How to Write a Book

What writing actually means...

If you're struggling to get your writing done, you might not understand what writing actually is...

Writing is not the act of creating a finished product. No, writing is simply the act of creating something.

Here's what I mean:

Most writers aren't getting their writing done because they are thinking about the end goal, where they want the project to end up. They are focusing on too large a picture and being perfectionists along the way. They end up editing every little thing, or writing scenes and developing characters then getting lost in how those fit into the grand scheme. When lost, they give up. This isn't a good way to think about writing, especially if you're inexperienced.

Writing means messing up. It means putting words on a page that make no sense. It means writing a scene that doesn't work. It means developing an unrealistic character. It means typos. It means over-describing things. Under-describing them.

To write, you are allowed to write poorly. In fact, you should. Everyone does. What most people don't realize is that this actually takes courage. You have to allow yourself to do it. You have to break free from your desire to be any good, and shift your whole mentality. You should not focus on getting it right, you should focus on getting it done. Analogies help with this:

Writing is a skill, just like any other skill. It is developed by experience, repetition, and training. Young writers seem to want to take some classes, read some books, talk to a few people, and then write something great. That makes no sense. A basketball player does not take some classes, watch a few YouTube videos, go to a game or two, and then play professionally. He practices. He plays at home, with friends, with coaches, and by himself. He attempts things he can't do and messes up. Then he does it again, and again. Eventually, a great basketball player will emerge, but there was a lot of nonsense and garbage produced along the way. However, those are the moments in which he learned to be great.

Writing is the same way. If you want to do it, you need to just sit down and do it. Write something crazy. Write about a character that sees out of the back of their head, and then laugh at how terrible it is. Throw that story out, it really is terrible. But that's not the point, the point is that you will then have the experience of thinking about the world in a strange way, and you will have practiced describing it, and putting it on paper. You are now a better writer.

Even if you are working on a large project like a book, break it down into smaller ones. Write random scenes with your characters. Take them on unrelated adventures that may or may not be anywhere in the book. Write about boring places, and then, for fun, just write about something completely unrelated.

You don't have to be working on your project all the time. Visit r/writingprompts and write about whatever zombie time traveler is there at the moment. Get back to your book tomorrow.

Whatever you do, don't be afraid to do it poorly. And yes, that is fear that holds you back. Fear of messing up is what most young writers don't even realize is preventing them from getting better. Making mistakes and practicing things we aren't good at is the way we all improve .

~Written by u/[deleted] user on Reddit