I have never written a novel before. Where do I start?

This is a common question that a lot of aspiring authors ask. How do I write a novel?

The idea of writing a book may seem daunting, even scary, but it is not if you break it down into manageable steps. Here is an easy-to-use, step-by-step instruction on how to write your first novel.

First: Create a story map. Some authors may have an idea of what they want to write about, but the skeleton of the plot is still murky in their head. By sitting down and mapping out your chapters, you will be better able to come up with a solid foundation.

Second: Create backstories for your characters. We have all read or seen stories with one-dimensional characters, and almost always, the story feels flat. Create a page for each character. Write questions like, what does this character look like? Age? Name? Birthday?You can even ask more in-depth questions like what is this character's personality type?

Greatest fear? Saddest memory, Greatest challenge? Flaws? All of these will help you to create a more well-rounded character.

Third: Come up with an attention-grabbing beginning. Your first page tells the reader if they would like to continue reading or stop. Try to think of something gripping, exciting, fast pace, or start with some sort of conflict.

Fourth: Begin writing. This sounds simple enough, but it is usually by far the hardest one. Start by writing a sentence and then continue. The important this is to get your ideas out. Know that things will change, so try not to get too married to your first draft.

Fifth: Revise. Once you completed your manuscript is crucial to revise it. Not everything thing that is written is not a perfect piece of artwork. Revise as best as you can and try to improve it grammatically.

Sixth: Ask for beta readers. Ask your friends and family to read your work and give some input. It is imperative to get a second set of eyes.

Seventh: Revise again. After you get correction and input, do a rewrite.

Eighth: If you can, try to get an editor to edit all the grammatical errors that might have been missed.

And there you have it, you have completed your first novel. Congratulations, you should feel very proud. Writing a book is not an easy task.