M any people dream about having one of their books listed as a new york bestseller or even on The Guardian’s list of top books. Even some of the finest writers on the planet face writer’s block at some point in their careers.
Belong are some tips on how to face the blocks and how to form a plan when it comes to writing that bestseller that comes to mind
When planning for a bestseller, one has to think new and think big. Putting something together based on something that has already been released such as The Hobbit leaves a repetitive story being put out in the world. And let’s face it. That is not new or big. No one wants to read a book that is a rewrite of a popular story. Finding a new arc and building on that idea will lead to the book being more interesting for future readers. Toss the ideas around until the perfect idea is formed.
All writers have different ways to get started. Some set a word count to reach every day, whereas some prefer to have set hours when they prefer to write. Whatever works for the writer. What does help a lot is having a set corner that is meant for sitting and writing? Whether it is at home in a corner in the quiet or a bustling cafe as long as the blood starts flowing in the brain. Having a set goal when it comes to writing helps a person to stay away from getting overwhelmed or from facing burnout.
No matter whether it is the writer’s first novel or the 10th, having a plan helps a lot. Getting a sense of the story’s structure and the plot points written down goes a long way as it helps give the story a direction to go. Writing the plot points also helps cover any possible plot holes that tend to happen and also at times inspires more ideas that could work in the story.
Once the plot points are covered, having a world created where everything works together is the way one should go. Languages that are spoken, what are the characters like, basically building a stable foundation to continue building the story. The more detailed the world, the more the reader will be interested.
Not only is having a thoroughly planned world is important, but characters that catch the readers’ attention are also well. Planning a backstory that is relatable and has emotion is necessary to gain empathy from the readers. Making them believable characters will keep readers emotionally attached until the last page of the book.
The next decision lies in having a point of view decided. Is it going to a character that tells the story, or is it going to be someone watching from afar that knows everything that is going on? Deciding on having the story in first person or even second will help start things when it comes to writing the story onto paper.
Any great book has a great start. Finding the right hook to catch the readers’ attention 100% from the first page is essential. Many people lose interest in the book if the first chapter or page does not even catch their eye. Choosing the right atmosphere and the tone that goes well with the situation brings a lot to the table.
Think outside the box. Find a way around the situation in the story without it seeming like a cliche. There are many exercises in creative writing that can be used to brainstorm new plot twists. Build up the situation and raise stakes for the characters to reach a climax that could not have been guessed by the readers.
This is one of the final steps of writing a booking. Accepting that the first write-up is not the final version is key. Rewrites help fix tiny things that were not noticeable before as now the whole book is on the table making things much clearer. Once this is accepted, that is when the writer knows how to write a bestseller.
