How to Start Something New

My method for starting a new fiction project with premise, theme, and character

I signed with a literary agent for my second novel, Congratulations, Your Fake Boyfriend is Evil, in April and we’re now in the VAGUE period of this whole getting published adventure. The prevalent wisdom anytime an author is in a time of unknowns is to start something new. Set your mind to new creative efforts that you can control while your book goes out into the big world that you cannot control.

Sage advice.

While I queried, i wrote the first draft of a speculative upmarket novel.

And now I’m starting a new project in the genre I was signed with, paranormal and fantasy romance. This cozy portal fantasy romance has been a blast to plan and write.

How do I plan a book? Great question, let me show you (with a made up example that someone is welcome to steal!):

Step 1 — Something totally random will spark an idea. Maybe it’s a random comment or observation. Maybe it’s a book I read that I wish had been for a different audience or had a different main character. Regardless, it will fester in my mind until I’m compelled to tell everyone around me about it and finally write it down. So, I typically start with a premise. Ex. What if a 200 year old shadow daddy retired and opened a tavern?

Download the Story Premise & Character Arc Template

Step 2 — Even the most commercial books feel most coherent with a theme. A theme is the BIG TRUTH a novel tries to convince you of. The novel usually begins by showing you the BIG LIE that opposed the truth. Ex. The best antidote to having done evil is to commit to doing good. The lie would be, if I ignore my past mistakes, they’ll go away.

Step 3 — Decide who the right character is to tell this story. What is their personal version of the truth and the lie? What do they think they want? What do they need to get to learn the truth? What do they sound like in the story? Ex. Solomon Shadesmar is a gruff tavern owner with a dark past. He serves his customers diligently but reveals little about his past. His voice is self-deprecating with an undercurrent of dry humor.

Step 4 — What are the logistical details? Best POV to tell this story? Word count? Genre. Ex. This 90,000-word cozy fantasy romance will be told in first person past tense.

Once I have these pieces in place, the story tends to tumble out of me in spontaneous interruptions throughout the day. I collect those into a beat sheet template, which I’ll share next time.

Happy writing!