I am by no means a master at writing chick literature books. However, I do consider myself to be a fierce authoress who has recently completed not one, but two manuscripts. And published two books. (Plus, I’m working on three more.) Eek! Sometimes I can hardly believe that I am living my dream. When it comes to writing your first novel, there are a few tips I can pass along.

Writing my first chick lit book was a whirlwind of emotions and creativity. Each character came to life as I intertwined their stories with humour, romance, and the occasional mishap, capturing the essence of modern womanhood. I immersed myself in the vibrant setting of New York City and Toronto, allowing their energies to fuel my narrative. The challenge of balancing relatable themes with lighthearted escapism became an exhilarating part of the process. Through countless revisions and late-night brainstorming sessions, I discovered not only my voice as a writer but also the joy of connecting with people who resonated with my words. Ultimately, penning The Manhattan Mishap was not just the birth of a book, but the start of my journey as an author in the chick lit genre.

How to Write Your First Chick Literature Novel

First of all, when I’m writing a book, I care more about the word count than I do perfect dialogue or descriptors. I like to write, write, write as much as I can and then go back and edit, rewrite, and rethink a lot of things afterwards. Another thing I do, which might be a total faux pas, is brainstorm different events I want to happen and write those scenes out randomly.

For example, if I want “Carly” to have brunch with “Sonia” but at the start of the book they don’t know each other yet, I’ll tentatively write out the scene and plunk it into chapter seven or wherever I think it might happen. Then, I work up to it. Does that make sense? It’s probably a terrible way of doing things, but it’s worked for me thus far.

Anyway, writing your first novel is going to be a different process for everyone. However, this is what worked for me. Let’s get writing.

Sit down at your computer

This might seem obvious, but whatever. It’s true. The first step you need to take when writing your first novel is to sit down at your computer. Carve out the time to get there—even if it’s just ten minutes. You’ll feel 300 times more accomplished if you just sit down and at least try.

Block out distractions

I know, social media is evil and addictive. At least when it comes to trying to write distraction-free. And I’m not saying that you should never go online, just try to minimize your time spent scrolling through bikini pics and designer hauls. Although, it can sometimes be helpful… If I’m needing some inspiration for a character’s outfit, hairstyle, or favourite food, I’ll scroll through my explore page and see what catches my eye.

Read More: The Best Parts of My Job as a Chick Lit Author

Squeeze in time whenever you can

One thing I’ve found really helpful is to have a draft of my manuscript in Google Docs. That way, no matter where I am, I can open it up and get to work. On the bus? Pull up that doc. In a Uber? Pull up that doc. On lunch break from your 9-5 office job? Pull up that doc! Even writing five words is better than not writing anything at all.

Read a lot of other books

When I’m writing a book, I read as many books as I can in the same genre. For me that means stacks upon stacks of fashionable, hilarious, bubbly chick lit novels. My favourites are by Plum Sykes, Sophie Kinsella, and Jennifer Weisberger. I just finished rereading Bergdorf Blondes for the third time and I would highly recommend it. It’s so much fun. Exactly the kind of chick literature I want to write.

Just do it

Sorry, Nike. Don’t sue me. (Please.) But seriously. Write with abandon! Type until your nail polish starts chipping. Furiously hit that keyboard like you would hit the gym. Just go, go, go. A blank page can seem intimidating at first, but if you just let your thoughts flow, you’ll see that the page fills up pretty quickly.

If you want to chat more about writing books, hit me up on Threads. And here’s a bonus tip: work on multiple projects at once, if your brain allows you to do that. Then, if you’re stuck on one, you can work on the other. I usually bounce between a few different manuscripts at the same time. When writer’s block hits with one, I usually find inspiration in another.

Read More: My New "About the Author" Blurb

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