How do you...write a novel?

I received a question from a fan writing books. 

Adnan: Hey dude…I need to know…how do you write a book? Lol xD I mean…like…I have a bunch of ideas and but I feel like they've all been done before.

Okey dokey, so the essence of this question (as you could probably guess) is not how do I write a book, but how do I start writing my book? In all honesty, it is a heck of a lot easier than I a lot of people realize because what many people believe to be a daunting task (100 pages, 1000 pages, etc.) really amounts to constant applied effort and a solid vision of your book. 

Rather than talking to you about writing out an entire book here and now, I think the most important part is getting your ideas in order. 

So here is a quick template that may help you get started. 

What is your book about? Sum it up in at most, two sentences. 

Ex: A Scholar's Journey: The Divine Tempest (my book)

A scholar and his protector fight against all manner of supernatural threats as they search for truth in a world turned upside down. 

Who is/are your main character/s? 

Ex: 

Penndarius Greyson - a naive scholar who is thrust into a world of intrigue.

Soren Luna Mortalitas - a talented fighter who was drawn into battle by his family's past. 

What can they do? How do they do it? What makes them special? 

Ex: 
Soren is a hand to hand fighter with a checkered past. His brother is an assassin and his father killed the rest of his family. He has an enhanced body: minor increases to strength, endurance, and regeneration.  

Where does your book take place? 

Therra, an original fantasy world. (Fill in the details later, such as how magic is used, what races exist, religion, etc) You just want a rough idea of what you are writing about. 

Who is your main antagonist/s? (The bad guy)

Diametries Malus Aequitas - a speaker for the god of law and order, intent on bringing daemons into the world. 

Kestrel: A daemon sent ahead to open the way for his brethren. 

Dayvion Luna Mortalitas: An assassin who serves Diametries. He is also Soren's brother. 

Who are your side characters?

Jadice Fillial: A highly religious captain in the white guard and servant to Diametries. He and his brother are unwittingly drawn into the speaker's plot.  

Aedan Fillial: An intelligent shrewd captain and brother to Jadice. 

Urielle Sincero: A seer for the god El'ron. She comes to Deiyil to watch events as They unfold. 

Azlea the Ashen: A magus from the Pentacle who comes to oversee negotiations between the anthra and the rahlien. 

What demographic are you aiming for? 

Young adult, epic fantasy

Now for the main body of your book.

This part is a bit more free flow, but my process generally comes down to me thinking up a number of interesting scenes that I want to write and then putting them into the step by step of events.

I call these "Epic moments". They are designed to cause the reader to hold their breath. Imagine the scenes that stick in memory, like in the Two Towers "Ya gonna have ta toss me!" I can still visualize that scene, even though it has been a few months since I've watched the movie. It is these scenes that will make a reader talk about your book, "Do you remember when..." that is what you are going for. You want people not just remembering your stuff, but talking about it too. Most books get passed around to friends and family, they sell because a reader connects with the author's writing style.

The most important thing that I find is that I have fun. If I'm having fun, the reader will too.

Anyway, thank you for reading! Have a great day!

Feel free to follow me (Herrick) on twitter or facebook too! '

I am currently listening to No Plan B by Manafest

My kickstarter  was successful, but if you like check out a secondary funding link here.  And you can still support my continued efforts.  you like, I'm funding the editing of my second book and it is a great place to get a copy of either The Divine Tempest or my upcoming book A War of Lies.