| Do you have an idea that you feel you could turn | | | | things they do throughout the novel. Writing down |
| into a novel? I personally believe that each one of | | | | information such as: names, race, eye and hair |
| us has the ability to write a great story if we put | | | | colour, gender, where they live, their occupation, |
| our minds to it. We are all born with creativity and | | | | their age, their hobbies, their relationship towards |
| untapped talent that is waiting to burst forth. Most | | | | each other, including dilemmas in their past and |
| of us have to deal with similar situations in life, | | | | present, will help you shape the novel. Gathering |
| which ultimately gives us the inspiration that we | | | | information like this early on will help you to bring |
| need to write a great novel. The most important | | | | your story and characters to life. Sometimes |
| aspects of a novel are the plot, characters, | | | | authors find that their characters take on a life of |
| location, genre and structure. The plot is more | | | | their own completely changing the original plot! |
| significant, and drives the story along. | | | | When constructing your chapters, perhaps you |
| Firstly, start with a summary or synopsis of the | | | | could start out with an introduction to your main |
| story. This will enable you to build your story step | | | | character and give some background information |
| by step and give you a structure. Consider the | | | | about any problems they may have that need to |
| beginning of your story as well as the middle and | | | | be solved. Make your first page exciting or else |
| the end. Your story needs to flow and make | | | | your readers will lose interest. |
| sense as the plot develops. | | | | The location or setting of your story is very |
| Deciding early on whether your story will be | | | | important to capture the imagination. Try and visit |
| written in the first or the third person will greatly | | | | the place you are writing about, if that is not |
| influence your story. Writing in the third person as | | | | possible then do some research on the area. Also |
| opposed to first person will give you more control | | | | take into account as to whether your novel is |
| over your story, as the viewpoint will be from | | | | based on the past, the present or the future. |
| many different characters and not just one | | | | When coming to the end of your story, make |
| character, as in the case of the first person. | | | | sure that all the loose ends are tied up and that |
| The best way to decide which genre you want to | | | | you have left yourself and the reader with a |
| write about is to evaluate the type of books that | | | | satisfying ending. |
| you normally like to read. You don't have to stick | | | | Writing a novel takes time, effort and patience. |
| to this pattern, but it will be easier for you to get | | | | The best thing to do before you start is to read |
| started writing your novel if you already have an | | | | as many of your favourite novels as you can. |
| interest in the subject matter. This will also help | | | | This will help you to analyse the novels and break |
| you to determine the types of characters you | | | | them down into sections, so that you can get a |
| want to create in your story. If you are writing a | | | | proper understanding of how novels are |
| Mills and Boon romance, for example, your hero | | | | structured. Choose your favourite novel and |
| and heroine might be a young care-free couple | | | | scrutinize each chapter. Look for the climax in the |
| who are only concerned about their desires and | | | | story. Create your own climax in your own novel |
| their relationship with one another. The same | | | | and see how it works. |
| couple would certainly not fit into a children's novel. | | | | There will be days when you get writer's block, |
| The genre, characters and plot should go hand in | | | | and you just don't feel like writing anything - keep |
| hand. There are different types of genres to | | | | pushing yourself. Even if you can't think of |
| choose from: crime, romance, short stories, | | | | anything to write and find yourself just staring |
| children's, women's, mysteries, thrillers, science | | | | blankly at your computer - have a rest and start |
| fiction, and so on... | | | | again later. If you are persistent, you'll get there. |
| One of the keys to writing a novel successfully is | | | | Be realistic, and don't set your goals too high. If |
| understanding and knowing your main characters | | | | you have made a commitment to write five |
| and how they fit into your plot. Writing down a | | | | pages a day, then try your best to stick to that. |
| little background information about each of them | | | | But remember writing should be fun and not a |
| will enable you to figure out what drives each | | | | burden. Keep going and you'll have your novel |
| character and what prompts them to do the | | | | finished in no time. |