Writing is not just a skill, it is an art form that enables writers to express their thoughts and creativity. Aspiring writers begin their literary voyage by crafting letters to the editors, articles and columns for both print and digital publications.

Writers keep enhancing their capabilities through continuous learning. With each word they conceive, writers dream of sharpening their craft to evolve into authors.

Do you dream of becoming an author? If so, then read on, for this article discusses some key points to remember when writing a book.

Know your topic and theme

The topic has to be close to your heart. It should resonate with your thoughts to reflect the same energy in your words. The topic selection is an overlooked aspect, but it determines the course of your writing journey. It shapes your research and the depth of your work.

Suppose you want to write a book on movies. This will be your theme. Your topic could be “The history of animated movies”. It may include a detailed introduction about animated movies and their historical perspective. You may explore ideas such as the need to create animation, the cultural and traditional significance of animation across the world, popular characters and moral lessons explored through animation, among others.

Research provides the foundation

Research is the backbone of any literature (fiction and non-fiction). It connects you with information that is helpful for the readers. It also broadens your understanding as a writer. You need to be a skilled researcher if you want to write a book. The relevant content, facts and details will add value to the narrative.

For an author, doing research is akin to collecting gold. Readers crave to read updated and relevant information. For a non-fiction book, the content you gather will enhance the final product.

There is so much research you can do when writing a book about cricket in Pakistan. You can delve into the life and career of the pioneers of cricket, memorable tournaments and matches, rivalries, and the national team’s performance in World Cups. You can delve into the domestic cricketing domain and the process of selecting the national squad.

There can be a plethora of sub-topics that you can include in the book, for which research and facts will be the foundation.

Outline creates order

After deciding upon the topic and gathering the content, you will prepare an outline. It will become the first step to help you materialise the content. An outline becomes a structural plan that lets you place the content in a specific order.

A chronological order may be suitable when writing a non-fiction book, especially when you discuss eras and periods of the past. For fiction, the outline will help you determine the plot structure and how the story progresses.

Begin writing!

Start writing based on your outline. It will keep you aligned to narrate a story (for fiction) or discuss events, insights and periods (for non-fiction). You will have to write your heart out, one chapter at a time. Your writing process will be supported by the facts and details you gathered through research and the outline that you created.

When writing fiction, you pour your thoughts through detailed descriptions, character development, compelling dialogues and by using descriptive storytelling. You breathe life into your story with vivid scenes, settings and creative storytelling. When writing non-fiction, educate, discuss and elaborate on your topic, using your opinion merged with facts.

The title is king

The book’s title will eventually make or break the image of your book in the readers’ minds. No matter how clear and crisp the content may be, the name is the first aspect of the book that the readers will read. The title should be short and catchy to elucidate the essence of the message.

Know your word count

Consider the appropriate word count for your book. It should be determined before you begin writing.

Fiction novels typically range from 70,000 to 120,000 words, while non-fiction books can vary from 60,000 to 1,00,000 words. Depending on the breadth and depth of the topic, this word count may increase by another 1,00,000 words.

Epic fantasies are usually 90,000 to 120,000 words long. Young adult novels range from 45,000 to 75,000 words. Picture books for children range from 350 to 700 words.

What are short story, novella and novel?

Writers may write a short story, novella, or a novel when pursuing fiction writing. Novels are the longest form of prose that comprise a detailed plot, character development and a narrative structure. They usually range from 55,000 to 120,000 words. Novellas are shorter than novels but follow the same literary devices. They range from 30,000 to 50,000 words. A short story is more concise, comprising 1,500 to 30,000 words.

All three forms can include a plot, characters, theme, conflict, point of view, tone and style, pacing, dialogue, symbolism, conflict and resolution.

Rules for non-fiction

When writing non-fiction, focus on sharing important and informative content relating to the message. Ensure that facts and details, including names of people, places, events and dates are accurate. Cross-check all the facts and ensure their accuracy.

You should share your opinion blended with facts, including quotes from experts from the relevant industry that the book’s subject pertains to.

Rules for fiction

Immense yourself into the story when writing fiction. You have to create characters that are believable and relevant to the plot and setting of the story. You can combine narration, description, show, don’t tell and dialogue to engage the readers.

General rules for all books

Define the purpose for writing the book (fiction or non-fiction). This objective should be evident in every chapter. Once you begin writing, remain consistent to maintain the flow of creativity and relevancy.

Edit and revise your work to refine grammar, punctuation, sentence structure and tense usage. Write short sentences and use an active voice for clear and concise writing.

Edits and revisions are vital

You should carefully edit the book before sending the manuscript to the publisher. It is advisable to edit it at least three times after completing the first draft. In the first edit, you focus on correcting the errors in spelling, grammar and punctuation. In the second edit, you rewrite sentences that feel out of place, make edits for clarity and space, change passive voice sentences to active voice (where needed), use synonyms to replace repetitive words and refine the look and feel of the content.

You have to take a break for a week before reading the manuscript again with fresh eyes. It will help you find the mistakes that you could not catch. By stepping away from the content, you can identify problems and errors that might otherwise go unnoticed in your day-to-day review.

The writer is a fiction writer and columnist. He is the author of “Divided Species”, a science fiction story set in Karachi, and “20 Steps to Writing Articles”, a concise guide on effective writing.

Published in Dawn, Young World, August 5th, 2023