A Guide To Writing

These are ideas and techniques that are fundamental to the writing process. Without them, you may find yourself lost while writing, and having to regather your thoughts or rewrite large chunks of the novel.

So here are some basics of how to write a novel:

Know what the story is about

Some writers feel most comfortable starting their novels only after they have outlined the novel in its entirety. Others just like to sketch out a few details before they hop into it. Whichever way you decide is most appropriate for you, you need to know:

- What your novel will be about

- What is the conflict that is driving the story

- Who is involved in the conflict

- How the conflict is resolved

If you have these aspects clear in your mind before you start writing anything, it will make your writing a lot easier.

Do research, but do it later

It’s important to do a bit of research for certain aspects of your novel, like the setting, a character’s career or how a gadget works underwater. It is also important not to get bogged down by your research. Whenever you feel the need to do some research, make note of it and just keep writing. After you’ve finished writing that segment, go back to the part that required the research and do it. Don’t stop writing to do research in the middle of a scene.

Write in segments

I’m willing to bet that no novel has ever been written in one sitting. Novels are written in segments, scene by scene. Don’t worry about how you’re going to write a whole novel; just approach it by focusing on the current scene you are working on. Complete one scene, then just move onward to the next scene. Remember, an elephant is eaten one bite at a time. (Who eats elephants anyway?)

Enjoy the writing process

Writing a novel, especially the first draft of the first novel, takes tremendous commitment and dedication. Don’t worry about getting it all perfect on the first go. Just write because you enjoy it. Have fun when you are writing your novel, and your enjoyment will show through your words. The more you enjoy your writing, the more likely you are to write a better novel.

Just write

Above all other things, writing a novel requires you to do one thing and one thing only; to write. You need to write continuously if you want to complete a novel. Not just when you feel like it, or when everybody is out of the house, or when it’s rainy outside and you don’t have anything else to do. You have to write everyday. Commit yourself to writing everyday, even if it’s only for 10 minutes. The more you write, the better your writing becomes, and the closer you get to writing your novel.

These are just some of the basics of how to write a novel. Most writers who start a novel never complete them. If you understand the basics here, you are one step closer to actually writing and completing your novel.