If you're in search of tips for writing a novel, here's
your first tip: search for something more substantial. A
tip here or there will not provide you with enough
information to help you write a novel. You need more. Try
an online course, for instance. Or seek out the guidance
of a professional writer. Anything more substantial than a
few quick tips.
With that said, a few solid tips can provide you with
the motivation to get started and a rough idea of how to
start. So here they are ...
1: Don't Start Until You Know These
Some writers love to outline the novel in its entirety
before they write a single word. Other writers prefer to
sketch out a few notes and jump right in. Either way you
choose to approach writing your novel, before a single
word goes on paper, you need to know these:
- Who the story is about
- The primary driving conflict of the story
- Who or what opposes the story's main character
- How it all turns out
If, at a minimum, these four issues are clear in your
mind, then you can feel somewhat comfortable in getting
started on your novel.
2. Save Your Research For Later
It's easy to get caught up in researching every little
aspect of your story, from settings to careers to how
things work. Don't get bogged down in research. When you
come to a section that requires research, mark it as such
and keep writing. You can come back later and fill in the
blanks. Research can be a novel killer if you let it
consume you.
3: Don't Write A Novel, Write A Scene
The idea of writing a novel can be overwhelming. Don't let
it overwhelm you. A novel isn't written all at once. It's
written scene by scene. So approach it that way. Write one
scene at a time. Don't worry about the rest of the story,
just focus on getting that one scene completed.
4: Plan On Writing More Than A Single Draft
If you want to free yourself to write faster and better,
then face the fact early on that you'll be doing several
drafts. There's the first draft, written as fast as
possible. There's the second draft, here you focus on the
plot, making sure that everything works, tossing out extra
scenes, adding in scenes that are missing. There's the
third draft, in which you clean up your punctuation, make
sure your sentences make sense, etc. Finally, there's the
optional four draft, when you give the novel one more run
through. Accept that you'll be writing more than a single
draft and a huge load will come off your shoulders.
Suddenly, you don't have to be perfect. You can write with
joy and freedom!
5: Write
Out of all the tips for writing a novel that I
could offer, this is the only one that truly matters. If
you want to write a novel, you have to write. Not
occasionally. Not only when the muse strikes you. Not only
when the rest of the family is out of the house. No, you
have to write everyday. Even if it's only for fifteen
minutes. You must sit down and apply words to paper each
and every day. Write!
There they are, my top five tips for writing a novel.
Straightforward and to the point. I sincerely hope you've
found something here that was worth your time. I do intend
to add another five tips in an upcoming article. However,
I will repeat, tips are fine, but a good novel writing
course can result in the completion of a better novel in
half the time.
