How to Write a Book: 10 Steps to Write Your First Novel Rough Draft

So, you want to know how to write a book? I couldn’t be more pleased. Seriously, congratulate yourself right now for wanting this amazing goal of writing a novel. You want to be a book writer of fiction writing, and that is extraordinary. 

Story writing is magic. You’re creating a chill-inducing setting and relatable dynamic characters—a whole world—from just 26 letters and white paper.  The desire of writing a novel is magnetic…irresistable. 

You also know to write a book there are many working parts, and it can be a daunting mountain to look upon. But today we will be tackling one of the hardest and easiest parts of crafting a book: The rough draft, or the first draft. 

Why is writing a novel’s first draft both easy and hard? It’s easy because you are just expanding your novel outline or plot points into prose, and it’s not necessary to write good. Yet it’s the hardest because putting down what’s in your head onto paper for the first time (often making up scenes as you go) can be frustrating and you are likely to hit writer’s block at some point. 

However, set aside your fiction writing fears because we’re going to jump into how to write the first draft of your book in detail. We have 10 steps to writing a book we’ll approach and conquer. In no time you will be writing ’The End’ on the final page of your novel’s rough draft. 

You ready? I am!

How I Know How to Write a Book First Draft

Just so you know that I know what I’m talking about, here’s a quick run-down of my first novel rough drafting experience. 

Like many first-time writers, I spent years chipping away at a novel tucked away in my computer files. In 3 years time I had accumulated roughly 30,000 words on an unplanned and unresearched novel rough draft. 

Yet in 2015, my life pursuits shifted to writing, and in a month and a half I had finished my 70,000+ word book draft. I was astonished! What just happened?! 

All that to say, through personal experience I know how to write a book rough draft and how not to write a book rough draft. Today we’re going through the do’s of how to write a book, and I’m so excited to share what I’ve learned and struggled with so you can write your novel faster. 

Let’s dig in! 

Step 1: A Gigantic Reason to Write a Book

Step 1 may be the most important step we discuss. Having a big enough reason to write a book will pull you through to the finish line no matter the odds, but having too little a reason will leave room for excuses to not write your book. 

So, what’s a big reason?

Some examples: 

• You believe writing a novel is something you’re meant to do.

• The dream of being an author is exhilarating to think about, the future career you can imagine tantalizing.

• A mental health lifeline. It’s what holds you’re life together and what makes you feel right. 

Your reason doesn’t have to be any of the above (it can be, though). But your reason does need to be big enough to carry you through the frustration and writing blocks ahead. Your reason to write a book needs to be so big that nothing and no one can tear it down. Your passion needs to be alive and burning. 

During the month and a half I wrote about 40,000 words, I had a song I listened to probably everyday that kept me engaged in writing: “All I Have” by NF. The song is about NF’s raw reasons why he writes his songs even when times are tough. His lyrics express how his music is a part of him and how it is “all I have.” 

I used this song to keep me focused on what I was trying to accomplish. 

Now, your reason to write a book will be as unique as yourself. It can be light or dark, but it needs to be strong and it needs to be good…pure. You need to be all-in and committed to writing. 

Your job in Step 1 is to begin discovering what your special reason to write a book is. 

Step 2:  Set a Writing Target

Your Step 2 is setting a time or word count goal to hit each day or each writing session. 

It can be 500 words or an hour a day. 

Thirty minutes or 100 words a writing session. 

If you have a certain date you would like to finish your book by, divide how many words you have left to write with how many days you have left, and voila there’s your goal. 

My personal goal was 1,000 words a day, and I carved out a two hour period in which to write those words in. 

You may not hit your goal on some days and over deliver on other days, but having a set target will make your intent to write a book real and help you organize your day with writing as a priority. 

Step 3: Pick a Place and Time to Write

While you can roll with the flow of life and plan to write when you happen to have time, you will find you never have time. 

Picking a place and time dedicated to story writing will give you some insurance that you will get your book draft done. 

Where and when you write is completely up to you, but here are some things to keep in mind while choosing: 

• Where or when will you be least disturbed by family and friends? 

• When are you most creative? 

• What environment will help you focus on writing your book? 

You can try a few places and times before setting on one. Or perhaps you like mixing it up between writing sessions. Doesn’t matter, just find a place and time you can complete your writing target. 

Once you pick a place and time, protect them fiercely. This is your space and time to write your book. When procrastination and life events try to steal your time, remember the gigantic reason why you are writing a novel. 

Related: How to Find Writing Time in a Busy Schedule

Step 4:  Add Simple Pleasures

Wherever you are writing, ease the tension of beginning with some simple pleasures. 

Pour yourself a cup of tea, coffee, or wine. Prepare a snack. Settle in with a fluffy blanket, put on some music that inspires your story, diffuse some essential oils or light a candle. You do you. 

I’ve found when I’m writing a novel draft the more I treat myself the easier it is to start, and it’s more fun to keep going once I gain momentum. 

Use simple pleasures and luxuries to get yourself into the mood of writing your book. 

