Writing your own book!

Hey guys! Its been a while since I’ve written, but I blame that on matric Prelims. And before you ask, they are going okay, but time seems to be the biggest issue for me, I'm just praying that finals really are easier than prelims.

When I say it has been a while since I have written, I mean both for this blog and Death Slaver (the sequel to Tide Tamer). I feel like when your in matric, you are either: at school, extra classes, studying, doing homework & projects or sleeping. There is no time for anything else.

However in in grade 10 I did have the time to publish Elementals and the Tide Tamer. And that is the question I get asked the most. ‘How did you find the time to write a book while in high school?’, so I figured today I would answer you all, and also give a few tips on writing your own story!

The golden rule that I live by when it comes to starting to write your own book is…. Just start. You will never be a writer if you don’t write. Write when you want to, when you don’t want to, when your energized and passionate, when your exhausted and would rather do anything else. Just write. Your book, story, novella, article, or poem, will never get written, if you don’t write.

“Don’t be ‘a writer’. Be writing” –William Faulkner

Now I know, you may sit at your screen staring at the blinking line on the blank page on Word for what feels like forever, thinking, ‘but where do I start?’ or ‘how do I start?’. But hopefully here are a few tips to help you write the words that deserve to be out here in the world. (A few I wish I had know before writing my first book)

Tip number 1: you don’t have to write in chronological order

You know how when movies are recorded, and the scenes are not filmed in chronological order? Yeah, the same applies for writing! If you are stuck, and don’t know how to write one (or multiple) scenes/chapters, then make a little note for yourself, eg: ( ★Write fight scene here★ or ➪Insert scene.) You can even write the ending first. There is no rules as to what order you should write.

Tip number 2: It helps to plan your characters.

It doesn’t have to be this in depth thesis of each character. But you have to know your characters. Here is a list of a few basic things you should know of each major character.

Name: Preferred name: Middle name: Surname:

Appearance Race: Age: Hair: (colour, type, length) Eyes: (Colour, eye shape) Any specific scars, birthmarks etc:

Personality Likes: Dislikes: Personality: (are they funny, melodramatic, quiet etc) Passions: Hobbies:

Extra Info:

(a great resource to fully picture what your characters look like is artbreader )

For Example:

Name: Daniella Preferred name: Dannie Middle name: Soledad Surname: Ruiz-Dominguez

Appearance Race: Latina Age: 17 Hair: Dark brown (almost black), thick with slight wave, and long (just below her elbows) Eyes: Russet brown eys, almond shape Any specific scars, birthmarks etc: little scars all over her body (she was and still is a very adventures and active girl. So it wasn’t uncommon she got bruises and cuts and scrapes)

Personality Likes: Ice Hockey, she is an amazing Centre Forward.), loves the winter, likes to drawing her spare time Dislikes: hates sweet food, can’t stand being hot (hence hates the summer), dislikes cats Personality: She enjoys being around people, but she is more of the observer, not because she is shy but rather because she doesn’t feel the need to be the centre of attention. She is confident, sassy and eager to try new things. She isn’t afraid of confrontation and standing up to authority. She doesn’t trust people easily and almost never opens up to people. The only person she trusts completely and truly opens up with is her brother. Passions: Ice-hockey (she hopes to get recruited by any NHL woman’s team) Hobbies: drawing

Extra Info: She has a twin brother: Nikolas Jorge Ruiz-Dominguez.

Tip number 3: What is the goal of the book?

Especially when writing your first book, it is vital to know what the end goal is. Is it for the hero to save the princess? Is it for your main character and his/her love interest to end up together? Is it for the main character to escape?

Tip number 4: Don’t worry about writing perfect.

“If I waited for perfection, I would never write a word” –Margaret Atwood

Your first draft will never ever be the best. Write your first draft as though nobody is going to read it, (that also takes some of the pressure off your shoulders). Because once you have completed your first draft, then only can you build perfection.

“I’m writing a first draft and reminding myself that I’m simply shovelling sand into a box, so that later, I can build castles.” — Shannon Hale

In Tide Tamer, the published version is 35.4K words, however I have a document with over 27k words I took out of the first draft. Not only did I take out words, scenes, even chapters, I also added. Because I knew all the details from writing the full first draft, I was able to add a few Easter-eggs (you know, little details that foreshadow), and I was able to rewrite scenes, make them the best version they can. Some authors even write the second draft from the start, as in rewrite the entire book.

So don’t put so much pressure on yourself to get it perfect the first time. You won’t.

“I would advise any beginning writer to write the first drafts as if no one else will ever read them—without a thought about publication -and only in the last draft to consider how the work will look from the outside.” — Anne Tyler

So to recap:

1) You don’t have to write in chronological order.

2) Plan your characters

3) Know the goal of your story

4) Your first draft is never the best

And have fun writing!

That’s all for now see you soon, love you guys!