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With practical exercises in every lesson, this course will guide you through the planning stages of your novel and teach you essential elements of novel writing, including: Creating characters and choosing your point of view. Bringing your setting to life.
- Pick A Planning Method That Works For You
- Zero in on Your Protagonist
- Create A Challenge
- Find A Setting That Suits The Story
- Decide on An Ending
- Consider Your Novel’S Style and Structure
- Know When to Start Writing
Before we jump into the details of your story, let's discuss the planning approaches available to you. As mentioned before, there isn't a tried-and-true way to plan a novel — the process is specific to both the author and the story that's being told. Some authors type up bullet-point lists, some draw mind maps, some even sketch their characters. He...
Now we get to the meat of the planning. Every single story follows at least one protagonist — so if you want a foolproof start to your plan, kick things off with your main character(s). But don’t just think about their names and what they’ll look like, as fun as that might be! Instead, to ensure that your novel is anchored in believable human behav...
If your character’s biggest goal is one side of the storytelling coin, then the central conflict is the other — you need to have both in a novel. Only when there’s something to impede the protagonist in their quest can there be the rising stakes that readers so desire and enjoy. This obstacle (or series of obstacles) can be a physical antagonist, a...
As you’d expect, the setting of a story varies wildly depending on your genre. Say you’re writing historical fiction about soldiers on the Western Front during World War II (think Atonement) — the setting is part and parcel with the story concept. But even if your setting isn’t quite so intertwined with your novel’s plot, you should still put a goo...
If you’ve written any kind of story before, you’ll know that it’s usually easy to beginone, but finishing it can feel like a Herculean feat. Sometimes you lose direction of where the story’s going, sometimes you stumble into a creative cul-de-sac — both are incredibly frustrating. The good news is, you can let the story's ending inspire what happen...
Now let’s take a break from the story-based aspects of planning a novel and look at some technicalities. When it comes to style and structure, you may feel inclined to just go with the flow and see what happens. But to help you maintain consistency and avoid tedious revisions, here are a few elements to think about as you plan a novel.
Some people prefer to have a detailed outline to guide their writing, while others want to discover the story as they write. The decision of when to stop planning and startwriting relies entirely on how you work best as an author. However, before moving on, you should make sure you have at least developed: ✅ A narrative arc with a beginning, midpoi...
Mar 25, 2019 · How to write a novel in 13 steps: 1. Pick a story idea with novel potential. 2. Develop your main characters. 3. Establish a central conflict and stakes. 4. Write a logline or synopsis. 5. Structure your plot. 6. Pick a point of view. 7. Choose a setting that benefits your story. 8. Establish a writing routine. 9. Shut out your inner editor. 10.
Jan 23, 2024 · For those days when you can’t fit in a writing session, make sure you have a notebook with you in case you find five minutes in your day to jot down any ideas related to your project. Alternatively, try listening to audiobooks while you’re doing other tasks or chores.
How to Write a Novel. Take your novel from concept to completion with this series of non-credit online courses created by UBC Creative Writing professors Annabel Lyon and Nancy Lee. Hosted on Harvard and MIT’s innovative edX learning platform, these three courses are open to anyone.
Aug 19, 2021 · How to Write a Novel in 10 Steps: Complete Writing Guide. Written by MasterClass. Last updated: Aug 19, 2021 • 9 min read. Writing a novel requires dedication, organization, and discipline. Once you’ve decided on an idea or story, use our step-by-step guide to learn how to write your novel. Explore.
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Jun 28, 2019 · Whether you call it a notebook, diary, or a journal, you need something to capture bits of overheard conversation or dialogue. Capture intriguing settings or that fascinating woman in the coffee shop who would make a brilliant main character.
