Outlines are nothing more than a guideline to help you stay on track as you write, but they are helpful nonetheless. Include all of the points you want to write about in your outline. Under each point, make notes of characters, scenes or information that should also appear in that part of the book. Creating an outline will help you organize your thoughts and keep you from forgetting what you wanted to write. Remember outlines aren't set in stone. You can change it whenever you have a new thought or idea that impacts your book.
Fiction and nonfiction books alike have a voice. The voice you choose will essentially determine how readers "hear" your book in their minds. Use a consistent voice throughout your book if you want to help readers identify with your writing. For example, for a nonfiction book, you may choose to write in your own voice. You, as the writer, are speaking directly to your readers. You can also choose to adopt a persona that "sounds" different than you do. In fiction, you should consider point of view in addition to voice. Will you write in first person -- from the narrator's point of view -- or third person -- as an outside observer? Voice and point of view help set the tone of your book, so you should choose them before you start writing and be consistent throughout the work.
Fishermen use hooks to catch fish. Writers use hooks to catch agents, editors and readers. A hook is anything that will grab a reader's attention. It can be a surprising or strong emotion, a dramatic scene or event, a revelation or a hint that a character has a secret. A hook draws readers into the story. Examine your story. What about your plot or characters might be of interest to your audience? Place your hook at the very beginning of your story. It should appear in the first page or two, or you risk losing readers' interest before they even truly begin reading your book. Fiction novels and nonfiction books should always begin with a hook.
You can schedule your writing on a day-to-day basis if you like. For example, you may designate 7 to 8 a.m. as your writing time each day. If you can work this way, it is all right to do so. The important thing is you write every single day. Your book won't write itself, so even if you only have 10 minutes to write down a few ideas you had, do it. You should also give yourself a broader writing schedule in the form of deadlines. Don't tell yourself you will finish your book sometime in the future. Tell yourself you will finish it by November 30, 2011, for example. This creates a responsibility to yourself to finish the work.
Writers are always in danger of falling in love with their own work, but remember there are parts of your book that can probably be cut, scenes that don't work just right, information that needs to be reworded or characters that aren't developed well enough. After you finish your rough draft, go back and read through your work. Make any changes you feel are necessary to really complete your book. One good thing to keep in mind is if it doesn't move the story along or serve a purpose in the book, you can probably cut it out. After you are finished revising your book, ask a friend or family member to read it for you and give you feedback or suggestions.