How To Write A Book With No Experience: 23 Valuable Tips

Teenage Sarah was the embodiment of how to write a book with no experience. I had my book idea and believe it or not, I wrote a 130k-word medieval fantasy.

Skip ahead to today. After training under multiple bestselling authors (and writing four more books), I now know a little more about what I didn’t know. The great news is, I’m here to communicate this experience to you in the form of 23 valuable tips.

That way, you don’t need the experience itself to write your first book. All you need is a little guidance to get started.

Experience can indeed be beneficial, but it is by no means a prerequisite for penning a novel. You’ll gain your own experience as you write!

In fact, most of our over 8,000 authors published their first book with us. Many of them became self-publishing success stories, proving you don’t need experience to successfully write a book.

Here is what you need to know about how to write a book with no experience.

How to write a book with no experience: what you learn

• Can someone with no experience write a book?
• How do you start writing a book for beginners?

Can someone with no experience write a book?

The answer is most definitely, because every known author started out as an aspiring author with no experience. Take me as an example of an absolute novice! Remember, I wrote my first book as a teenager with no idea writing rules existed.

My first attempt proved I didn’t know how to write dialogue or the basic rules of publishing. In fact, I had a New York Times bestselling author tell me to my face that my dialogue for my male warriors sounded like a female teenager. Yikes!

She didn’t say this to deter me, but show me the places I needed to improve so I could overcome the challenges of self-publishing and gain the experience I needed. Now I coach writers, speak at writing conferences, and blog on all things writing.

The good news is, you too can make it as a writer, even if you start with no experience (that’s where everyone starts!).

How do you start writing a book for beginners?

It’s crucial to learn how to write a book with no experience by articulating with your motivation, or as Simon Sinek calls it, your why.

1. Understand your motivation

Why do you want to write a book? Understanding your motivation for writing your book will help you press on when the going gets tough.

Start back asking yourself the following questions:

• Do you wish to share your knowledge?
• Are you passionate about a particular topic?
• Do you have a character you long to write about?
• Do you want to establish yourself as an expert in your field? 

Different motivations lead to different types of books. If you’re fueled by a desire to share your expertise on a specific subject, a non-fiction book would be a suitable choice. If you want to entertain, you may want to plot a fiction novel.

Identifying your motivation not only helps to determine the type of book you’ll write but also guides your writing process and the way you approach your project.

For me at least, motivation keeps me going when my initial excitement fades into the reality of daily working on a large project. A strong motivation can help me overcome writer’s block, push through multiple revisions, and guide me toward completing my book. 

Remember, the journey of writing a book is a marathon, not a sprint, and maintaining your motivation is key to reaching the finish line.

2. Find inspiration for your book

Learning how to write a book with no experience means finding inspiration. Your story idea can come from anywhere: personal experiences, observations, interests, or even a dream. 

It could be a unique twist on a common theme or a fresh perspective on an age-old topic. As a writer, simply notice your world and allow these seeds of inspiration to germinate into the concept of your book.

3. Write down all your ideas

No matter how insignificant they seem, jot them down. You never know which one might evolve into a full-blown story. I wrote down a phrase or sentence in a class at my university.

Today, that idea turned into my debut, which has garnered endorsements from bestselling authors. You never know what idea will turn into your book.

How to write a book with no experience means learning no idea is too small.

4. Research

Research in order to understand what’s been done and identify how your concept stands out. Both learning how to write a book with no experience or a plethora of experience necessitates knowing what’s out there.

5. Create a premise

Try to condense your idea into a single sentence. This exercise helps clarify your concept and is known as your elevator pitch. I use this tip all the time.

6. Expand on the premise

Flesh out the details of your story or the chapters of your book. The more details you add, the clearer your concept and/or plot structure becomes.

7. Seek feedback

Discuss your concept with trusted mentors, a book coach, or editor. Their perspective can provide valuable insights and help you best develop your idea.

8. Settle on your genre

Understanding the genre of your book is equally important as it sets the expectations for your readers and dictates the conventions and rules of your writing. 

Study successful books within your genre to understand what readers enjoy and expect, thereby guiding your writing process to better meet those expectations. 

P.J McNulty says, “Genre is the framework within which your story unfolds.”

9. Decide whether to plot or “pants”

There are two primary approaches to writing: discovery writing (pantsing, or writing by the seat of your pants), outlining (plotting), or a hybrid.

Pantsers start with a basic idea and let the characters and plot develop as they write (Hi, this is me!). This method can be exhilarating, as even the author doesn’t know where the story might go. However, discovery writing can also lead to plot inconsistencies or an unfocused narrative. 

This is where the outlining or plotting method comes in.

Plotters lay out the entire plot, characters, and significant events before they start writing. This method allows for a coherent narrative and reduces the risk of plot holes. 

