Is your head full of creative ideas for a novel, but you never quite get beyond the first few pages? Perhaps you tie yourself in knots with overly complicated plot points? Or maybe you sit at your desk struggling to find the right words?
Finishing a book takes hard work, of course. However, a systematic approach is needed to overcome the inevitable obstacles we all face when staring at the blank page.
This article explores what writers need to do to finish that book. Is it all inspiration? Or could a little bit of organization help you get to The End?
Let’s find out!
Organization reinforces inspiration
The spark of inspiration that fires your imagination could come from a conversation with a friend, a newspaper article, or a piece of music. You might hear a song lyric or overhear people chatting on the bus, or you might see a random act of kindness (or meanness) in the street and feel compelled to write about it.
Inspiration is everywhere, but it fades into the ether if you don’t have a process in place. Sure, you might make notes in your trusty notepad (or phone), but true development comes only when you give yourself time and thinking space.
Inspiration can fall flat without a bit of organization. So, we’re going to explore some creative approaches that might spark inspiration, then cover some organizational tips that could help turn those bits of creativity into crafted words on the page.
Inspiration: finding new creative ideas
Staring at a blank page or screen can be intimidating for any writer. Indeed, finding the right place to start is one of the most significant challenges we all face.
You wouldn’t run a marathon without warming up, so if you’re going to write your next couple thousand words, try a writing prompt or a what-if question, and see where it takes you.
Warm-up writing exercises don’t need to relate to your current project, but it can help loosen up the gray matter.
And soon enough, you won’t be staring at a blank page any longer.
What If questions
This simple exercise helps your imagination go beyond the world as it is right now, offering a starting point for new creative ideas.
What Ifs explore the potential outcomes and consequences of a particular action or event, allowing you to consider new angles on established norms.
For example, The Man in the High Castle explores a world where the Allied Powers (USA, Britain, and allied Europe) lost the Second World War, and the Germans and Japanese rose to share world power.
Written by Philip K. Dick, the book is written around a classic What If question: What if the Nazis and Japanese won the Second World War? What would be different? Would society work in the same way? What if someone felt oppressed and wanted freedom?
So, consider your interests. Write a bunch of What If questions. And see what occurs. For example:
- What if humans could breathe underwater?
- What if there were no weapons of mass destruction?
- What if we elected politicians in a Big Brother-style game show?
- What if it was impossible to lie or be untruthful?
- What if everyone was grown in a pod rather than reared by parents?
Other inspiring exercises to unleash your ideas
Having a framework of exercises to help you dig into that well of creativity is a great way for every writer to find their muse. Indeed, inspiration can emerge from exploring what we’re thinking through writing exercises.
It’s Over
Starting a piece with an active line of dialogue, like “it’s over” can be an evocative starting point because it demands a response.
This is one of my favorite playwriting prompts, but it can also work as a way to find characters.
Here’s an example from playwright Mike Heath:
MALCOLM (Whisper) It’s over
GRACE The tape?
MALCOLM What? No. Us.
GRACE Over what?
MALCOLM What? Keep your voice down.
GRACE Down where? What are we over?
MACOLM Forget I said it. Later.
GRACE Because I really thought you meant / it was the tape.
MALCOLM Your voice. It’s too loud.
GRACE Because I’d be really surprised if the tape ran out. Because I
MALCOLM The tape didn’t run out. We’ve run out.
GRACE Run out of what? (PAUSE) What?
MALCOLM I no longer want to be in a relationship with you.
People are looking.
GRACE Oh.
Is it because I’m your Superior?
MALCOLM You’re not my superior.
GRACE I am the main breadwinner.
MALCOLM If you have to speak, can you please whisper?
GRACE I didn’t realise I was speaking loud.
MALCOLM And that doesn’t make you my superior.
GRACE Speaking loud?
MALCOLM The fact that you earn more.
GRACE You’ve always had a problem with it.
MALCOLM People are shushing us.
