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Comprehensive Guide on How to Write a Novel

Published by Eva Johnson at 9/27/2023
How to Write a Novel

It's challenging to write a novel. It takes a lot of effort, including concept generation, planning, drafting the novel, and late-night plot-hole repairs. To keep your tale flowing smoothly, you have to work hard to keep yourself from straying from the core topic and to weave your thoughts together.

After writing is complete, there comes editing, which is an entirely distinct process.

True, for some people the entire process comes effortlessly, but if anybody could do it, we'd all be famous writers.

This article will describe 10 stages for writing a novel that will assist you in developing your creative writing skills and getting started on a well-written and entertaining book.

We'll also offer some advice for authors who are just starting to understand the "How to Write a Novel" process or who might be having trouble completing their work.

What is a novel?

A book-length narrative is a novel. The average word count for a novel is between 50,000 and 110,000, however this might change depending on the genre. Novels frequently communicate highly complicated storylines due to their length, and they also extensively explore the characters, topics, and places.

Although novels are fictitious stories, they may be based on real-life people or historical events. What distinguishes a novel from a book is this: Even though a book can be any bound work of literature, a novel is a particular kind of book that conveys a thorough fictional tale.

What Constitutes a Novel and What Are the Rules?

Writing a novel is not difficult. It needs a little amount of discipline along with diligence and hard effort. To succeed, great authors and writers constantly adhere to the following principles:

  1. Always keep the interests of your intended audience in mind.
  2. Set yourself daily objectives.
  3. Give your story suspense and unexpected plot turns.
  4. Continue to hone your concepts by reading works by other authors.
  5. Draw inspiration from other authors, but avoid copying them.
  6. Don't worry too much about your initial draft.
  7. Persevere with the exercise.
  8. Always conduct research.

Above all, make an effort to follow your tale and take breaks to let your brain rest.

How to Write a Novel in a Few Days

First, come up with a great tale concept. It's likely that if you're reading about "how to write a novel," you already have a plot concept in mind. Make sure it's a concept you adore and are enthusiastic about. Make sure the concept can be developed sufficiently to make a whole novel.

These days, there are a lot of novels on the market, all of various quality and creativity. Choose a topic that will thrill people rather than something that is too simple or overdone.

Write something that will leave your readers wanting more. Make up a plot that has never been read before. Here are some tips for novice authors learning "How to Write a Novel" to help them come up with ideas for their next books:

  1. Brainstorm
  2. Mind mapping
  3. Role Playing
  4. Research
  5. Storyboarding

Determine whether you're an Outliner or a Pantser. If you want to outline, you will prefer to create a detailed plan before beginning to write your novel. You need to be familiar with your characters and what happens to them from start to finish.If you're a pantser, which means you write on the fly, you start with the seed of an idea and use writing as a method of exploration.

As Stephen King advises, "Put fascinating characters in challenging situations and write to figure out what happens."

You will just find that one of these methods seems more natural to you than the other.

But in reality, a lot of us are hybrids, a mix of the two, wanting both the protection of a plan and the flexibility to let the tale lead us in the direction it chooses.

Decide what seems right for you, and don't worry if it means combining outlining and pantsing.

Make the primary character memorable. Nothing kills a tale faster than bland, dull characters.

Before you start writing, take some time to develop your characters. Develop a rich, complex personality. Make a list of their preferences and areas of interest.

Although some of these details might not even appear in the plot, being aware of their personalities can help you write them in a way that is interesting, credible, and consistent. Making them have a bodily identity might be beneficial. You may accomplish this either mentally or by looking for an image online that you believe best captures how you see them to appear. You can use these images as a resource on your own.

Never be hesitant to let your characters take the lead occasionally.

Once they develop their own personalities, you might notice that they say and do some surprising things while you write.

That's absolutely ok!

Let them travel where they choose. Your readers will get completely immersed in them as a result of this giving them life.

