What Not to Do When Writing a Book

Writing is only the first step in getting a book published.  It determines the time between finishing a novel, getting it edited, and sending it to the printers.

Here are some things you should always refrain from when writing your first biographical historical fiction.

Overestimate Yourself

Being able to write 3,000 words of SEO content per day is completely different from writing as many words for a historical novel. While the former has its own technicalities, the latter takes more research, description, attention to grammar, and other, just as important, literary aspects.
To start with, don’t predict when you’ll be done with your book by the number of words you can write at the moment. Instead, sit down and write those words to see how many you can get down in a day. It’s only then that you can create a realistic schedule for your writing process.

Cut Corners on Research

Many authors include a disclaimer in their acknowledgments section that says something along the lines of, “All errors are my own”. This is as much to absolve their sources of any responsibility as it is to establish themselves as an authority on themes explored in the book.

These themes take so much research, you’ll find yourself in a public library for checking on something as seemingly irrelevant as the type of corset worn by women during a certain period.

Splitting your time equally between research and writing isn’t such a bad idea for:

1. Poor research impedes the writing process.
2. Negative Goodreads reviews hurt like the dickens.

Create Textbook Characters

Readers love character development as much as they appreciate well-rounded characters, and, as an aspiring author, you have the massive responsibility of steering the journey of these entirely fictitious people realistically.

As captain of your ship, you should steer clear of two-dimensional protagonists, love interests, supporting characters, and villains by giving them some backstory or motive to rationalize their actions.

Get Inspired by Popular Historical Fiction Books

It’s good practice to prep for the writing process by reading a fiction bestseller or two beforehand. Check out biographical fiction stories by Joseph Woodward on the Amazon writer’s eponymous website.

Read the Lost Between the Continents Series, pick up the standalone knockout that’s The Three Husbands of Annabelle, or while away the hours with the Pocket Book of Short Stories.

Contact the author to learn more about what makes good historical fiction.