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Step 1
Determine your plot and storyline. One way to do this is by creating an outline of how your story will progress. If you don't like writing outlines, you can start with a paragraph-length description of your story concept. Once you have determined the overall plot and storyline, you should be ready to begin your story.
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Step 2
Map out your main characters. Since you are writing African-American fiction, your characters should be predominantly African-American. As you write, you will have the opportunity to develop your characters. If they have well-developed personalities in advance, it will make it easier for you to develop them throughout your story.
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Step 3
Begin writing. At this stage, you should write freely. Don't attempt to edit. Just let the story play out over your keyboard or notebook. You will most likely stay at this step for some time, but don't rush it. Take your time and write. Make sure your story touches on topics relevant to the African-American community, such as music, triumph over struggles, relationships or education, among many others.
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Step 4
Read what you've written. Don't edit. Just read it. This may have to take place some time after you write the story. You may want to step away from it for a few days before you read it, or you may not. Either way, make sure you read it as if you were a consumer rather than the author.
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Step 5
Edit what you've written. Now that you've read it, it's time to edit your work. You probably noticed some things you want to change while you were reading it. Take this time to do a thorough edit of your work. Look for grammatical errors, gaps in the storyline and places where your writing might have fallen flat.
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Step 6
Read your edited story. Make sure you've smoothed out everything that you wanted to fix during your edit. Since you are writing African-American fiction, your story should be about African-Americans or targeted towards the African-American community in some way. This is the time to ensure that your target audience is being properly considered throughout the story.
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Step 7
Share your story with others. It's helpful to get the opinions of others once you've finished your story. Since it's your baby, you may miss some things, like gaps in the plot. You can reach out to close friends and family, but if no one is available, join a critique group. Writing.com is an online writing community where the members offer critiques of your work in exchange for critiques of their work. Plus, it's free to use.
