The hardest part about writing a book IS writing the book, so let’s start there.

            First of all, you have to have an idea on what you would like your book to be about. Usually, I find deciding the genre a big step. Are you going to write fiction? Non-fiction? If you picked Fiction, is it going to be a mystery, sci-fi, fantasy, or just plain old fiction?(just to name a few, there are really tons of fiction categories). If you picked Non-fiction, is it going to be a biography, memoir, how to book, or book about a specific topic? Again, I can go on with the categories for days. My number one suggestion is to pick a topic or genre you are passionate about, this will make writing much easier.

            Next, consider your audience. Do you want to appeal to the general public? Just women? Children? This will help narrow down your subject matter. Once you have an idea then start to formulate it into a story or writing piece that will be easy to read and understand. Some writers find it easiest to write or type out their ideas to make it more visual and easy to organize. Personally, I like to mentally sit on an idea for a few days then hit the ground running without the security of an outline.

            When you have your ideas organized, start writing. I suggest most aspiring authors try to write every day. This will keep the topic fresh in your mind. Try to shoot for a word count for each day. Some days you may not hit that word count, but you should be checking into your work, reading, editing etc. at least once per day. I suggest aiming for five hundred to one thousand words a day. Sound hard? You want to write a book? This is where it gets serious! You MUST write to become an author. (On a side note, if you want to hire a ghostwriter, read on).

            So you try writing for a little while, and it’s just not working. Well, some people find it harder to write a book than others. This is where you could consider hiring a ghostwriter. I recommend using a freelance site such as Upwork.com, however, almost any editing/publishing house will also offer ghost writing services. Shop around and find a price and writer that’s right for you. Find a writer that writes about genres/topics that are similar to your book. When you find them, make sure they have the time to devote to your work and will finish it on the deadline you set. Decide how you are going to transfer information, via recording, in person interviews, or emails. Then decide on a price and payment plan. Most ghostwriters start at about ten thousand dollars for a standard 70,000-100,000 word novel. Depending on other stipulations, the price can easily rise all the way up to eighteen or twenty thousand dollars. Re-thinking using a ghostwriter? The price really does fit the job, as writing a book is difficult! Anyways, if you decide to proceed with the ghostwriter, set up a payment plan with milestones you can both agree on. Usually, ghostwriters will want a down payment, followed by payments at quarterly or halfway points in the novel. You will discuss this with them. Make sure whatever you decide is outlined in a contract agreed upon by both of you.