AFN Clarke – How To Approach Writing A Book?

How To Approach Writing A Book?

by AFN Clarke

I’ve seen countless books or articles on “how to write a book in 6 easy steps” and most of the time, though I know they can be useful, they smack of a formula that is antithetical to the creative process and to an author finding their own unique approach to writing.  Every author I have ever spoken to has a completely different way of writing a book. Some write “on the fly”, some plot out the whole story first.

Personally, I have been told my “stream of consciousness” way of writing is the craziest of all but it works for me and so I guess I must be just a little insane!  I never plot out my whole book on paper.  I do have an idea in my mind of the overall story, a primary focus and the major characters who’ll drive the action. But once I start, the story and characters take over and write themselves.  They take on a life of their own as they are, for all intents and purposes, real people and real people react differently to the world depending on their personalities, emotions and life histories. So as their personalities develop so does the story. Often even I am surprised at the twists and turns that appear on the page and yet to me this is a very organic way of writing and mimics our human experience. I can’t force a character to be the way I want them to be – I can only “listen” and “reveal”.

But let’s go back one step, because there’s an important element I missed. Before I write the first word, I have to settle on the title and design the cover.  I can’t write without either – the cover design especially.  Being a very visual person for me the cover is the visual embodiment of the whole book.  It’s like a vessel, the context from which I can then proceed. So for me, page 1 of my book is not the opening line but the cover. Everything flows from there.

My way of writing isn’t easy because I am always holding so much in my mind – every nuance, twist and turn, the whole book as it progresses swims around in my head and weaves together into the unique tapestry that I tap out on my keyboard everyday.  And I’m not easy to live with then, distracted by living more in my “book world” than the “real world”.  So if you’re anything like me then cherish your loved ones, as anyone who puts up with you is rare and precious!

So how does someone new to writing find her/his own unique approach? It sounds corny, but the best advice I can give is – just start!  Do what feels most comfortable to you – describe a scene, start talking as one of your characters or an observer looking back on the story – and see where it takes you.  Then think about what felt good and came easily and what you felt you were forcing.  Learn to check in with your emotions and trust your instincts.

There is no right and wrong way to write. Some authors barely use verbs.  Some use two word sentences, some very long never-ending sentences – it’s what you transmit, what you can evoke in your reader’s imagination and have them experience that’s important in the end. There are many ways to get there.

AFN CLARKE is the son of a British MI6 operative, pilot, sailor, screenwriter, father of four who’s lived all over the world, served in the British Army and recovered from the physical/emotional traumas of war.  His bestselling memoir CONTACT was serialized in a British newspaper and made into an award winning BBCTV film.  He’s insatiably curious, loves heated discussions and has a rascally sense of humor. He now writes fiction of various genres – thrillers (The Orange Moon Affair and An Unquiet American); human drama (Dry Tortugas), humor/satire (Dreams from the Death Age; Armageddon), horror (Collisions) with more coming soon.  For more information visit http://www.afnclarke.com, connect on Facebook or Twitter (@AFN Clarke).

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Genre – Autobiography / Biography & Memoir

Rating – 18+

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