Chip MacGregor

April 24, 2013

What are the first steps in writing a book?

by

Someone asked, “If someone feels a passion to write a book, what would you say should be the first steps (realizing most people want to fast-forward to the ‘contract’ stage)?”

Sometimes it seems as though everyone is writing a book. But a “passion” doesn’t constitute a “call,” of course. Neither does a “need” constitute a “call.” Nor does “a cool personal story, complete with miracle” constitute a call to write a book. I mean, I’ve been to a lot of concerts in my life, and I realize the world is made up of millions of people who apparently all want to be rock stars. But the desire to be a rock star doesn’t mean you can actually sing, or that people will pay money to come hear you sing. There’s a big difference between sounding pretty good in the church choir and asking people to plunk down $18.99 for your new CD at WalMart.

Let me explain it this way… I’m a pretty good swing dancer, and can usually make a beginner look okay as a partner on the dance floor. But there’s quite a difference between being a pretty good amateur dancer at the publisher’s ball and asking people to pay $65 to buy a ticket and come see me dance in a show. Writing is an art, and with any art it takes practice, training, creative vision, talent, and hard work. I too-frequently see people who want to do a book because they think they can make a fast buck, and they lack all of the above. Or they think they have a “lesson” to teach the world, and they feel a need to write it down — as though all of life’s lessons are publishing-worthy. Every book is a combination of a great idea, expressed through good writing, preferably from an author with a solid platform. Your great lesson may just be for you and those close to you. Your cool experience may not be book-worthy. Your interesting story may work great when you tell it at home, but that doesn’t mean it’s meant to be a book. 

So… you want to write a book? The first step is to learn to write. Don’t assume because you graduated from high school you have the ability to write a book that will keep me reading for 250 pages. Writing well takes a lot of practice — just like anything of value takes times. You don’t throw some paint onto a palette and create a masterpiece. You don’t take a couple piano lessons and rent Carnegie Hall. And you don’t barf out a quick draft of your idea and expect a publishing contract. Art takes time, and discipline, and, generally, a lot of failure before you reach success. So learn to write, practice your skills, learn from other writers, listen to what editors have to say, start to ask questions about the business, and get to know the business. That would be my advice.

I think what’s happened is that “American Idol” has perpetuated the myth that the world is out there waiting for you, as the next great talent, to reveal yourself. It’s a riff on the 1930’s story of Carole Lombard getting discovered while standing on the corner of Hollywood and Vine. “Maybe if I just write this book, magic will happen.” Then we hear about something like THE SHACK and think, “That’s it! I’ll write the next Great American Novel and get discovered!” Um… that won’t happen. Sorry. THE SHACK was one of those once-in-a-lifetime miracles. The writer created it, apparently showed it to family and friends, and it took off. What makes it such a great publishing story is that the miracle actually happened. But that won’t be happening again any time soon. And you certainly can’t count on it. And with FIFTY SHADES OF GRAY, this decade’s publishing miracle has been used up. If you want a get-rich-quick scheme, you’re better off buying a lottery ticket. (And again, I have to admit to being one of the immune to those books — I read THE SHACK and didn’t find it great or deep or even terribly moving. I started FIFTY SHADES and thought it was total crap. You are welcome to disagree with me, and that fact might cause you to discount what I’m saying here.) But, in my view, the world is not waiting for you to come out with your novel. And, frankly, if it’s a book that no professionals have edited or helped shape, the odds are it’s probably not very good. So go take a writing class. Learn the craft. Read widely. Attend a conference and meet some other people who are learning the business. Then let your creativity go wild and write something, but be bold enough to show it around and let others take a look at it. That’s where you start. Those are your first steps.

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46 Comments

  • Jaime Wright says:

    What slays me is that 50 Shades and the like actually ARE the miracle hits of the year…but I felt that way about Twilight too and almost lost three friends over it. Stinks to be unpopular 😉

  • J.A. Marx says:

    Well put. Love it. Am tweeting it.

