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Maybe you have a great idea for a story that you’d love to see on the
This article will give you a step-by-step guide to help you start writing your first novel
You might already have a compelling idea developing in your head
It’s okay if you don’t know all the details of your idea at this stage
Once you have a list of possible story ideas, it’s time to choose the one you’
After all, there’s nothing less exciting than a book about someone waking up, having breakfast, and
So before you commit to writing the idea you’ve chosen, make sure there’s a central
Give the protagonist a really convincing reason for wanting to achieve their goal
If they’re in this story for no apparent reason, it will be easy for readers to
Once you know the protagonist’s goal, figure out what’s getting in their way
It might be an evil villain, a force of nature, or even the protagonist’s own fears
If you want some ideas for what’s stopping your protagonist from achieving their goal, check out
The protagonist’s goal is to win the Hunger Games because she promised her little sister that
This is a great example of a story with a high-stakes central conflict
Are they talkative or quiet? What kind of slang do they use? What is their sense of
Do they have any defining gestures? What’s the first thing people notice about them?
What are their flaws? What are their values? What are they afraid of? How will they change
For example, if your protagonist’s primary flaw is that she’s afraid to trust anyone, the
That way, for better or for worse, she’ll have a different relationship with trust by the
Once you have the protagonist planned out, it’s time to think about the antagonist and major
Many authors write new characters into their novels as they go
Once you have your characters down, it’s time to decide where and when your story will
You might want to set your story in a fictional world of your own making
Maybe your story works best in a big city, or in a small village, or in a
Is it a single night, like in A Christmas Carol, or a year, like each book in
The time and place of your story will really affect its mood and atmosphere, and might even
At this point, it’s time to do the step that some authors love and some authors
Outlining the important plot points of your story in advance will help ensure you don’t run
Some, such as three-act structure, give you as few as three beats to work with
If you’re a pantser rather than a plotter, meaning that you prefer to discover the story
However, you should still plan out the key plot points to give yourself a sense of direction
At the very least, plan out the inciting incident, the midpoint turn, and the climax
Before you start drafting, you need to decide the point of view you’ll be writing in
For example, first person will feel more intimate than third person omniscient, but third person omniscient gives
Point of view is also closely intertwined with form and structure
For example, if your story takes the form of a confession from one person to another, first
Now that you have the basics of your book planned out, it’s time to plan your
If you don’t have hours of time to write, you can find smaller moments
Every time you’re about to open a social media app, open the Notes app instead and
Depending on the genre you’re writing, a typical novel is between 60,000 and 100,000 words
Then, figure out how many words you need to write each day in order to accomplish that
Using daily or weekly word counts will give you more manageable, bite-sized goals
You can track your word counts in a calendar, journal, or spreadsheet to keep yourself motivated
Remember that first drafts are meant to be messy! It won’t be perfect
If you get writer’s block, remember that it’s okay to jump forward to a later
You could make a mood board or playlist to get yourself into the mood of your book
Don’t be too hard on yourself if you can’t hit your word count
Once you’ve finished your first draft, give yourself some distance from your book so you can
That way, you’ll be able to see its strengths and flaws more clearly when it’s
For now, resist the urge to start making line-level edits, such as adding commas or rephrasing sentences
Chances are, you might not even need those paragraphs after your developmental edit
Instead, focus on fixing plot problems, strengthening your character arcs, and adding or deleting scenes if necessary
Once you feel you’ve revised your book as much as you can alone, it’s time
Novel writing is a daunting task, but anyone can do it if they take the time to
Do you have any favorite tips for writing a novel? Share them in the comments