Did you know that Dostoyevsky once wrote a novel in only 26 days?
Of course, not all of us can be Dostoyevsky. Writing a novel might seem like an impossible task. Not only do you have to manage the plot and pacing, but your characters have to engage the reader.
You have to start somewhere, so in this guide, you’ll learn the best tips for novel writing. By the time you finish reading, you’ll know exactly what you need to get that bestseller.
Know How to Start a Novel
People have less attention than goldfish. That means they won’t read past the first chapter if they don’t like it. Some readers won’t read past the first page.
Yank your reader in with a strong hook from the beginning. Put the most interesting elements upfront. And most importantly, spark a desire to learn more.
An intriguing situation that shocks the reader is a great way to go. If readers read through chapter 1, chances are they’ll read through the rest of the book, too.
But have some writing tips on hand. Visit this post for more ideas on how to make your novel great.
Write Engaging Characters
A common mistake novice writers make is putting too little emphasis on characters. They have histrionic dialogue and intense action scenes. But their characters are as bland as wood chips.
An engaging character needs to be relatable. Even the foulest villains on earth share a commonality with other people. You need to identify the most compelling elements of your characters and use these to create engagement.
Do they love someone? Are they competent in a certain career or task? Do they go out of their way to help others?
Find what makes your character redeemable and what makes the reader root for them. Then you’ll have a character that they love. If you want to know how to create novel characters, look at your favorites and notice how the author wrote them.
Know How Your Story Ends
Some writers are pantsers, while others are plotters. The difference is in how to start a novel.
Pantsers improvise. They write “off the seat of their pants,” meaning they don’t know how they’re going to get to the end. This allows them to create organic plots that are sometimes better than a planned plot.
Plotters, however, plan things down to the letter. They know the beginning from the end. They have their novel plot ideas written down in an outline.
Neither technique is better than the other, but one thing is clear: you need to know your ending.
You don’t have to know how you get there. You just need to know who dies and who gets the girl. Otherwise, the ending could be lackluster.
Now You Know How to Write a Novel
You’ve got the most important concepts under your belt. Novel writing isn’t easy, but practice makes perfect. Maybe one day you’ll pump out a novel every month like Dostoyevsky.
Follow our blog for more ideas on how to be an amazing writer.
