Do you have a set of amazing ideas which are worth writing about but have no clue where to start?
Whenever I have an idea for a book, I jot down some notes. I start writing a draft on how the story should turn out to be. The characters, setting and plot all pop up on their own.
As for the description of characters, I stick to drawing them out from my mind. They could be inspired by certain people I know or existing characters from different books and media.
What kind of personality and interests do each of your characters have?
How do you describe them terms of appearance, mindset and background?
Who are the protagonists, supporting characters or antagonists?
The second one is "world building." This is very crucial to your story. It hooks your audience into this world as they flip through the pages. This includes the description of your setting, its inhabitants, lifestyle and culture.
You could also just state where the characters are if you're either too lazy describing the most mundane details or your readers find it boring.
Trying to come up with fictional names of places requires creativity, too. If you're writing a fantasy novel and don't know what to call a countryside town inhabited by wizards, make a concept map and write down any related to magic and the countryside.
Do this until the idea naturally pops up in your head. You can also play with words or any existing name.
Believe me when I say this is where I already come up with the title, blurb (the description of your story) and book cover. I make sure to come up with the most random and bizarre title, then look it up on the Internet in case it's already taken. As for my book covers, it's either made on the Pages app (iOS) or Photoshop.
The blurb has to be one to two paragraphs long and straightforward so any potential readers may pick up your book. If you're wondering why that is, it's because I already have a whole idea on what premise is about.
What I like about Wattpad is how you have the liberty to change it anytime you wish. My only gripe here is how I have to adjust the cover so it doesn't look cropped.
I will be talking more about book covers and finding readership in the next chapters. じゃあね！(See 'ya!)
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Writer's Guide 101 (Wattpad Edition)
Non-FictionCheck out some helpful insights, writing peeves, book recommendations and more! Take everything I say with a grain of salt for most of the stuff here are based on personal preferences. I'd be glad if this somehow helped other authors as well. Also...