  • Sharon A Lavy says:

    In my current wip a young man gets the dickens from overly critical Mom for saying “Last one there is a rat’s tail.”

    I called this manuscript “Women’s Fiction. My agent says it is Romantic Suspense. One of her notations was find out what kids would really say today. I asked daughter what her (Christian raised from birth) kids say to each other. She started to tell me. Then stopped and said “I would be totally embarrassed if my mother used the words my children call each other, in a book!” So she and I agreed that I could change it to ‘rat’s butt’ and nothing more realistic than that.LOL

    After all, I don’t use actual curse words in my novels, I might say: he cursed. Why would kid’s talk be any different?

    Can I get some advice from the gallery?

  • Sharon A Lavy says:

    I would love to see you dancing in that kilt.

  • Katya Pavlopoulos says:

    Hehe.. you tried reading Fifty Shades of Grey.. Honestly, that’s the only reason I came here to comment (i’m subscribed by email). I applaud the fact that you attempted.

  • Awesome, buddy. Sorry I haven’t been around in a while. Howdy from Memphis…Peace and Love, Stevie

  • Kim G says:

    I’m glad someone finally said it out loud and in ALL CAPS. Shack and Fifty Shades. Miracles, Debacles. Amen brother.

    • chipmacgregor says:

      Ha! We may in the minority, Kim, since both sold millions of copies. But in the words of social critic H.L. Mencken, “Nobody ever went broke underestimating the taste of the American public.”

  • Becky Doughty says:

    And there’s the Chip we know and love. Great post – spot on.

  • Sonia Duraturo says:

    Brilliant and filled with integrity! Love that 🙂 Thanks, Chip.

    • chipmacgregor says:

      Nice of you to say, Sonia (with the new name). Thanks for coming onto the blog and commenting.

  • Ron Estrada says:

    That first book was an eye-opener, especially when the editor’s assitant who could have been my daughter looked at me and said, “I don’t know what you story’s about.” Humility either kills you or sets you on a path to write four more terrible novels before you finally start getting personalized rejection letters. I fear that all newbies will learn the hard way, though. It’s hard to comprehend that we are not the ones we’ve been waiting for.

  • Ellen Gee says:

    This decade’s publishing miracle has been used up on Fifty Shades of Gray? So sad…

    • chipmacgregor says:

      Well… I don’t have the gift of prophecy, Ellen, so perhaps I’m wrong. Maybe the next miracle will be your memoir? (Hope so.)

  • edhird says:

    Thanks, Chip, for your gift of robbing us of our illusions. Until we are dis-illusioned, we do not embrace our dreams and visions which lie at the core of our true selves. I hear you calling us to say no to the ‘magic’ of writing, and yes to the methodical, disciplined craft of writing. The art of writing is both gift and discipline. Ed Hird+ http://edhird.wordpress.com

    • chipmacgregor says:

      Thanks, Ed. For those not in the know, Ed is a fine writer from Canada with a fun blog of his own that you should peruse.

  • Jeanne Takenaka says:

    This was a great post. I always tell my kids, “Anything worth doing takes lots of practice.” So true with writing too. We never stop learning, do we? Newbie or multi-published, hopefully we’re continuing to hone our craft to create better and better “art.”

    • chipmacgregor says:

      We never SHOULD stop learning, Jeanne. But I find a number of people (particularly new writers at conferences) who aren’t interested in learning so much as interested in being heard. Just my take.

  • Rachel Hauck says:

    What, the world isn’t waiting to discover me? Rats. I was so hoping…

    Otherwise, great post. Well said. Right on. And kudos.

    The other way to success is stick with it. Take 25 years to “arrive.”

    Maybe the world will be ready for me then… LOL.

    Rachel

    • dabneyland says:

      He said this decade’s miracle. Not the next. There’s still hope. Keep writing. 🙂

    • chipmacgregor says:

      Miracles happen pretty frequently, Dabney. So who knows — maybe the next one starts today. (And what a great name, “Dabney.”)

