I have written 2 and am working on a 3rd. I have never tried to publish them, but i have given them to friends to read.
Are you wanting to write fiction or non fiction?
For me, i set a deadline of a book a year. The books i have written around over 300 pages.
I usually start by looking at my post-its. I write down any book idea i have (and where it might fit into the books if applicable) on post-its. i have started moving these to the journal, but i sill like and use post-its. i organize them by putting them on a wall.
After i review any ideas i have for the book i want to write, i day dream while pacing listening to music and i put together the rough idea for the plot. Since i write supernatural mystery kinda stuff, i need a tight plot, so i have to have an idea of where i am going to end up.
I then take some paper, and a pen and i write it out. Very basic stuff. Just who the bad guys are, their motives, how we figure it out.
Next peice of paper, i write subplots.
Then i tie them all together in a larger but still sparse outline. By this point, i have a decent idea of what the main character will be coming up against and how she will resolve it.
I usally do all these steps in a couple days for a total of 4 or 5 hours. (also, i always keep post-its near because i often have ideas for great conversation bits or new plots while i do this, and i write them down as well as the number of the book i think the would happen in and put it on the post-it wall).
Depending on how long i have and how busy i am. I typically aim to write 1 chapter a week. My chapters are usually around 10-15 pages. I usally write it on the weekend (work and everything before got in the way) and i would write until i got it done. I then allowed myself to break.
I often found that the first couple chapters i wrote, i always end up with major rewrites because by chapter 3 or 4, i have found my stride and i dont want to stop writing because i want the story to play out and ideas come to me very quickly.
Historically, if i have the time, by chapter 4, all i can think about is the fact i want to write.
It is just a matter of sitting down and making yourself do it.
I give myself alot of leeway. I can make typos and everything and then i go back at the end of the book and read thru it fixing issues and typos.
I also find it is really useful to have someone who likes to read what you write to bounce ideas off of. The first book i wrote, it was great. They told me to start the book a day earlier in the story. It was a great suggestion and had a stronger opener because i took their suggestion.
The best advice i can think to give you, is to set aside time to write, and come hell or high water, write. Dont let yourself off the hook.
Adrienne
