write novel

How to Write a Novel

In order to write an interesting and successful novel there are a number of things that you should take into consideration:

Decide what the novel will be about

At this early stage you only need to think about the theme and general events of the novel

Decide on setting

Try to establish where the novel will be set ie the year, genre etc.

Create your leading character/s

Try not to create the typical good guy character, he or she can be a criminal, racist etc. The main thing you have to do is make the character believable.

Develop the plot

When deciding on the plot make sure it ties in with the theme of the novel. There are numerous aspects that you will need to decide on such as will the main character be a different person at the end of the novel? What events will happen that will lead the main character to this change? It is also crucial to remember that you want the readers to be gripped immediately so it may be a good idea to start the story at a critical moment or in the middle of a conflict.

Creating other characters

It is essential that you create characters that are present in real life. Always keep an eye out for interesting people in real life who will add something to the story and the main character.

Keep writing down ideas

It is important that you continually write ideas down on bits of paper. They do not need to be whole stories just a sentence or a couple of words. It is a sound idea to keep a bit of paper with you at all times so that you can write down story ideas as the come to you.

Do not send manuscript immediately

It is a good idea not to send your manuscript away as soon as you have finished it because over time you may think of a much better ending to the novel or think of a character that could be added. Therefore, keep your manuscript for at least a couple of months or until you are completely happy with the entire novel.

On line writing support

It may be a good idea to join an on line writing website that connects you with other professional and inspiring writers. By doing so, you will be able to gather advice from other people and gain encouragement from them.

Write the way you want

It is important that you write your novel they way you want to and do not worry if it does not sound right at first just keep going with it. Also, if someone is giving you advise on writing and it is not working then do not use it! Do not need to write about what you know

Remember you do not need to write about something you already know you can write about something you do not know, just research the topic thoroughly.

Make sure your story is original

You need to ensure that your story is original because sometimes you might end up writing about a story that you have already read.

Publishing your novel

If you want your novel published then make sure you edit it thoroughly and look up books or websites that give you information on how to get your novel published. Find out more on publishing houses and get an agent.

Do not write cliches

Try to avoid writing cliches because they are boring and do not keep readers interested. Include dramatic twists that will make the reader want to read more!

Copyright your novel

Make sure that you officially copyright your work. If you can not copyright your work for whatever reason then a good idea would be to send a copy of the manuscript to yourself and do not open it. Put your name and address on the front of the envelope and the postmark date on the envelope and this will help prove that you are the writer. However, this is note a full proof method but it can help and can prevent people claiming that your work belongs to them.

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