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- Brainstorm. If you’ve decided to write a novel, you’ve probably been inspired by a story idea. But whether you have a whole world planned or just a single sentence that serves as a logline, here are two key tips to keep in mind
- Start Developing Characters. A novel can have the greatest premise in the world, but it won’t hold up unless you create characters your audience can invest in.
- Decide on a Point of View. Once you understand your characters, you’ll be able to figure out what narrative voice you want to use. Will you write in the first person or in the third person?
- Outline. Writing fiction requires thorough structure and careful attention to detail. Here are six writing tips to help you inject that structure and detail into your outline, and hopefully create a good story in the process.
- 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.
- Capture your novel’s progress. John Steinbeck faithfully chronicled his progress when writing The Grapes of Wrath in a notebook. He wrote about his thoughts, fears, hopes, and more.
- Chronicle your inspiration. Ernest Hemingway carried his notebook with him always. He wrote in his memoir, A Moveable Feast, "I belong to this notebook and this pencil."
- Outline new ideas. Before those amazing ideas float away, outline your next story or novel. Even if you’re a pants-er, capture the essence of your next manuscript in your writer’s notebook.
- Keep sketches handy. Some writers like to sketch out characters, scenes, timelines, story arcs, and more. If you’re a doodler, keep a notebook to capture the images your mind creates.
- Plan and structure your book and your time. Writing a book is a mid- to long-term project (unless you are one of those rare authors who can churn a book out in a week or two).
- Keep any research you need in an organized, accessible place. Some books demand more background research than others. If you are writing about an unfamiliar location, take a tour on Google Street View and note down landmarks and what the architecture or natural environment is like.
- Write every day, without fail. As author Steven Raichlen says in his post on how to write a first novel for Writer’s Digest: ‘The secret to writing a novel — or any book — is writing.
- Put excuses for not writing and put them to one side. As writers we find endless reasons why we can’t write: “I don’t have the time” and “my writing sucks” are two common ones.
Oct 25, 2024 · If necessary, consider a “page one rewrite” to reshape the novel from scratch. a) Targeted Revisions: Focus on specific scenes or chapters that need work. b) Big Picture: Ensure the overall story arc is strong. c) Consistency: Check for consistency in character behaviour and plot details.
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Apr 29, 2019 · Are you wondering how to write a novel that people will read and love? Our ultimate guide will detail every step you need to know so you feel confident writing a book that flies off the shelves.