Develop your concept into a storyline. The process of writing a novel can be challenging, but one of the most critical things you can take to make it less difficult is to develop a tale plot plan. This will serve as a road map for your writing, aid in the organization of your ideas, and make sure that your tale has a distinct beginning, middle, and finish.

Using the three-act plot structure to pinpoint crucial events is a typical method of structuring a novel.

This structure makes use of the first act to introduce the primary characters, particularly the protagonist and antagonist, and to set the scene. The conflict and increasing action are the main themes of the second act, whereas the climax, declining action, and resolution are the main themes of the third act.

You may make sure that your plot is well-paced and interesting for readers by adopting this framework while outlining your novel.

Continually conduct research. Fiction must be credible in order to thrive, despite the fact that it is by definition made up. Even dreams must make logic.

To prevent mistakes that make your tale improbable, you must do your homework.

After the reader accepts your premise, what happens next must make sense. By conducting thorough study, you may add the detail required to make this work.

Authenticity and taste are enhanced by precise details.

If you get the facts wrong, your reader will lose faith in your tale and interest.

Decide on your stance. One of the most crucial decisions you'll have to make while creating a novel is the point of view (POV). It's one of the first, too. Why? Because various points of view will influence every other aspect of your story, including the voice and structure. There are three major points of view: first, second, and third person. Everyone has benefits and drawbacks.

When the narrator is a character in the tale, we are given a first-person point of view in which we observe events from their viewpoint. This viewpoint has the benefit of being quite personal. We learn a lot about the character and experience the world through their eyes.

The story's breadth is constrained since we can only view events through the eyes of one individual.

The reader is addressed directly by the narrator when the tale is told from the second person point of view. This point of view has the benefit of making the reader feel deeply immersed in the narrative. The drawback is that it's not always simple to execute and can be startling if done incorrectly.

When the narrator is not an actor in the tale, we witness things from the outside.

This point of view has the benefit of being quite adaptable; we may watch events from the views of several individuals and learn a lot about the fictitious world.

The drawbacks include a potential loss of intimacy compared to first-person views and a potential increase in difficulty in keeping track of who is doing what.

So, whose viewpoint should you pick? It relies on your narrative and the impact you're going for! There is no right or incorrect response; what works well for your tale is what matters.

Start off in the middle of the action. On page one, you need to seize the reader by the neck.

It's not a need, however a high-speed pursuit or bullets flying may make for a good thriller. It entails skipping over unnecessary scene establishing and description in favor of getting right to the meat of the narrative.

Les Edgerton, a gritty author of big boy novels, claims that aspiring authors stress excessively about giving the reader every detail of the past up front.

In essence, he is suggesting to just get on with it and leave it to the reader to figure things out.

Every sentence, and every word's objective is to convince the audience to read the next.

Develop the Pace and Structure of Your Story For your tale to keep readers interested, tempo is crucial. But what precisely is pacing, and how can you develop a tale with good pacing?

The pace of your tale might be thought of as its beat—the ebb and flow of action and exposition, conversation and description. Neither too much nor too little of any one of these components will be present in an evenly balanced novel.

Understanding the function of each piece in your tale before striking the ideal balance is the secret to writing a pace that flows smoothly.

There's a good reason why the writing process is sometimes compared to a voyage. A tale has a start, middle, and finish, just like a trip does. A tale has its highs and lows just like an adventure does.

Your story's opening should introduce your characters and set the scene for what's to follow.

The majority of the action takes place in the middle, during which your characters run into problems and difficulties.

The culmination and tie-up of all loose ends occurs in the conclusion.

A well-paced novel that keeps readers interested from start to finish requires striking the perfect balance between action and exposition, dialogue, and description.

Write Dialogue That Sounds Natural One of the toughest obstacles for authors is writing dialogue that feels natural. After all, real individuals don't always employ proper language or whole phrases while speaking. Take into account including some of the following components to make dialogue sound more natural: false beginnings Have your characters begin to speak before stopping and changing their thoughts. Though it frequently goes unmentioned in written speech, this occurs frequently in real life.

