No, seriously. Just write it.
There is simply no way around this. You have to write the book. If you plan to be traditionally published, you have to have a book to submit. If you plan to go the self-publishing route, still... you have to have a book. Any way you look at it, you have to write it.
For those of you looking to go the traditional publishing route, a word of advice: No publisher or agent is going to be interested in even considering your book, if it's not finished. There is a legitimate reason for this. Of all those who start writing their first book, 97% of those never finish. The editors and agents are going to want to know they're not wasting their time with a first-time writer who has never finished a manuscript. So get writing!
Here are some quick links to sections on this page:
Before we dive into strategies and techniques, let's talk about something practical: how are you actually going to get those words out of your head and onto the page?
Here's some good news: there's no right answer. Seriously. Use whatever tool actually gets you writing.
Traditional typing? Word, Google Docs, Pages - whatever came free with your computer works just fine. Don't overthink it.
Specialized writing software? Programs like Scrivener or Ulysses offer great organization tools for keeping track of scenes and chapters, but they're not required. I don't want "I need the perfect software first" to become your excuse for not starting. (And trust me, I've heard that one before!)
Good old pen and paper? If you're someone who feels more connected to your story when you're physically writing it out, go for it. Yes, you'll need to type it up eventually, but if longhand gets that first draft flowing, it's worth it.
Voice dictation? This can be a game-changer, especially if you have chronic pain, type slower than you think, or just process better by talking things through. Use your phone's voice recorder, speech-to-text software, or even dictate while you're walking. Some of my writer friends swear by this method.
Mix and match? There's no law that says you have to stick with one method. Maybe you brainstorm by hand, draft on your computer, and edit on your tablet. Do what works.
The only wrong choice is the one that keeps you from writing. Start with what you already have, and if it's not working after you've given it a fair shot, try something else.
The Pomodoro Technique
Feeling overwhelmed by the blank page staring back at you? Let me introduce you to your new best friend: the Pomodoro Technique. Set a timer for 25 minutes and write. Just write. Don't edit, don't second-guess yourself, don't worry about whether it's good - just get words on the page. When the timer goes off, take a 5-minute break. Stand up, stretch, grab a snack, pet the cat. Then do it again.
You'll be amazed at how those 25-minute chunks add up. Four Pomodoros and you've written for nearly two hours. Do that five days a week and you've got ten solid hours of writing time - and suddenly that manuscript doesn't seem quite so impossible.
Now, here's the thing: Pomodoro isn't a one-size-fits-all solution. Some writers do better with 15-minute sprints if 25 minutes feels too long or if you're just getting started. Others need 45-minute or even hour-long deep dives once they're in flow and the words are really pouring out. The specific timing doesn't matter nearly as much as finding what works for you and making it a habit.
And that's the real secret to beating that 97% statistic - consistency. The writers who finish their books aren't the ones waiting around for inspiration to strike or the muse to show up. They're the ones who show up at the same time, follow the same ritual, and put in their writing chunks day after day, even when the words feel like sludge.
Tip: The first draft does not have to be perfect!!
Why? Because all the first draft has to do is exist. That's it. That's its one, its only job: to exist. Then you can revise and edit and polish the heck out of it, but here's a single truth: You can't edit a blank page!
More Strategies
Here are some additional strategies:
Daily Word Count Goals
Set a realistic target (500 words? 1,000? Even 250 adds up!)
Track it visually (spreadsheet, calendar, word count tracker apps)
Emphasize consistency over volume - 300 words every day beats 2,000 words once a week
Write Out of Order
Stuck on a scene? Skip it and write the part you're excited about
You can always come back and fill in the gaps
Keeps momentum going instead of stalling out
Accountability Partners or Writing Groups
Find another writer (online or local) to check in with
Writing sprints on Discord, Zoom, or in person
NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) community in November
Even just telling someone "I'll have Chapter 5 done by Friday" creates healthy pressure
The "Bare Minimum" Approach
On low-energy days, commit to just opening the document and writing ONE sentence
Often that one sentence turns into a paragraph, then a page
But even if it doesn't, you've maintained the habit
Dictation/Voice-to-Text
Great for people with chronic pain or who think faster than they type
Walk and talk your scenes into your phone
Creates rough, conversational first drafts you can polish later
Milestone Rewards
Finished Act 1? Treat yourself to something special
Hit 25,000 words? Celebrate!
Positive reinforcement keeps you motivated
Focus Items
Spinning top, hematite, candles, music.
Another Consideration: Are you a Plotter or a Pantser?
If what you're doing isn't working - if you keep stalling out, losing momentum, or feeling like you're fighting your way through quicksand - maybe you're coming at it the wrong way. And I don't mean you're a bad writer. I mean you might be trying to force yourself into a process that doesn't fit how your brain actually works.
Here's the thing: if what you're doing isn't working, try the other way.
Writers generally fall into two camps (though plenty of us live somewhere in between):
Plotters outline their entire book before writing. They know the major plot points, character arcs, and how everything ends before they write "Chapter One." They create detailed scene-by-scene breakdowns, character sheets, world-building documents - the whole nine yards.
