STARTING A BOOK by Motsidi (Jay_Tsidi)
• Author of Scattered Stars
• The African Awards 2019 Winner.

First three rules.

1) READ! READ! READ!

I cannot stress this enough, you need to read a lot of books to gain knowledge of various book formats and genres. Reading books will also help you determine what sort of diction is expected of you as a writer considering the period or era in which you are going to write about. It helps a great deal and even published authors offer the same advice, you cannot be a good writer if you do not appreciate literature.

2) Be honest with yourself. 

Why do I write?

I want to share a truth I know only resides in myself. I want to validate the lives and struggle of the many who look in the mirror and say I am alone. I want to teach those without knowledge. I want to enlighten those who fear the truth. ~Tsidi

I asked myself that question after I published my first chapter on Wattpad. You have to be honest with yourself.

Are you doing it for fun or just to pass time or even for the riches and fame?
Do you want to educate people or share your own perspective?
Do you feel passionate about it?
Do you feel like it's your calling?
Etc.

How you answer that question will determine the amount of effort you put in your work because in the end your progress as a writer depends on you and your willingness to learn and expand.

3) DO NOT STEAL OR COPY SOMEONE ELSE'S WORK!!!

I think there is no crime as cruel and evil as stealing someone else's work in the literature world. Like that just makes you a complete loser, jokes aside because it means you don't have a creative bone in your body so you have to steal someone else's work to feel significant. We all have different talents and gifts so maybe if writing is not for you maybe try out painting or chess or whatever just don't steal because people put real hard work in to produce their writing.

Please make sure you read the Wattpad copywriters
policy.

***
I am going to try to touch on as many pointers or topics as I can.

*Coming up with a plot.

From my experiences my stories start with the endings. I almost always have an ending in mind before I even start typing. It's important to get inspired whether it is from a line you read in a book, or scene in a movie or just an event you witnessed.

And then you think, "maybe I can turn this into a book." It's important you note down whatever ideas you have because you can easily forget them. Give yourself time to get a piece of paper and pen and write a timeline or series of events you expect to happen in your book so you can get a clear idea of where your story is heading. Even if you don't have the whole picture.

Like all literature your story must have a beginning, middle and an end. These points in your story must all coincide. They should flow easily and make sense.

*Picking a title and writing a blurb.

The title of your book must make sense. It must relate to what is happening in your book or whatever events that are going to affect your character. So if for example the name of your character is Carrot, it would be acceptable for your book to be named Carrot because it relates to the content of your book.

When you are about to click on a book three things are important.

The cover
The title
The blurb

Your title can't be ridiculously long to the point where I already know your characters favourite colour, birth date and shoe size. Your title HAS to carry a powerful punch it has to evoke the next feelings:

CURIOSITY
If I am curious I will read your blurb.
*Excitement
*Fear
*Intrigue
*Sympathy
*Anger
*Frustration
*Mystic

If your title can evoke some sort of reaction from me no matter how small, it will result in me reading the blurb. E.g

All lives matter. (It makes certain people feel angry, others, included so you either feel happy, curious, intrigued or angered by that title so you decide to investigate further to see if the writer shares your opinion or challenges your views.) Ding ding ding, someone is reading your book.

Cherry. (That's a fruit, so why would you name your book after a fruit? Curiosity is evoked. Is it someone's name? Is it about a fruit?) Ding ding ding, they want to find out more.)

Before sixteen. ( I was sixteen once... So maybe I can relate to whatever it's about. I wonder what happens before sixteen because well it's the teen years so it must be interesting. Intrigue ✔ Curiosity ✔ Sympathy ✔ Excitement ✔) Ding ding ding a reader is interested.

Depending on your target group (the people you think will enjoy your book) don't use over complicated words in your title. If it's for space enthusiast, you can use a similar jargon if not try to stay clear of something that sends the wrong message or causes confusion.

*Blurb

Writing a blurb is very tricky because it can't be too short nor too long. You can't write a blurb of seven words and expect me to get a clue as to what your book is about. You can't write five thousand words and say it's a blurb so you have to find the perfect balance.

Use a lot of adjectives. They will help describe your characters and the basic events of your book. They will help create a mood for your readers.

Leave your readers hanging, even if you lay out your whole plan for us make sure you keep us wondering using the the three wise men. Who? What? Why? E.g

Title options:

Florence

Ten years later

Without a soul

Change

Gone

With these hands etc

Florence was the love of my life, we spent every waking moment together wrapped up in each other's warmth and love but in the middle of our lunch date she told me she couldn't be with me anymore. That was ten years ago to this day but now I am in handcuffs in the back of a police car driving away from my home heading to a police station. I can remember seeing her for the first time after so many years standing at my door but I can also remember standing over her dead body. She still looked so beautiful even without a soul. (105 words.)

Remember the three wise men...

Who killed Florence?
What caused her to leave?
Why did the speaker kill her if they did? Why was she killed? Why did she come back?

All those questions pop up in your mind. That's what a lot of readers want.

Remember that you can always change the title of your book and blurb as you go along because you get to know your characters more as you write so you can take into consideration your characters' personality as you write the blurb.