Writing a novel sounds amazing, doesn’t it?
Writing a novel isn’t too difficult. Writing a GREAT novel is like being pecked to death by a chicken! Well, maybe not that bad, but close.
Seriously, though, there is much that goes into novel writing that without knowing all that is involved, you will more than likely never finish it, let alone get started.
This post is basically going to be a list of things you need to consider or do throughout the novel writing process.
Without Further Ado, Let’s Get Started
The list I’m going to write for you to consider is by no means an exhaustive list. It will, however, give you much to consider and do to give your story idea a fighting chance.
- CONSIDER YOUR GENRE’. Many people, when they consider novel writing, have a story idea at the ready, but fail to put that story down on paper without writing for a specific genre’.
Why Does That Matter?
It matters because the writing style, vocabulary, theme, clothing styles, and setting all matter. For example, if you’re planning on writing a Young Adult Romance book, the setting, storyline, vocabulary all need to fit the age of your reader.
If you plan on writing an Adult Romance, the language, theme, vocabulary, and depth of character would be completely different than in a Young Adult Romance.
This same concept goes for all other genres, such as horror, fantasy, etc.
The names, plot, vocabulary, setting should all fit the genre’ in which your story is written.
2. Have Writing Supplies at the Ready.
For me, this is what it looks like:
- Pens
- Notebooks
- Index cards
- Laptop
- Word
- OneDrive – to save my work to the cloud (for free)
- Grammarly Premium (editing software. Nothing turns off a reader more than terrible grammar and sentence structure)
- Shutterstock (free account I use for my book covers. You pay per picture, but it isn’t much and you don’t have to worry about the rights to the picture)
- Time in your schedule to write consistently. A book can take anywhere from, depending on the genre’ and length, 3 months to 2 years on average.
3. Character Names and Development
To write a book where readers fall in love with your character (or hate them), you must know them inside and out BEFORE you begin writing. It is arguably the most important part of novel writing.
How to Create Unique Characters: Advice for Making Each Character Stand Out
4. Outline (at least a basic one)
You need to know where the book is headed. An outline will also help you to keep drama and tension in every chapter throughout the book. Some people are what they call Pantsters, meaning they write by the seat of their pants, and don’t plan anything out. For most people, that’s not a good idea, since it’s difficult to keep tension, drama, and the plot moving forward without at least jotting a short outline of the entire book before they begin writing.
How to Start a Novel Without an Official Outline
To Outline or Not to Outline, That’s the Question
5. Chapter Bullet Points
What I do is make 3-5 bullet points for each chapter on index cards. This method guarantees you have tension and happenings each chapter, so readers will have an impossible time putting down your book.
6. Marketing/Publishing Strategy
Are you going to self-publish or find an agent and traditional publisher? Either choice requires intense thought and planning, especially if you choose to go the route of a traditional publisher. If your book isn’t:
- Grabbing the reader from paragraph one
- Free of grammatical errors
- Has poor character arcs and development
Then, a publisher will drop your manuscript right in the can!
Of course there is much more to the novel writing process. I encourage you to read through the many posts I have to help you through the process.
I’m also currently creating a novel writing course on Udemy, which will guide you from start to finish along your novel writing journey. And the best part is I’m going to make it easily affordable for everyone. So, STAY TUNED!
I hope this helps. If you have any questions or need more help, don’t hesitate to message me. Happy Writing! Gina
