convey the intensity of the physical battles, explosions, and chase scenes. They add to the momentum and stakes of the story.

• Pow! – A punch landing in a fight scene
• Boom! – An explosion or gunshot
• Clang! – Weapons clashing during a battle

Expanded Example in an Action Scene:

The sword struck his opponent’s shield with a loud clang , sparks flying from the impact. Behind him, the enemy’s cannon let out a deafening boom! .

Sci-fi often introduces futuristic technology and environments, which come with their own unique sounds. Whether it’s a spaceship taking off or a laser firing, sound effects help create the feel of an advanced, high-tech world.

• Zap! – A laser gun firing
• Whirr – A machine powering up
• Beep – Notifications from a high-tech device

Expanded Example in a Sci-Fi Scene:

The ship’s engines whirred to life as the countdown began. Just as the ship lifted off, a zap of electricity arced across the control panel.

In fantasy, sound effects can bring magical creatures and spells to life, grounding readers in an otherworldly setting. You can also create entirely new sounds to fit your magical world.

• Roar! – A dragon’s mighty call
• Crackle – A magical fire burning
• Swish – The sound of a sword or wand being swung

Expanded Example in a Fantasy Scene:

The dragon let out a fearsome roar , shaking the ground. Flames crackled in its wake as it soared across the sky.

Romantic stories often rely on soft, intimate sounds that draw the reader into the characters’ emotional connection. The focus here is on quieter, more subtle sound effects.

• Sigh – A character’s breath of relief or longing
• Whisper – Quiet, intimate dialogue between lovers
• Rustle – The sound of clothes moving or a soft touch

Expanded Example in a Romance Scene:

She let out a soft sigh as he pulled her closer, the fabric of her dress rustling against the cool breeze.

The Art of Choosing the Right Sound

I found the following tips helpful when choosing the perfect sound effect for a scene in a story.

1. Think About the Sound’s Origin

Consider the source of the sound when choosing the right onomatopoeia. A crashing wave sounds different from a dropped book, so your choice of words should match the nature of the sound.

• Splash – For water-related noises
• Thud – For a heavy object hitting the ground
• Whir – For machines or fast motion

2. Consider the Volume

The intensity of the sound should match the scene. A loud, dramatic scene needs a bold, punchy sound word, while quieter scenes should have more subdued sounds.

Loud Examples:

• Boom, Crash, Slam! Soft Examples:
• Tap, Hum, Whisper.

3. Play with Rhythm

Sounds have their own rhythms—consider a steady beat or irregular dripping to reflect pacing in your story.

• Thump. Thump. – A steady heartbeat
• Drip. Drip. Drip. – Slow, irregular water droplets

If you want a good practice exercise to learn how to write onomatopoeia, this video walks you through a good one:

Final Thoughts: How to Write Onomatopoeia

Experiment with different types of sounds, adapt them to your genre, and always consider how they enhance the scene.

When used with care and creativity, sound effects can make your story resonate on an entirely new level.

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Attendees browse book stalls Saturday at the 39th annual Printers Row Lit Fest on South Dearborn between Ida B. Wells Drive and Polk Street. The event continues Sunday.

Zubaer Khan/Sun-Times

Printers Row Lit Fest is 'like a family reunion' for authors and book fans

Thousands of book lovers picked up new and used books and met authors while writers exchanged ideas and reconnected at the 39th annual event. the event continues sunday..

Thousands of book lovers converged at the 39th annual Printers Row Lit Fest on Saturday, buying books and engaging with their favorite writers while authors exchanged ideas and reconnected.

Friends and poets Natalie Staples and Kira Tucker already had several books in hand coming into the festival.

They had come to meet their “Britney Spears,” former National Poet Laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner Tracy K. Smith.

Staples, who teaches at the Chicago Academy for the Arts in West Town, uses Smith’s “Wade In the Water” for some of her classes — and now has a signed copy to do so.

Natalie Staples shows off a signed copy of “Such Color” by Tracy K. Smith at Printers Row Lit Fest on Saturday.

“I felt like I was meeting a president or Britney Spears,” Staples said moments after meeting Smith. “That was amazing, I’m still kind of processing it all. … She’s the poet I want to be.”

Tucker said the festival also served as a meeting ground for writers of all levels, and in turn, a place to bounce ideas off each other and take inspiration from each other’s work.

“Hearing what new artistic projects other artists and authors are up to brings me inspiration and fuels my own brainstorm for my own work,” Tucker said. “It’s almost like a family reunion in a way because I get to see so many writers I know or people whose work I admire and catch up with those I haven’t seen in a while.”

Some said they would be returning Sunday to attend a panel featuring author Faylita Hicks.

Staples said the fest inspires hope for those who have seen the literary arts get defunded in some educational institutions.

“Especially when it feels like funding is flying out the doors in a lot of places, we need community and places to gather,” Staples said.

Kira Tucker (left) and Natalie Staples attend Printers Row Lit Fest on Saturday.

Corey Hall, a veteran of the Near South Planning Board’s festival, has attended the event every year since 2009.

He’s also an English professor at Kennedy-King College and the creator of “Expressions from Englewood” — a collection of personal essays, poems and other written work from his students about their experiences in the neighborhood.

Hall spoke about the nine books on his table with encyclopedic knowledge, remembering which stories were written by students who have gone on to become nurses and pursue other professions, though he said he’s always excited to help them add “published author” to their resumés.

“You got the grade, how about getting published?” he said he tells his students who are surprised at his offer to get them published.

Hall said he funds the project through the book series’ sales — and his credit card — to ensure that budget cuts for extracurricular activities aren’t a barrier for his authors.

He has a background in journalism, and he said he wanted to help uplift the voices of those in the neighborhood that usually get drowned out by crime coverage.

“Ninety-nine times out of 100, if Englewood comes up, you know what they’re going to say,” Hall said. “And there are stories about violence, it happens everywhere. … It’s just to give a different view of Englewood, not to put blinders on anything. There are a lot of good people and good stories from this community.”

Hall said the “Expressions from Englewood” series’ 10th book will be published by the end of January. A website is also in the works.

Corey Hall (center) speaks to customers at his table at Printers Row Lit Fest on Saturday. Hall teaches at Kennedy-King College and puts together the book series “Expressions from Englewood,” collecting writings from his students about their experiences living in the neighborhood.

Near Hall’s table, Jenine Snyder and partner John Pollard strolled through the festival with Snyder’s sister and nephews.

Pollard, a first-time attendee, said he was looking forward to attending the “Defending Free Inquiry on Campus” panel Sunday night, as well as some others that relate to the history doctoral dissertation he’s writing at Northwestern. Another event features local author Rebecca Makkai, who has written about Chicago during the AIDS epidemic. She is slated to discuss Crystal Hana Kim’s novel “The Stone Home.”

Snyder said she attends most years, usually gravitating toward romance novels, and had already picked up a book for her dad by midday Saturday. She said it’s easy to find what she’s looking for when surrounded by literature and the people who create it.

“I feel like you find books you wouldn’t otherwise just by chatting with the authors,” Snyder said. “We’re gonna have to walk back around without the [kids] to look at the boring grown-up books.”

Printers Row Lit Fest continues Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on South Dearborn Street between Ida B. Wells Drive and Polk Street.

People from across the Chicago area came to browse books, listen to authors speak and meet new people at Printer’s Row Lit Fest, on South Dearborn between Ida B. Wells Drive and Polk Street on Saturday.

Savvino-Storozhevsky Monastery

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