But, it might also limit spontaneous creativity and make the process feel more structured.

10. Set your writing schedule

My writing mentor says to create a self-imposed writing deadline and treat it as sacred. If you learn nothing about how to write a book with no experience except to meet your deadline, you’re ahead of most writers.

11. Craft compelling book characters

Characters breathe life into your story and to create compelling characters, you need to know them inside out. 

Understand their:

• Backgrounds
• Motivations
• Fears
• Desires

Remember, it’s your characters that the readers will connect with, so take the time to craft them thoughtfully and make them human, flaws and all.

12. Establish the normal

Begin with the status quo, the world as it exists before your story’s main events.

13. Introduce a conflict

This is the problem or challenge that disrupts the norm and sets your story in motion. You story world was perfect until . . . conflict.

14. Write to the climax

The point of highest tension in your story, where the conflict reaches its peak. For example, this is Frodo reaching Mount Doom. How to write a book with no experience means beginning to understand the importance of climax.

15. Provide resolution

How has your character changed or grown? Satisfy your readers so they feel good about the time spent reading your book.

16. Don’t forget your denouement

The aftermath, showing the new normal after the resolution, can be key. For example, this is Frodo leaving for the Grey Havens.

17. Balance character development with plot progression

As you write, aim for a balance between character development and plot progression (focusing on this balance helps me as I edit my work later on).

The events of your plot should reveal your characters and help initiate their growth. However, your characters’ decisions should drive the plot forward. 

In a well-crafted story, plot and character are intertwined, each pushing and shaping the other. The difference between how to write a book with no experience and with experience is how much an author uses both the plot and characters to shape the other.

18. Build an engaging setting

An engaging setting influences the plot, shapes your characters, and helps set the tone of your story. 

Whether it’s a bustling city, a quiet small town, a distant planet, or a fantasy realm, your setting should be well-developed and detailed enough to make your readers feel like they’re experiencing the world along with your characters.

If you’re learning how to write a book with no experience, here are some techniques to craft vivid and believable settings:

• Show, don’t tell: Describe your setting in a way that allows your readers to visualize it.
• Use sensory details: Include descriptions that engage all five senses to create a more immersive experience.
• Be specific: Instead of general descriptions, use specific details to make your setting more unique and memorable.
• Incorporate it into the action: Integrate your setting into your characters’ actions and dialogue.

Acknowledging the importance of setting is foundational to learning how to write a book with no experience.

19. Balance show, don’t tell

To balance the level of detail in your setting, consider the following:

• Don’t overdo it: Avoid overwhelming your reader with too many details.
• Distribute details throughout your story: Instead of dumping all the setting details at once, scatter them throughout your narrative.
• Relevance is key: Only include details that contribute to the mood, character, or plot.

20. Master dialogue

Remember how I started my own journey of how to write a book with no experience with dialogue that did not fit my characters?

P.J McNulty says that, “Dialogue is a potent tool in storytelling. It moves the plot forward, reveals character traits, provides exposition, and enhances the overall readability of your book.”

Good dialogue is crucial to communicating your story. It differentiates those who are trying to learn how to write a book with no experience and those who are several drafts or books in.

21. Find your author voice

Your writing style is your voice on paper. It’s the unique way you string words together, how you construct your sentences, and the rhythm and flow of your text. 

Developing your unique writing style is a gradual process that comes with practice. To do so, write regularly and read widely. Observe the styles of different authors, learn from them, but don’t imitate. 

Use what you read as inspiration for your own voice, but never copy. Let your voice emerge. Your style should reflect your personality and perspective.  Above all, it should feel natural and authentic to you.

22. Edit

You’ve heard the phrases: “Edit, edit, edit,” and “All writing is rewriting.” Some say the first draft is you telling yourself the story. Edit to show the story to readers.

Again, if you’re learning how to write a book with no experience, consider these techniques to edit:

• Read aloud: This helps you catch awkward phrasing, run-on sentences, and inconsistencies.
• Look for common errors: Check for grammar, punctuation, and spelling errors.
• Cut unnecessary words: Remove fluff, redundancies, and irrelevant details to tighten your prose.
• Check consistency: Make sure your characters, plot, and setting are consistent throughout.

23. Always seek feedback

Constructive criticism is the backbone of great writing. Whether you use beta readers, a writing coach, or editor, seek out feedback so you can make your book the best it can be.

Learning how to write a book with no experience (and publish it!) means learning the benefits of feedback so you can allow your story to grow and change!

How to write a book with no experience: take your next step today

Now that you know how to write a book with no experience, you have a foundation to build on. Take your next step to authorship by using our free resource below!

This blog was rewritten from the original version published by P.J McNulty.