You've Got a Book Idea: Now What?

It's very easy to sit on a book for years. Life gets in the way and routine tends to cover up ideas. Soon enough, if the idea isn't jotted down, one can forget what it was. So, here are a few tips to keep your literary inventions fresh without worrying about them getting lost or buried.

1. Write your idea(s) down. 

Before you get too busy, jot your idea(s) on a sheet of paper or notebook. I usually like to get a fancy [and cheap] notebook from Ross, Marshall's, Walmart, DD's, or a dollar store to keep all my ideas together. To make myself feel extra writer-ish, I use legal pads.

2. Share with a close friend or relative. 

Some people don't like to share their ideas with anyone. I do! I see nothing wrong with sharing with someone who I know will support me rather than steal from me. I am open to opinion when I share as well because when writing a book, it is all about the reader. 

3. Draft an outline for your book.

Most times, people already know what their book will be about. They know what the plot, or summary of the book, will be and what chapters will be included. Outline your book however you want—just get something written down. Whether you are only writing the plot or writing what each chapter will entail, this is where you flesh out the book in its entirety.

4. Read!

I always say that readers write and writers read. To keep your mind refreshed about your book, after you have done one or all the above steps, read books related to the genre, or category, for your future bestseller.

5. Just write and keep writing!

The benefits of writing an outline are that they can stop you from getting writer’s block. You won’t feel stuck. Map out how you want your book to flow and get started with writing! Don’t worry about the order or whether or not chapters make sense. Simply, write. Don’t lag. A writer once said, “A book won’t write itself.”