Read the assignment. Make sure you understand what the assignment is asking you to do, and note key words such as "critique," "examine" or "compare." Look for a length requirement or particular themes or quotes that might be required to figure into your paper. If you're writing a paper for your own purposes or for publication, decide for yourself the length and content requirements of the paper.
Create an outline for your paper with the main ideas you want to cover. This doesn't have to be a formal outline with Roman numerals and subheadings, unless that's required for the assignment; a numbered list with bullet points will work, too. Jot lists of ideas you want to include and arrange them with the most important first. If you are comparing two aspects of the book, such as characters or conflict, arrange their similarities and differences by order of importance as well.
Draft your paper with at least one paragraph for each point. For example, if you are proving that the main character was strong, brave and loyal, you will write a paragraph for each of these traits. The length requirement for the paper will determine how much detail you need to include. Make sure you include examples of your points from the book and use quotations to support your claims.
Connect your paragraphs with transitions. Use a word or phrase that shows the connection between one idea and the next. For contrasts, use phrases such as, "on the other hand" or "by contrast." For similarities, use words such as "likewise" or "similarly." For another example of the same point, use phrases such as, "in addition to" or "another." Be sure to write an introduction and conclusion to tie the whole paper together. Your main idea should be introduced in the beginning and reinforced at the end.
Revise and edit your work. Make changes in ordering information where necessary and make sure the paper flows from start to finish. Check for errors in spelling, grammar, usage and punctuation. The Spell Check feature on your computer will only get you so far, so reread your work for correctness.