Can you forget I even mentioned it? We’ll discuss it later.
GRACE You’ve always made such a big thing about it.
MALCOLM I’m watching the show. He’s on next.
PAUSE
GRACE It does make me more successful. Does that threaten
(He nudges her. She whispers.)
Your status in the relationship? Because gender expectation is just a construct of a patriarchal society you know that.
MALCOLM I was doing quite well if you recall.
GRACE It’s not a competition.
MALCOLM No it isn’t.
This is exactly what I mean.
Can I just point out that this is my angry face?
Can we just watch?
GRACE You’re angry. I was enjoying the show and you’re angry.
There he is. Are you filming?
MALCOLM Yes.
GRACE Have you pressed record because last time you tried to film a family
event we got two hours of my aunt’s gusset under the table.
This exercise was the spark of inspiration that led to Mike Heath’s play The Big Things. Using active dialogue, he discovered two characters that eventually led to a completed play, which was later shortlisted for the BBC Alfred Bradley Bursary Award.
What do you want?
Asking a character a question and writing in their voice to discover their answer can be a very effective way to overcome plot problems.
Ask them a specific question: what they want or what they think of another character in your story. Interrogate them for the answers to a sticky plot point.
Write freely, without stopping to read or edit what you wrote. Don’t worry too much about grammar and spelling; just go with the flow and see what emerges.
Another example from playwright Mike Heath:
I don’t want to be part of the machine. I don’t want to be a cog, turning and lubricating the economy by the very turning of that cog. I don’t think I should have to pay to turn the cog. Turning the cog costs me a fortune – travelling, parking, clothing, eating, drinking, blotting out the dreariness of it all. I don’t want to work for other people who don’t know my name or care what it is. I don’t want to work for someone I’ve never met and are never likely to and if I did meet them, it would be in this artificial environment of perfection that you’d put on for a visit by royalty. But they’re not royalty – they don’t work any harder than me, they don’t have any connection with the customers that I’m forced to deal with on a daily basis and they don’t care when I have to resolve problems of the making of the faceless person who reaps the rewards for providing something that isnt’ worth the money.
I don’t want to pay more for something when other people are getting these things for free. I don’t want to be part of a society ruled by plutocracy. I don’t think money makes you important. I don’t think that money is that important.
I don’t have the answers – not on my own. But I don’t have the people around me that are filling in those gaps. I want what I haven’t got – I want something in my life to happen. I don’t want to win the lottery. I don’t want to be given some high powered job that means I can live somewhere that detaches me from the outside world.
This free-writing exercise helped Heath find a character’s true objective. It helped him understand what the character felt and wanted, and helped find the character’s most authentic voice.
I love/hate/wish/regret
Consider the protagonist in your story, and write a list, beginning with the words I love and keep writing for five minutes.
Write single sentences and don’t feel the need to justify or explain. Then try I want or I hate, I wish or I regret.
You’ll find a whole bunch of contradictions here, but you’ll find out some interesting things about your characters and their perspective on the world of your story.
How do I start writing a book?
A great story needs some fundamental elements to get it started. Consider your ideal genre and make sure you’ve read plenty of exemplary examples to see how other writers have built their stories.
Regardless of genre, every great story needs:
- Characters with objectives
- A problem to solve
- Obstacles for the characters to overcome
Finding characters with objectives
Most great stories revolve around a protagonist (or a main character) who helps to focus readers on the narrative being told.
Of course, there are many examples of successful books with multiple “protagonists.” However, the more characters you introduce, the more challenging it can be for a reader to follow the principal thread of action.
A protagonist is the character that most closely reflects the Problem of the World. The crisis directly affects them, effectively preventing them—at the beginning of the story—from self-actualizing.
What is the Problem of the World?
The Problem of the World is the principal tension in the world of the story. It could be that someone has debts and no means of paying them back, or they’ve been accused of something they didn’t do.
