The writing of a book is a large endeavor. It can take many years to research and write, let alone finish and submit a book. This article is will give you a brief idea of the difficulties involved.

1. Idea: Usually the idea of what to write strikes you rather than you striking it. Take one of your luxury pens and begin outlining what will happen. Continue to do this and soon you will have a good idea of the plot.

2. Plot: A good plot is furthered by different perspectives usually represented by other characters. A detailed outline can help you expurgate scenes that don't add anything to the story. Foils, or characters that hold opposing ideas, are great ways to advance the plot of your story.

3. Characters: Good characters think like us. As readers we want to explore the psychology of a character and relate to him. A good character has major issues that are eventually resolved by the end of the story. When creating a character, associate a cluster of details with them. An example of a good tag is: she wore horn-rimmed glasses, smelled like fresh laundry, and had pale sallow cheeks. From this we can begin to understand the kind of person this female character may be and we expect to see this details mentioned or related when we next encounter her.

4. Show Don't Tell: Hemingway did this well with his iceberg theory. Say as little as possible, let your characters speak and show action instead of telling events.

5. Revise: You don't have to finish your story before you start revising it. Many authors rewrite the first line of their novel hundreds of times. And if you aren't feeling like creating new words with your luxury pens, go back to the old ones and re-read them to see how they sound.

6. Read: If you want to write a great book, you have to read great books. This will allow you to see how other masters managed to accomplish their goals.

7. Give it Away: Let your family and friends read your work. They will probably have criticism, but that doesn't mean that you have to take it. Sift and sort through what you are told and decide what is worth incorporating.

8. Be Satisfied: When you think you're getting close, think about how you would judge this work if you picked it up in a bookstore. Would it grab you? Ideally you want to be proud of your work, so it should engage you even though you know what's going to happen.

These eight tips should give you an idea of how much farther you have to go if you're just setting out, or what you have to do next if you're nearing the end. Above all else, keep writing with your luxury pens. The more you write, the better you will be.