FIND TIME for ME: How to Write a Book edition

"I always wanted to write a book."

How do you write a book?

Start writing.

"And when you come to the end, stop."

For you Fellow Writers saying, "I have no time to do anything, much less write a book!", start over here for a Quick Fix.

"Off to get my Quick Fix!"

For the rest of you Fellow Writers who have some time, but don't know where to start, let me spin you a yarn about my book writing journey.

I will, Sir Idris Elba!

I'm writing my fourth book, LOVE AT A LUAU. It's a romance novel about a refugee suffering from PTSD who is scared to fall in love with a single dad.

Unlike when I wrote my first novel and my second novel, I'm not agonizing over every chapter, making sure to have the right reference and the funniest jokes for each character. I'm writing it as fast as I can, so I can get it out to the world, and move on to the first, second, and third sequels.

What I learned from writing my first three books is that for me, right now, good enough is good enough.

"Greatness", especially in media, is overrated. There are books that are part of the English "canon" and movies on the AFI 100 Greatest American Films of All Time that I cannot get through. Coincidentally, the vast majority of those books and films were created by, about, and for white American (or British) men.

Before I get off on yet another rant about fighting the patriarchy, I will make a long story short and say that "greatness" in media is neither an achievable nor a desirable goal for me, as I am not a white American man.

My current goal in writing is to continue creating stories about colorful women for colorful women. That's where my characters and stories and worlds start from. Coincidentally, all of my writing projects, starting with my first book, not only contain one or more dance sequences, they also pass the Bechdel Test (and the Mr. J Test!).

Passing the Bechdel Test is easy. Women make up half of the world's population. We also give birth to ALL OF THE PEOPLE.

If your project cannot pass the Bechdel Test, because you decided to include ZERO scenes of two female characters talking to each other about something other than a man, that doesn't mean there's something wrong with the test.

There is something wrong with you.

(Not You, Fellow Writers. "You", meaning writers who choose not to create female characters.)


Now back to YOU!

Yes, you, Xo.

If you want to write a book, but you don't know where to start, here are six questions you can answer to set you on the best path.


Who?

Who is your book about? For all of my books and scripts, I start with the character, decide on the beginning of the story and the end of the story, and go from there. I develop the main character first, and the other characters she interacts with, and let them tell me how we're getting from the beginning of the story to the end.


What?

What is your book about? What do you want your book to say to the people who are reading it?


When?

When does your story take place? Why is this time period important to your story?


Where?

Where does your story take place? How does the setting play a part in the journey of your book?


Why?

Why do you want to write this book? What is the message you need to deliver to the world?


How?

How are you going to start writing your book TODAY?

Find a pencil.

Find a piece of paper.

Start writing.

Now.

Fellow Writers, what is the book that you want to write? Why do you want to write this book? How will writing this book change your life?

Share your questions and answers in the comments, or email me at WriteYourFirstBookWithMahlena@gmail.com.

Thanks for reading!