If you already have a character in your head, perfect. If you don’t, a good place to start is with a problem or crisis. Or you might have a couple characters in your head, but you might be unsure which one is the protagonist.
Understanding the problem they must overcome helps clarify your character’s objectives, which arise through the character’s desire to overcome the problem.
Placing obstacles in the way
If a character gets what they want too easily, we have a boring story. It’s when characters fail to achieve their objectives that we truly discover who they are. Maybe they need to fight to the death to get what they want (their freedom, the hand of the person they love in marriage, saving a stadium filled with people as examples).
A big part of the fun of creative writing is building up the obstacles and forcing the character to navigate around them or battle against them. It’s how they prove their mettle and make them worthwhile characters to follow.
How to structure a story so you reach the end
One of the most effective ways to ensure you finish writing your book is to have a plan. This could be a detailed beat sheet following the three-act structure or a rough framework containing the major plot points.
I like to have a rough outline led by the three-act structure to get me started, and it can evolve significantly as I write. One very effective way to find your structured starting point is to use a generative AI platform, such as Chat GPT.
Yes: I did just say to use AI.
AI asks the right questions
When you ask an AI platform to write you a beat sheet for a novel, it will ask you questions about your characters, the world, and the problems they will likely have to overcome.
What’s good about using this method is that you still have to come up with the story’s principal core yourself, but the AI will arrange your plot to meet a satisfying three-act structure.
This can serve as a good starting point with the key elements coming from you, but the AI then sets out your character’s journey and, importantly, helps you find your ending.
Your ending is innately within your opening pages
If you’re unsure how to end your story, go back to the beginning.
Consider:
- the world problem,
- the crisis faced by the protagonist, and
- how they’ve addressed the conflicts to battle the forces holding them back at the story’s beginning.
A satisfying ending addresses the imbalances of the world of the story’s opening pages.
Organize your writing day
Not everyone has the privilege that comes with long writing days. Indeed, you’re probably holding down at least one job to pay your bills and finance your writing time.
While this isn’t ideal, it’s essential to prioritize your time and make as much time available to write as is practical for you.
It’s entirely possible to write a novel in one month, but that doesn’t happen without discipline. Ensure that the time you can set aside for your writing is achievable and repeatable.
Ideally, if you aim to write a book in a month, you’ll need to produce at least 3500 words daily, which is no mean feat; especially if you’re working without a plan.
Treat your writing like a job
If you’re going to finish your novel, treat your writing like a job. Sure, it might start as a part-time gig, but setting aside time each day to write could lead to making a full-time living. And writing every day is the best way to keep those “writing muscles” flexed.
Set yourself a target for your daily writing session. Some writers use the Pomodoro Method, while others focus on reaching a daily word count.
The Pomodoro Method (and how it helps authors)
The Pomodoro Method is a time management technique that divides your working time into strict intervals, separated by brief breaks away from your desk.
The classic method uses 25-minute increments of work, broken up by 5-minute breaks. However, many writers adapt it to suit their concentration levels.
This approach to working focuses on uninterrupted work time, followed by brief rest periods, which has been known to help increase your concentration and minimize the potential for burnout.
This highly effective technique works like this:
- Sit at your desk and get everything ready for your writing session. Be somewhere you won’t be disturbed, and make sure the things that typically distract you aren’t in the room with you. Set your phone to Do Not Disturb.
- Set your timer. Try 25 minutes. This is your “Pomodoro.”
- Write for 25 minutes, focusing entirely on the task.
- Take a short 5-minute break when the timer rings. This is your chance to check your phone, but don’t get sucked in! It’s better to grab a drink or get some fresh air. Whatever you do in your break, make sure it refreshes your mind.
- Repeat steps 2–4 another 2–4 times until you find your sweet spot.
- Take a more extended break after three or four Pomodoros. Allow yourself 15–30 minutes away from your desk. Or take a longer lunch break if you’re carrying on your work day.
Does the Pomodoro Method work?
