From Idea to First Chapter: A Simple 5-Day Plan

When I first created The 5-Day Book Blueprint, I designed it as a simple, step-by-step system to help aspiring authors finally start writing their books—without feeling overwhelmed or stuck. 

I knew from working with writers that the hardest part isn’t always finishing a book; sometimes, just getting started feels impossible.

What I didn’t expect was just how many people would resonate with this approach. Since launching, The 5-Day Book Blueprint has helped so many writers take their first step toward a finished novel.

The feedback has been incredible, and it’s clear that having a clear, step-by-step guide - with published examples - makes all the difference.

That’s why I wanted to share a glimpse of the process of this helpful tool here on the blog. 

If you’ve been struggling to start your first book—if you have an idea in your head but don’t know how to get it onto the page—this simple 5-day plan will walk you through the first critical steps. 

By the end of five days, you won’t just have an idea; you’ll have tested your idea to make sure it can support an entire book, developed a character, a structure and story arc, plus my Blue Print templates put it all together to make it easy for you to follow as you write each chapter. 

Let’s dive in!

The ultimate goal when you start writing - whether that's a non-fiction book or a novel is to get the first draft down on paper. But even with dedicated writing days, high energy levels, and a good idea, many of my clients come to me because they either don't know where to begin OR they've been writing on and off for a long time but got overwhelmed. 

For many new writers, you're not just writing, you're learning a new skill and the best practices of the craft. And while the internet can be a goldmine of online resources, it's easy to get lost in so much information. 

As a result, you're left with a blank page and hours spent on 'research'. 

Months pass, and writing a book just seems like too much hard work. You'll work on it next year when life is a little quieter / when the kids are in school / when you have more time, etc etc.  

However, you don't need months to start - just five focused days to identify - in simple terms - the main elements. 

The 5-Day Book Blueprint is a tried and tested approach based on my own personal experience that led to a three book deal - one of which won an award and another was a number one best-seller. 

Here's a break down of the best way I've found to approach writing great books along with the results you can expect to see. 

Day 1: Your Big Idea

Brainstorming techniques

Being able to come up with new ideas is a critical skill for aspiring authors so on Day 1, I share different ways of thinking and techniques to come up with main ideas for your book - from free-writing to mind-mapping to asking “what if?” questions and more. 

Choosing a compelling concept 

Publishing is extremely competitive so you need to make sure you've got a compelling idea that also excites you. Using your bank of ideas created above, I show you a great way to 'test' your book concept to make sure it's solid enough to withhold a full manuscript of 80,000 words plus.

Result: A bank of ideas that you can use and update on your writing journey and a '4-step test' that reassures you your idea can work. 

Day 2: Crafting Your Premise 

Defining your genre

It's important to know where your book would 'sit' with other titles in a bookstore. 

This will help when pitching to a literary agent for traditional publishing or if you're self-publishing, understanding and researching what's popular with readers on Amazon and key word search. 

Genre is no longer just women's fiction, mystery, or historical fiction. Genres are crossing over and mixing to create new and unique book ideas. 

Establishing setting 

​Understanding the time and place of your book are critical points when outlining your book. Both elements 'ground' the reader and will often influence or complement your characters and plot points. 

Result: A brief summary of your book idea (ideally in a single sentence) which will act as your north star during the opening chapters and beyond.

Day 3: Develop Your Main Character

Why strong characters matter 

Readers stay for characters, not just plot and successful writers know that having a basic understanding of your main characters is essential. 

It's not just how they look or what their name is but their fears, flaws and how they change over time. 

Result: Write a short character bio for your protagonist which you can develop as you go.

Day 4: Your Plot 

The importance of structure, plot, and story

By defining these elements early on, it prevents you from getting stuck after the opening paragraph - the rest of your writing will flow a lot more easily when you have a map to follow. 

Simple outlining method 

I share my “hook, inciting incident, first turning point” framework that gives your writing a clear goal and direction to work towards.

Result: Write a 5-point outline of your book.

Day 5: Putting It Together & Writing Your First Chapter

Your Book Blueprint 

By consolidating all the information in my Book Blueprint template, you're able to relax and focus on writing. Follow your outline and let the character take the lead. 

Result: Write at least 500 words of your first chapter.

​And there you have it - in just five days you've gone from an idea to a written chapter and created an outline that will act as your guide throughout the writing of your first draft. 

This will make every writing session effective because you will know exactly what to write and when. 

​So, if you've been wanting to write a book, now is the time to start. Take the next step today with The 5-Day Book Blueprint.