Step 5: Your Book Writer Routine

Step 2 + Step 3 + Step 4 = Step 5

Your routine will be the above equation. Add you writing target, place and time, and simple pleasures into a routine you repeat everyday. 

When you have a routine ingrained in your schedule, you have a system you can rely on to get your writing done. 

What’s magnificent about your writing routine compared to the normal routines you hold throughout the day (your ho-hum schedule), is you can make it amazing and exciting. 

You want to create a writing routine you will be excited to start everyday. It’s your special space, special time, and special treats. 

My drafting routine started in the evenings. I would make myself a cup of tea, settle in my bed with a nice blanket, and find a chill-step playlist on YouTube. It was the part of my day I looked forward to most. 

Your routine is the part of your day you get to immerse yourself in your story world, characters, and scene settings.  Have fun with it! 

Related: How to Make Your Own Writing Routine and Why You Should

Step 6: Multi-Task with Imagination

Your writing routine is your time to write a book. Step 6 is applicable to your remaining time. 

While you are cleaning, driving to work, performing mundane and mindless tasks, multi-task with your imagination. 

When you aren’t writing, think about what you will write next. Make starting your routine easier by gaining a clear idea of what you will write in your book, brainstorming for fixes to plot holes, and getting to know your characters inside and out. 

While doing tasks, ask yourself what your character would do in your present situation.  How would they act? What would they think? Would they say something? 

Not only will you have more fun throughout the day, but you will be adding logs to your story fire. 

Remember your gigantic reason for writing a novel, and then give your imagination permission to work on your dream/purpose/goal in every moment you can. 

Pro tip: If you come up with an idea for your book while you’re imagining, be sure to make a note in a notebook or your phone app so you won’t forget.

Step 7: Write, Write, Write Your Book

When writing a novel rough draft, you will undoubtedly write some bad prose along the way. Don’t let this scare or discourage you. Every writer writes bad fiction to get to the good fiction. 

A first draft is called the rough draft because it is ROUGH.

Still, you will probably feel the urge to edit the bad prose along the way. 

There are strong arguments on both sides regarding editing while writing a first draft. Some say a little editing is good and can speed up your writing in the long run. Others say do not edit a word, or even reread your work, until your first draft is complete. 

I believe each side of the argument is based on a writer’s creative method, so I won’t give you a definitive answer either way. 

However, I do believe the important point in both arguments is to not spend too much time in one place while you are drafting. 

While writing a book it’s far too easy to get stuck in one place of the story, hung up in an edit quandary. 

Keep moving forward each day, and you will make it to the end! 

Step 8: Take Notes While Book Drafting

While drafting, take notes when you come upon something you need to learn how to do or conduct research on. 

If something you need information on requires just a quick search, then do it now. But if the information will take some time to acquire and it’s not 100% crucial for writing the rest of your story, make a note so you can look into it apart from your regularly scheduled drafting time. 

Find a system that works for you. Be sure the system includes what you need to learn or research, and what scene the information is related to for easy reference and edits later.

When I was writing the rough draft of my first novel, I made the mistake of not creating a reliable note-taking system, and I’ve sorely regretted not doing so in the editing process. 

Create a system that works for you! 

Step 9: Keep Your Writing Headspace

To write a book you need to keep in your fiction writing headspace. Day in and day out you need your head in the world of writing a novel. 

Don’t allow excuses to keep you from writing or words from family and friends sway you from your commitment. Events will vie for your attention, but you need to remind yourself of your reason and your priorities, and keep your headspace. 

Writing a book does not take forever, so you need to grab hold of the project and finish it. 

When you are in a writing headspace, you will finish writing a novel quicker than you believe is possible. 

Stay in that headspace! 

Step 10: Celebrate! 

When you finish writing a book—and you will finish—celebrate your victory! You deserve it! 

When I finished writing my first rough draft, I bought myself a tub of ice cream. It. Was. Delicious. 

The point of Step 10 is to not undersell what you’ve accomplished. So many writers never finish there rough drafts. You are victorious over the first rough draft of a BOOK.

Congratulations! 

Time to Write a Book

Now you know how to write a book, so go and write your story as only you can. I have faith you are capable of finishing. 

Writing a novel draft is a challenge, but if I could do it, you can. I know everyone says that, but it’s true. You are good enough to write a first draft. 

When I wrote my first draft I was surviving day by day in a difficult life situation, and I didn’t have a clear idea what I was doing. When the situation ended, I was then on my second draft, which was a complete rewrite. 

During both drafts, I was going through a bad season of my anxiety and depression illnesses. Even with my mental health illnesses I was able to complete my first draft. It was a tall mountain to overcome, but I overcame it. 

You’ve got this. Not matter what you’re battling at this moment, I know you are more capable than you give yourself credit. You can learn to do anything with excellence, so set aside your doubts. 

Indulge in writing your novel, in your fiction writing. Follow these 10 steps on how to write a book, and you will succeed in writing your first novel rough draft. 

Hurray! 🙂

Helpful Resource:

Before the First Draft: The Plantster’s Guide to Prewriting by S.J. Siedenburg

Second Image: Photo by Kari Shea on Unsplash