1. From the idea to the book
Okay, you have a basic idea. You may even have characters and settings – but how does this turn into a book-filling story? Very simple: be a child again. Ask a thousand questions, come around the corner with the most absurd ideas. Set no limits to your imagination and you will see: The story arises automatically. The hard part comes only now, because if you have the story, work out the core conflict and tell it in one sentence. Is the sentence exciting? Congratulations on the thread of your story. Not exciting enough? Back to the playground!
2. Before you start writing: Do your homework!
No, very few authors simply let the muse flow out of themselves when they start writing. Even the biggest bestselling authors are probably afraid of a white sheet of paper. That's why you need a good plot plan, i.e. a rough sketch of the plot, in which you determine where the journey is going and which paths your characters will take. Don't worry, the plot plan is not set in stone. But without knowing the rough direction, your characters' journey will probably lead to nowhere.
3. Know your characters and give them depth
Perhaps your reader will never find out that Gregor has had an affair with a much older woman and that went quite wrong, but YOU as the author should always have this in mind. Every detail of a biography gives your character more credibility and depth. The more you know about your characters, the more intuitively you know in each scene how they would rule. The best thing to do is to first write a detailed biography for each important figure.
4. Confidence is good. Sample readers are better
If your feeling tells you that your idea has what it takes to be a book, don't let it stop you from writing it. Also a J.K. Rowling was once ridiculed – today half the world reads their books. Stand by your idea, BUT: don't keep it to yourself. Talk to others about it, exchange ideas, preferably with people who have experience. And before you get yours infant submit, there are absolutely trial readers. Authors are also not immune to blindness – logic gaps lurk everywhere.
5. Have the courage to write for the bin
In front of you: the empty document. In you: The search for the perfect first sentence, the ideal chapter entry, doesn't really matter – unfortunately, that won't work anyway. Perfection does not arise in the head, you have to write! Write ten first sentences, twenty, thirty – just get started. You'll revise it a thousand times anyway. Once the first sentence is on paper, you will have progressed as 90 percent of the other people who "someday" want to write a book …
6. If you need pressure, get some
Most authors know their inner bastard very well, because writing is really exhausting. Sometimes only one thing helps to win against him: pressure. Since you don't have a deadline for the first book, you have to help yourself in some other way. This is best suited to strict friends, partners or even better: writing groups. You don't want to be the only one who is already standing there with blank sheets …
7. Don't be afraid of theory
No master has yet fallen from heaven – even a Kafka was not born a literary wonder. Of course, you can intuitively do some things right, but a little basic knowledge never hurts. Attend writing seminars, a script course or buy a book about writing. The books by James N. Frey, for example, are very entertaining and helpful to start with.
8. Read in your genre! Read in other genres! LIES!
An old misconception in the minds of many young authors: reading messes up my personal writing style. Some are even afraid of losing their creativity as a result. All nonsense! Every book opens up new worlds, new perspectives, new mechanics. You can learn a lot from other authors. Sometimes also how not to do it better …
9. Forget publishers, rely on literary agents
You are welcome to send your manuscript to a publisher. You could also leave it to the shredder – the chances of it being released are about the same. Why? Publishers are chronically understaffed – your script usually drowns among thousands of others. Better contact literature agencies. They know the market, the right people and need fresh ideas like yours.
10. Stay away from so-called printing cost subsidy publishers
How do you recognize them? They ask for money, and not too little. Authors should pay to have their manuscript printed. At the same time, the publisher pretends to be serious and pretends to critically review the manuscript that has been sent in. In reality, all manuscripts are taken. They print everything, the main thing is that the author pays for it.