  • Unfinished ideas: Similar to this, other characters may occasionally conclude their sentences with words like "Anyway" or "What I Mean Is..." This promotes a more natural flow of discourse.
  • Interruptions: Having characters occasionally interrupt one another is another technique to convey reality. Make sure it sounds natural and don't use it too frequently.
  • Slang: Slang can be targeted toward cultural conventions, time periods, certain groups, or specialized training, based on where your characters are from and/or their educational backgrounds. Don't rely on preconceptions or clichés; do your research to do it correctly. If you do, you risk offending or alienating some of your audience.

These methods will help your dialogue sound more authentic and genuine. Just bear in mind to maintain balance, since having too much of one item may soon become tiresome or distracting.

Finish your first draft and solicit feedback. Finishing the first draft is the first step in creating an excellent essay. This rough draft will assist you in putting your ideas on paper and structuring them into a convincing argument.

Getting comments on your work is crucial once you've finished the first draft. Feedback may help you see areas that need development and can also give you an idea of how well the content is coming through to others. It's easy to start doubting yourself, so it can be useful.

Sharing your work with a friend or family member you can trust is the greatest approach to gain input, especially if they have expertise in writing or editing.

A writing coach or covering service could also be a useful choice for people who are farther along in the process or who are more certain with their early drafts.

Regardless of who you share your work with, kindly request an honest assessment of your writing from them. Consider their recommendations for enhancements if they have any.

Recall that criticism is supposed to assist you in improving your work, so don't be reluctant to pay attention to it. You can refine your initial draft into a masterpiece with a little work. The word count won't change during the rewriting process, so don't worry about it at this time.

Create your second draft after editing your story.

The Method for Writing a Novel Each new draft of your work takes you one step closer to reaching your goal. Work is a journey.

The main goal of the first draft is to get your ideas down on paper (or on screen). It's an opportunity to unleash your imagination and consider all the potential plot twists.

In the second draft, you start to construct your tale by incorporating more specifics and subtlety. Additionally, it is an excellent moment to streamline the content by removing any extraneous words or phrases.

The third draft, sometimes known as the "polish" draft, is when you polish your work and guarantee that it is error-free.

You should have a final product you're proud of by the time you hit the final draft. Therefore, don't be frightened to put in the effort; each succeeding draft will move you closer to your objective.

Things That Will Aid in the Writing of a Fail Proof Novel.

Clear some room. You need a nice setting if you're going to be a professional writer and finish your work. This is perfect if you have an office or a space for one in your house.

If you don't already have one, invest in a spacious desk that you can work at comfortably. Your own office will provide you with a private, peaceful environment where you can work effectively. You may use artwork, photographs, quotations, or anything else that uplifts and inspires you to decorate the walls.

It's acceptable if you can't set up an office for yourself. Find a peaceful location for your workplace and customize it as much as you can. Make sure you have space for all of your necessities and tools. Purchase a sturdy chair and make it cozy.

Set objectives and due dates When it comes to the sheer amount of effort needed to complete a novel, many authors become overwhelmed. They are at a loss as to where to start as they gaze at the empty page in front of them. By dividing your endeavor into smaller goals, you can prevent brain overload.

Everyone will have various goals, based on their lifestyle, but a daily word count might be an excellent place to start. Make a commitment to write 200 words or more each day. Make it a thousand if you believe you have more free time. Make it 5000 if you can only write that much.

Maintain a spreadsheet to keep tabs on your daily, weekly, and monthly word output targets. After assessing your availability, make a timetable and follow it. Use book writing software to design and manage your timetable without hesitation.

Whatever works greatest for you, whether it's writing in the morning, after lunch, or before bedtime, write every single day.

But include it in your agenda and stick to it. This will foster excellent habits and guarantee that the process of writing your story doesn't take an eternity.

Reduce Distractions Everything may become a distraction, especially when you're stuck or have writer's block. Keep extra papers off your desk, your phone on quiet, and your cell phone in a different room while you work.