According to the UK’s Birmingham University, this structured technique works well, especially for those who struggle to focus or lack motivation. They especially recommend it for people with ADHD who find themselves easily overwhelmed or distracted.
It’s essential to take your scheduled breaks. It can be tempting to keep working if you’re in the flow, but that short break can help maintain your focus throughout your entire writing session.
You can get Pomodoro timers for free in most app stores, or you can find Pomodoro timers on YouTube.
Set yourself a daily word count
An alternative to organizing your writing day by time is to aim for a specific word count each day. Make sure it’s achievable for you.
I find a word count an excellent metric for my writing day. I aim for 2000 words a day and sometimes I exceed that; other times, I’ll be just under. But my general aim when writing a novel is 2000 words a day.
An adult fiction book typically comprises between 70,000 and 120,000 words, although the average is around 95,000.
If you write 2000 words a day, it will take you 47.5 working days to complete your novel. So, if you’re working Monday to Friday, that’s approximately 9–10 weeks of writing, and you have your book.
How do you stay motivated while writing your book?
Writing is an adventure, and navigating yourself around the challenges—whether inspiration or organizational—can be part of what makes it such a satisfying and enjoyable adventure.
But it can be hard to stay motivated. So, here are some of our favorite organizational tips for keeping you on track.
1. Don’t allow yourself to get stuck
If you find yourself stuck in the middle of a chapter or struggling to find the right words, skip to the next section. You don’t have to write in chronological order. Leave a gap if you’re stuck and move on to the next chapter. You can return to those gaps later once you have a better idea of the direction of the story.
Try jumping to the end of the book and writing the closing scene. Seeing how the ending pans out can fill in some of the gaps you have earlier in your plot.
2. Work with versions (and never scrap them)
I save a new version of my manuscript daily, using the date to differentiate each file. This means I can return to a previous version if I get lost in terms of direction during my day’s work.
I strive to work to a plan but may follow the character’s intentions as I go, which can send the plot in new directions. While this can be good for plot development, it can cause complications for the rest of the story. So, saving all my old versions means if I decide my new direction isn’t right for the story, I can easily revert back to an older version without having to do extensive editing.
Remember, saving different versions also means that nothing is wasted. You can save something you’ve discarded for the sequel.
3. Keep reading
If you find yourself getting tired and your prose feels lifeless, find something to read that helps you reconnect with your genre.
Reading offers continuous learning for all writers by allowing us to find tone and techniques that we can bring into our own work.
4. Have a plan, and keep referring to it
Not all writers have a comprehensive plan of what they’re going to write. If you’re a pantser, you’ll get the buzz from exploring the world of your story as you go. If you’re a planner, it’ll all be on Post Its stuck to your desk or on some sort of virtual planning board.
Either way, having a plan—however vague—can help keep you motivated. If you have started your novel without a plan, stop what you’re doing and take the time to write one to keep from getting lost on the page as you write.
5. The value of background processing
Earlier, I mentioned the Pomodoro Method, which factors in breaks during your writing day. But sometimes, no matter how hard you try, the words don’t come.
In this scenario, it’s essential to be kind to yourself. Don’t beat yourself up if your day’s work isn’t doing it for you.
Background processing is the work we do as writers when we’re away from our desks (or wherever we choose to write). Digging in the garden is an excellent way to release the mind from the knots you can tie yourself into when writing a new piece.
Background processing is about focusing on something repetitive or boring, like washing the dishes, walking the dog, or digging in the garden, and allowing the answers to come of their own accord. while you’re concentrating on something else.
Relay Publishing would love to hear from you
We hope you’ve found this article useful and interesting. Feel free to share it with your writer friends.
And when you’re ready to share your latest novel, we’d love to read it.
We work with ghostwriters, editors, and designers and have published hundreds of books over the past decade. We’re always on the lookout for new creatives to get involved with our publishing empire.
Find out more about Relay Publishing and get in touch. We can’t wait to hear from you.