(I use “he” inclusively to mean hero or heroine)įor most novels, that means he must bear potentially heroic qualities that emerge in the climax.įor readers to be able to relate to him, he should also exhibit human flaws. This main character must experience a life arc - in other words, be a different, better or worse, stronger or weaker person by the end. Your most important character will be your protagonist, also known as your lead or your hero/heroine. Step 3: Create an unforgettable main character. I’m a Pantser with a hint of Outlining thrown in, but I never start writing a novel without an idea where I’m going - or think I’m going. Regardless, you need some form of structure to keep from burning out after so many pages.
THINGS TO WRITE ABOUT IN A STORY HOW TO
(I cover strategies for both types and talk about how to structure a novel here.) So do what makes the most sense to you and don’t fret if that means incorporating both Outlining and Pantsing. One or the other of these approaches will simply feel most natural to you.īut, in truth, many of us are hybrids, some combination of the two - needing the security of an outline and the freedom to let the story take us where it will. If you’re a Pantser, meaning you write by the seat of your pants, you begin with the germ of an idea and write as a process of discovery.Īs Stephen King says, “Put interesting characters in difficult situations and write to find out what happens.” You want to know your characters and what happens to them from beginning to end. If you’re an Outliner, you prefer to map out everything before you start writing your novel. Step 2: Determine whether you’re an Outliner or a Pantser. Only that kind of an idea will inspire you to write the novel you’ve always dreamed of. It must capture YOU so completely you can’t get it out of your head. Take whatever time you need to prioritize your story ideas and choose the one you would most want to read - the one about which you’re most passionate and which would keep you eagerly returning to the keyboard every day. I based my first novel, Margo, on this idea: A judge tries a man for a murder the judge committed.
Powerful enough to hold the reader all the way?Ĭome up with a story laden with conflict - the engine that will drive your plot.
Big enough to warrant 75,000 to 100,000 words?.Intensify your main character’s problems.Engage the theater of the reader’s mind.Start in medias res (in the midst of things).Create an unforgettable main character.Determine whether you’re an Outliner or a Pantser.I hope you enjoy it and can apply it to your own writing! This guide shows you how to write a novel (based on the process I use to write mine). Of course this goes without saying, but first you must finish a novel manuscript. If other writers enjoy such things, why can’t you? Imagine letters from readers telling you your novel changed their lives, gave them a new perspective, renewed hope. Or, best of all, your name on the cover of a newly published book - does that excite you? Better yet, imagine a finished manuscript. And that’s what I reveal to you in this definitive guide. I use a repeatable novel-writing plan - one that helps me smash through those obstacles. You may be surprised that even after writing 200 books (two-thirds of those novels) over the last 45+ years, including several New York Times bestsellers (most notably the Left Behind Series), I face those same problems every time. You ran out of ideas and had no clue what to do next.You feared your writing wasn’t good enough.Maybe you’ve tried before, only to get a few, or several, pages in and lose steam because:
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