How to WRITE A BOOK in 2023: advice, steps, encouragement, & must-have resources

These three videos are actually all from back in 2020! If you enjoyed this "content marathon" style of valuable content put together into one place, like/comment to let me know because I'd love to do more like this!

I started writing just as an escape where I could build a world and characters I enjoyed rather than dealing with real life people who tend to be self centered and disloyal. Anyway I ended up with over 1500 pages and have ideas for much more. I broke it up up into four plus complete books. It’s a technology / erotic thriller that takes place in Italy. I developed the characters in detail including the sexual content so I would understand how they would react to other characters in different situations. Right now I’m trying to edit and tame down the erotic content but I have no idea how much sex and violence to leave in or how detailed it should be. Any advice on how publishers view this subject of how much or explicit the descriptions should be would be appreciated.

So helpful! I loved watching your dog roll around in the background 😂

I sooo appreciate your content as a new writer. Thank you so much for your effort and time! 💗

This is excellent. Thank you from the heart!

Has she even read "The Kid Gallagher Story " yet? I kinda don't think so.

“Fail faster” 😂 the summer between my senior year of high school and freshman year of college I wrote around 120k words over the course of three months. None of it was good, even on second drafts, but after getting into my first workshop, picking up beta readers, and learning more about the market, I’ve gotten so much better. Now I’m in my summer between freshman and sophomore year, and if I stick to my deadlines, I’ll have written 175k words this summer (A first draft, a second draft, and the bones of a second book). I’m still not sure if I’ll be able to query an agent after I do my last rounds of edits, but I’m honestly so happy with my progress either way.

do you write linearly?

Is your pinterest board public or private. I love the quotes!

I really want to publish online because I'm done.qith an entire book and.ibe moved onto my next manuscript..
What should I do?

This video is so informative and sincerely helpful! Thank you so much for all the work you put into making it!

Thank you so much 💛 I am currently working on my first book about my Nanas life and this is very useful! I been watching your videos for awhile and you inspire me to keep writing 💛💛💛

Okay LOL...the train in the background was confusing. I kept taking off my headphones thinking "what IS that?" :) Took me a couple times to figure out it was in the video.

I have to rewatch the video because I have been hypnotized by your dog😁

great tips and advice. your videos are super helpful! thanks for sharing!!

Using a Google Form for reader feedback and then converting to Google Sheets, editing and then printing is brilliant! Thank you for this! I’m in the middle of beta reader feedback right now!

Sorry Bethany I was distracted in the beginning 😂
Your hair looks so fluffy and healthy 😍🥰❤

Do you have a podcast? I’d love to listen to everything you have to say but I just can’t dedicated the time to watch. It would be so much easier for me to plug in my earbuds and listen while I’m home or at work.

I've been in that place where I've felt a little disappointed about writing a story after realizing someone had a similar idea. However, it actually helped me think of more ways to make my story even more unique. No matter what stage a writer is on, this video is super helpful! I'm learning and relearning so much! Thank you!

I just wanted to say you have inspired me to write my own book. Thank you 🤍

The GPS idea came from Sarra Cannon HB90 course. That's where I heard it. FYI.

I don’t have a network of writer friends yet. Where can I find legit but affordable editors?

This video was AWESOME btw, Thank you!🎉

That dog is everything

Your sleepy furry friend is SO CUTE

Thanks for all the great information!!!

Actually I had a friend that has published other books but she had one manuscript proffessionally edited and actually got a two book deal because of it. She also suggested getting our novel edited before sending it off as it would give it a better chance of being accepted because of the comptitition now.

This was a great video full of useful information. I know I will want to watch it again and recommend it to my writing friends.

You are so right! Every book has a different need! I started my 4th book this week. I felt paralyzed by the starting process. I think maybe because it's " book 2" and I'm nervous about my abilities in carrying the same feel, vibe whatever. So I'm starting off super mechanical, plotting every beat until I catch this book's rhythm.

Great inspiration and help, even for me, who's been at it for a few years! Thank you for your videos.

Loved this video! So much good advice! And it was fun to see Penny living her best life in the background hahaha!!

Speaking to the bare bones analogy. I'm a plotter, and I always think of writing like carving a sculpture (of let's say a person). The outline for me is like a rough cut of the general shape of the sculpture. Drafting is like cutting out the shape of the limbs, the head, the torso, etc. Each draft, more details are chiseled in, until proofreading is like the polishing of the final product.

Hi Bethany! Maybe you're not the right person to ask because you are an indie author, but I was curious if you would recommend getting beta readers and editors before you query an agent? I'm not really sure the order of operations there, and I'm still weighing the pros and cons of indie or traditional pub.

Whoa! This is such a great video, and a length that gets me excited - i can play it on the background during ALL the mundane house tasks today. Woohoo! Thank you for taking the time to put all of this together. I know it took a lot of work.

I absolutely loved that you put this video together compiling all your advice. I had watched them before, but it was great to see it all again in one place. 🖤🖤

I have to disagree slightly with the editing advice. I think all authors should be getting all stages of editing done regardless of their experience. As an editor I think you can tell when an author has skipped on editing, especially developmental editing.

If one of ten beta readers do not like a character, it may be because that character hits too close to home for them - reminds them of someone who hurt them. So definitely dismiss that outlier and go forward wth the character.

Wow! What a lot of things to digest. This is definitely a biggy to take in. Three videos in one packed with so much I'll have to re-watch over and over. Thank you, Bethany, for taking a huge amount of your time to make this hour long video. And Penny was so cute

Can we just take a moment to appreciate how cute Penny looks in part 1? 😍

Im publishing a book shortly. Took me many years to complete it as I have taken my time on it and also took some time off. Its around 80 pages. Its all about working out the costs now. I'm hoping to put it up for $2.99 on Ebook and around £7.99 on paperback.

I’m writing a book about a girl in college and finds out she has a mental disorder later on. I’m trying to write but I keep getting stuck on chapter 8. I want to write 10 chapters or more. Then I think about getting beta readers and I don’t know where to start.

I don’t completely disagree with what u say about a plan but I love Stephen king’s approach which is let the story write itself. Let it guide you

God bless you, Bethany! I really love how you (and Brittany) use your platform to help other writers. I can tell it's coming from a genuine, sincere place; I appreciate that.