Pantsers write "by the seat of their pants." They start with a premise, maybe a character or two, and discover the story as they write it. They're often just as surprised as their future readers when a plot twist emerges or a character does something unexpected.
And here's what you need to know: both approaches produce bestselling, award-winning novels. Stephen King is a famous pantser who's said he starts with a situation and characters, then follows them to see what happens. George R.R. Martin calls himself a "gardener" rather than an "architect" - he plants seeds and sees what grows. Diana Gabaldon, author of the wildly successful Outlander series, has said "I don't write in a straight line and I don't plan stories out ahead of time. I, in fact, don't actually know what's going to happen in a book."
There is no right or wrong way. There's only what works for you.
Some writers need that roadmap to feel secure. Others find that detailed outlines kill their creativity and make the actual writing feel like a boring chore. Most of us end up somewhere in the middle - maybe a loose outline of major events, but flexibility for the characters to surprise us along the way.
The key is experimenting to find your process. Me? I'm a confirmed pantser. I've written all my books by diving in and discovering the story as I go. But I've watched plotter friends produce equally successful novels with their detailed outlines. Both methods can get you to "The End."
How Long Will This Take?
Short Answer: As long as it takes.
Long Answer: Some people write a first draft in a month during month-long challenges such as NaNoWriMo. Others take years. Both are fine. Both produce finished books. Both get published.
Let me say that again for the people in the back: taking years to write your first book does not mean you're failing.
Life happens. You have a job. You have kids. You have chronic illness or mental health challenges or family responsibilities. Maybe you can only write 200 words a day, or only on weekends, or only during your lunch break. That's okay. Those 200 words add up. Those weekend sessions add up.
If you're working for three months and you're only halfway through, you're not behind schedule - you're right on track for a six-month first draft. And you know what? A six-month first draft is fantastic. A year-long first draft is fantastic. A two-year first draft still puts you in that elite 3% who actually finish.
Don't compare your timeline to anyone else's. Don't beat yourself up because someone in your writing group finished their manuscript in eight weeks. They're not you. They don't have your life, your responsibilities, your challenges, or your story.
Some books pour out fast. Others need time to percolate. I've had books that flowed in a few weeks and others that took two years. The one that took longer wasn't any less valid - and honestly, it wasn't any less successful.
The only timeline that matters is the one that gets you to "The End." Whether that's 30 days or 3 years, you finished. And finishing is what counts.
Who Gets to Read It? (Spoiler: Nobody. Not Yet.)
I need you to hear this, and I'm going to be blunt about it: Do not show your manuscript to people while you're writing your first draft. Not your spouse, not your best friend, not your mom who thinks everything you do is amazing, and definitely not seventeen people in your writing group.
Why? Because sharing too early will kill your momentum faster than anything else.
Here's what happens: You're excited, you've written three chapters, and you want validation that this is worth continuing. So you share it. And then you get feedback. Conflicting feedback. Your spouse thinks the protagonist is too whiny. Your best friend loves her but thinks the plot is slow. Your mom doesn't understand why there's cursing. Someone in your writing group thinks you should start in a completely different place.
Now you're second-guessing everything. You go back and revise those three chapters. Then you share again. More feedback. More revisions. Six months later, you're still perfecting Chapter One and you haven't written Chapter Four.
Stop.
Your first draft has one job: to exist. Remember? You cannot revise, improve, or polish something that doesn't exist yet. And you absolutely cannot write a coherent first draft while simultaneously trying to incorporate feedback from multiple people with different tastes and opinions.
When should you share? When you've typed "The End." When you have a complete manuscript, from beginning to end, even if it's messy. THEN you can get feedback. THEN you can revise based on what people say. But not before.
The exception: If you have ONE trusted person - a critique partner, a writing friend, someone who understands that you need encouragement more than criticism right now - it's okay to share with them. One person. Not seventeen. And make sure they understand their job is to cheer you on, not to tear your draft apart before it's even finished.
Protect your story... and your sanity... until it's ready. Trust me on this one.
You Did It! You Finished Your First Draft!
You Finished Your First Draft? CELEBRATE!
No, seriously. Stop right now and celebrate.
You just did something that 97% of people who start writing never accomplish. You are in the elite 3%. You typed "The End." You have a complete manuscript. It exists.
Do you understand how huge that is? You went from blank page to finished story. You pushed through the doubt, the messy middle, the days when you didn't want to write but did it anyway, the scenes that fought you every step of the way. And you finished.
So celebrate. However that looks for you - buy yourself something special, take yourself out to dinner, do a victory dance in your living room, tell everyone you know. You earned this moment. Don't skip past it to immediately start worrying about revisions or what comes next.
Right now, in this moment, you are a novelist who has completed a book. That's worth celebrating.
What's Next?
Take a break. Put the manuscript away for at least a few weeks - a month is even better. You need distance from it before you can see it clearly enough to revise. Use that time to celebrate your accomplishment, rest your brain, and maybe start thinking about your next story.
When you're ready to tackle revisions, we'll be here with guidance on that too. But for now? Bask in the glow of having finished. You've earned it.