Do you want to write a novel in no time? It takes too long, doesn't it? With this guide, you can write a really interesting novel for money or for fun.
Steps
Method 1 of 1: Write Your Novel
Step 1. Choose the genre
Crime, Horror, Sentimental,… you decide. If you haven't decided yet, start writing.
Step 2. Create the cast
Think of one to three characters who are interesting. Write an analysis (with the appearance, personality and story of each character). They should be as familiar to you as a friend, brother, sister, mother or father. Once this is done, your characters should speak for themselves and may even surprise you with what they say. When this happens, you know your characters are interesting.
Step 3. Plan your novel in a notebook or on your computer
An outline of the places (where events happen) can be detailed as you wish. Some exceptions are allowed, as long as it gives the feeling of a greater organicity of the text, but be careful not to go too far. You can't have a character trying to solve a murder, so he decides to hang around cartoon fairs with friends, then go back and pick up where he left off.
Step 4. Choose a place and time for the scenario (example New York 1929)
Make it interesting and attractive as much as you can!
Step 5. Develop the storyline
Think of a really good storyline for the characters involved. This can be done with the 'fish out of water' genre, where the character suddenly finds himself in a situation he knows nothing about (namely: Castaway). Or maybe something happens to him or a close person and he's involved. However, be aware of the obvious. If the reader knows what's going to happen before reading, you'd better write equations on toilet paper from a popular restaurant.
- Remember, don't go over the top with the texture! You really have to know how to do it.
- There are parts to a story: introduction / exposition, conflict, crescendo and epilogue.
- The introduction / exposure should not be very long; just as necessary to introduce the characters and describe the situation. (Scrooge is an imbecile; then his friend returns as a ghost to let him know that he will visit him often).
- Conflict is therefore what the character has to face and resolve. (Ghosts show up and haunt Scrooge).
- All this leads to the crescendo of history where situations reach a turning point. (Scrooge sees his death and changes his attitude).
- The epilogue links the different parts and creates the story. (Scrooge talks to Cratchet and decides to change his life).
- Set yourself a limit on how many pages to write in a day. (One page, one and a half, etc.). This will help you manage your work and time.
- Search for publishers who may be interested in your work. Go through their pages carefully and even hang them on the wall for inspiration. Most will never accept violent stories, but they probably won't reject your story just because it contains violence. There is a market for stories.
- For story ideas, sit down with the newspaper, read magazines, listen around, reread your diary, take a walk, and watch the news.
- If you write a part of your novel every night for at least an hour, it will be enough to go ahead and do your job. Concentrate on achieving this; after a few days, you will have a novel.
- Don't be afraid to leave your job for a day. This can really stimulate your creativity.
- Reduce or avoid words like: is, was, has, had, was, was, was, had been, would have been and the like. This will add some action to the sentences and make them less stale.
- Try your best not to make any changes as you write. You may get stuck with sentences and paragraphs and eventually lose faith in your ability to write. Write a few pages before reading again; just like someone else said, use the plow and worry about fixing up later.
- Some publishers base their categories on counts. A story for a number of words. Ditto for a short story and so on. The novels have at least 35,000 words and the works more. Most writing programs can give you the 'count' of words, or you can estimate words based on the number of pages and the average per page.
- Writing is deceiving the mind into thinking you are present, so you have to make the text perceptible through the "senses", or, in other words, give readers the meaning of the story through: smell, touch, taste, sight, sound and impression.
- Take some time to make changes after you are done. It will spare your patience with a publisher later.
- It may be advisable to try the snowflake / snowball method - that is, write the framework of the story, embellishing and improving it as you go along. You may have to repeat the process several times, but it's really worth it when there are a lot of pages!
- Consider Nanowrimo (National Novel Writing Month) - the internet project for creative writing - as an option to get you to write.
- Possibly don't show your story to friends and family. They may not want to hurt your feelings if they are rather against the passages or know too much about the story to be able to evaluate it. Plus, they tend to want your story to be 'safe' or 'cute'. Rather, join a group of stern and frank writers; it's the only way to improve. Learn to take, accept, and use all the advice and criticism you may receive.
- If you are writing a novel, or something that has the rhythm of it, you must - absolutely must - represent your character in a desperate situation within the pages. Nothing kills a novel or a story if it doesn't immediately represent a conflict situation. Read Dean Koontz to fully realize this. (Tick Tock, Strangers, Lightning and Phantoms are examples).
- To begin, start writing in your word processor "this is a novel (horror, sentimental, etc)". Keep adding more details and textures each time.
- Beware of clichés: dead as a nail, scared to death, out the window, stiff as nails and the like. They make you look like an amateur. However, if you are at a tipping point, use them and rewrite them later.
- For character names, use a baby name book.
- Another way to use names is to know what they mean and to associate them with the characters.
- Think about the target audience and use expressions suitable for them in line with the novel's approach. Don't focus on using "better" words in your first project. When you review work and make changes, have a thesaurus available, but use words that fit the tone of your story; make sure you don't get too formal.
- Don't obsess over a publisher's comments if your work is rejected. Take comments seriously and use them to improve your work. Some publishers can be rude - if you've received a nasty letter, ask yourself if you are serious about working with that publisher.
- Writing a novel takes time, so be prepared to work on it for a while.
Step 6. Write
Remember that a book must have at least one page, but a few more would be preferable. Remember, you don't have a deadline, so take it easy! If you need to, read How to Write a Novel.
Step 7. Keep writing and then, when finished, put away for a week, and even a month
Come back to it and then rewrite, rewrite and then rewrite something more. Succeeding in the first draft is exceptional, almost impossible. Much of the magic of prose is related to rewriting.