Finding an app that limits the internet for a specific amount of time can also be a smart idea. This will reduce the need to check Facebook or browse pointless websites.

Distractions shouldn't be allowed during the difficult labor that goes into creating a bestseller.

Before finishing the first draft, don't edit. This is quite significant.The first draft is clearly not the place for editing, while editing has its uses.

You will never succeed if you are continuously concerned with quality, proofread everything many times, and edit for every error. Use no writing tools and keep your internal editor locked up until your first draft is completed.It is useful and crucial to keep in mind that no first draft is ever excellent. Nobody ever succeeds at good writing and a well-developed storyline on their first attempt.

Continue writing even though you can already tell that it's not perfect. Adjust it afterwards. You will reach the goal in this manner. Pantsers often excel at this, but many authors find it difficult to suppress their inner perfectionist. But you have to.

Conclusion Many people have the desire to write a novel but lack the beginning writing skills. An AssignmentSanta team can assist you if you have a great concept for a book but are unsure of where to begin. Beginner writers who are interested in learning "how to write a novel" can greatly benefit from their excellent academic writing services. They can not only assist you in keeping track of your characters and storyline, but they can also offer insightful writing criticism. Their experienced authors may provide helpful advice on how to increase the novel's marketability and appeal to agents and publishers.



FAQs on How to Write a Novel


Can a youngster write a novel?

Every age group can write books, and teenagers can certainly write and publish novels just as well as, if not superior than, some adult writers.


How can I write a novel on my own?

You can create a fantastic novel with sufficient preparation and commitment. Make a list of the ideas you have for your novel to get started. Start giving your characters and narrative more depth as soon as you have a broad notion of what you want to write about.

Allocate time each day to write, even if it's only a few hundred words. Continue editing and rewriting as you write to make your writing the best it can be. You can write your novel if you have patience.


How much time is required to write a novel?

Your schedule and your goals will determine this. Even a novice should be able to complete a manuscript of 100,000 words, incorporating revisions, in six to nine months.

Create and develop the proper writing habits, and then stick to a regular writing routine.


How can a novice author begin a novel?

You must have a concept for your story before you begin writing. Before you start, it might be beneficial to create a basic idea or plot framework. However, try not to get too caught up in the specifics. When you have a broad idea of what you want to compose a piece about, it's time to start contemplating your characters. Who are your story's main characters? You may begin outlining the plot of your story once you have a firm grasp on your characters. Where does the narrative start? What follows is what? What challenges do your characters encounter on their journey? How does everything ultimately resolve itself? You may start composing your novel with comfort if you can provide the answers to these questions.


How can I know whether my narrative concept has potential?

Simply put, the perfect idea feels right. When you touch down on it, you'll know it. Most significantly, you must feel compelled to write about your concept. Tell a trusted friend or relative about your narrative concept.


Who is the youngest writer?

Saeed AlMheiri, a four-year-old kid from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, holds the record for being the youngest author ever to publish a book with his book on kindness, according to the Guinness Book of Records.


Which novel is the simplest to write?

Romance. Without a doubt, the most lucrative genre of novels is romance, and this trend is continuing. Because romance novels often adhere to a very straightforward format, this genre is simple to create.


What is the tiniest novel ever written?

Hemingway's "Baby Shoes". This is the well-known six-word narrative by American author Ernest Hemingway from the 20th century.


What word count does a novel have?

An average novel has 80,000 words, although they can range from 60,000 to 100,000 words.



Eva Johnson

Greetings! My name is Eva Johnson, and I compose literature for a living. I pursued a Doctorate in creative writing after developing a lifetime love of literature, stories, and artistic expression. I became a full-time writing consultant at Assignmentsanta.com thanks to my love for creating original, educational content. Helping students with their academic writing assignments and getting top ratings is enjoyable. Over the years, my devotion has enabled me to publish my writing on numerous other reputable websites and online magazines. I enjoy reading, going on vacation adventures, and trying new foods while I'm not working. I want to read, learn, and experience more as I get older in order to better prepare myself for this ever-changing world.


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