    • dabneyland says:

      Yeah, I’m inclined to think so. About the miracles, not my name…but both work (said with a hint of snark).

      I guess I’ll find out how those “cool personal story, complete with miracle(s)” books sell come July. Now that I know Fifty Shades of Puke stole my only hope, I’ll have to beg God for another intervention.

      I enjoy your blog, Chip. Love that you just say it and could care less what others think. Even if you slam on us miracle people, I still think you’re swell.

      Dabney

    • chipmacgregor says:

      Thanks for saying something, Rachel. And yes, everyone, this is bestselling author and wonderful craftsperson and writing instructor Rachel Hauck, who mentors writers in the My Book Therapy organization. She really knows her stuff, so a compliment from her makes my day. :o)

  • Rick Barry says:

    I agree with this on too many levels to count them all. I, too, have fielded the question, “What advise would you give to a beginning writer?” Your post has just added a few more layers to my reply.

    Blessings.

  • Great post! I was just at a reading for a group graduating with their MFA’s. Some of their work was AMAZING, but they still hadn’t fully taught the business side to getting published. I have a feeling they will miss the accolades received in academia very soon.

    http://forthisisthetime.blogspot.com/

    • chipmacgregor says:

      Appreciate the link to your blog post, Esther. Thanks — and thanks for the kind words. Keep after those MFA students!

  • Meghan Carver says:

    It’s always entertaining and informative to read your blog, Chip. Now how long will it take to get that visual of barfing out a quick draft out of my mind?

    • chipmacgregor says:

      I once read a review in which the writer criticized the book’s author for “barfing words onto the page, then playing with the pieces.” Ugh. I hated that image. Years later, I still remember it, Meghan.

  • Jan Cline says:

    Oh yes, and I might add that you can do all of the above and still never get published. I found that when I let go of the almighty getting published idol, I started to enjoy the process of learning, growing and pushing myself to go beyond the box of writing a book. I love writing and I love learning, and when I tell the new writers that come to my group or conference the same message you give here, I marvel at how many of them look at me with that look. You know, the “ya, right” look that tells me they will never strive for excellence in the craft. I used to be the one with that look.. Now I just enjoy the here and now, the process. What happens from here on depends on how good I get…and God.

    • chipmacgregor says:

      What a good thing to share, Jan. Thanks. And yes — the point of writing is to create art, to share oneself — NOT “to get published.” Some really good writers have yet to be traditionally published. That’s okay. I think it will still come.

  • Susan Darlene Faw says:

    “Sing… sing a song… sing it loud, sing it strong…even if its not good enough for anyone else to hear…”
    However, if you want to publish that song, record that song, have some one pay for that song… it needs to be good enough for EVERYONE else to hear… which requires the three P’s… practice, practice, practice…
    Enough said… now time for me to get back to the keyboard 🙂

  • Jamie Chavez says:

    Hear, hear.

    • chipmacgregor says:

      Appreciate that, Jamie. And thanks for getting “hear, hear,” right. I’ve seen two cases recently where the writer said, “here, here,” and I wanted to send them a note asking, “Where, where?”

  • GiantsFanSince52 says:

    What’s a “swing dancer?” 🙂

    • chipmacgregor says:

      Don’t let this guy fool you. Butch Edgerton is one of the mentors of the best noir writers, and he used to be pretty good on the dance floor… Good to hear from you, Les.

  • Richard Mabry says:

    Chip, you’re right, of course. Just as the first step in preparing elephant stew is to catch an elephant, the first step in writing a book is learning to write. During my three and half decades in medical practice, I had over 100 scientific papers published and either wrote or edited eight textbooks…and I knew absolutely NOTHING about writing a novel.
    Baby steps and determination lead to practice and revision lead to rejection and trying again lead to eventually…God willing…a publishing contract. And at that point, the work’s not done.
    Thanks for sharing.

    • chipmacgregor says:

      Ha! You got me showing my age, Clint. I should have said, “…before they download my MP3 file…” :o)

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