How to Write a Novel

Writing a Novel

All human beings harbor a desire to create. For some, this manifests itself as a painting, or a building. For others, that is not the right path. Some people must make their creations with more individuality. These are the writers of the world. The process of writing a novel is long, arduous and very personal. While there is no easy way to write a novel, there are tools and tips to strengthen a writer’s writing and advice concerning publishing.

The catalyst for a novel is the idea as it provides the novel’s foundation. However, before a writer can use an idea, they must find that idea. There are a variety of means to finding ideas. These include various methods such as brainstorming, free-writing, and the five W’s chart or more unusual methods such as people-watching.
The word “brainstorm” is a term used to indicate an attempt to find an idea. To quote the famous writer Jack London, “You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.” Many fine writers have used brainstorms to find ideas for characters, places or entire concepts behind their novel. It allows a writer to organize scattered thoughts into coherent ideas for their writing. This process can be time consuming but there are many possibilities for use and this method only requires active thought. A brainstorm is great for the writer who has a long
commute or gets stuck in traffic

The concept behind free-writing is that while the mind knows what it wants to write, it needs a clear path to do so. This is achieved by writing the first thing that comes into the writer’s mind, even if it is the phrase “I can’t think of anything.” Eventually the writer will have sensitized his or her mind to the point where any thought that crosses their mind will be written down. This allows for many excellent ideas buried in subconscious thoughts to surface. This approach is recommended for younger writers who have trouble sorting out their ideas.

The five W’s are Who, What, When, Where, and Why (Sebranek, 48-49). These five questions are a potent tool in the organizing process. They allow a writer to lay out all the relevant information to a chapter quickly and concisely. While not as comprehensive as an outline, this chart can be a boon to a writer in need of a scene. The writer can quickly set up a background, list characters involved, and give information on time and location.

The fine art of people watching can lead to great ideas. People are a fascinating subject to watch and can sometimes spark a creative flame. A real life scenario may give birth to a scene in a novel. The rather stout businessman you sat next to on the bus could become the obstinate accountant your novel centers around. The lovers sitting on a park bench cuddling could be the background of a heartfelt goodbye between friends. The possibilities that are presented by any person or chance encounter are endless. Any number of human traits, appearances, or events can be “borrowed” and used to flesh out a character or give depth to a scene.

A great idea is useless unless it is used properly. Organizing your ideas clearly and logically is a vital part of using an idea effectively. When a writer organizes his or her ideas, they can catalog them, which makes it easier to pick and choose from ideas and greatly improves the writer’s clarity. There are several solid means of organization, including the Mind Map, the list, process diagrams, and the outline.

A Mind Map or Spiderweb Chart is an organizational tool often used to describe a setting or a character. The main concept is placed in a central “bubble.” The main bubble is connected by lines to the supporting data (Sebranek, 48-49). By connecting those lines it gives the impression of a peculiar spider web. For instance, if the setting were a park, the word “park” would go into the central bubble. Supporting data such as the season, the different types of trees, and the background characters in the park would be written outside that bubble and connected to the bubble by a line. This method of organization is very simple and works well for a writer who is having trouble with a character or a setting.

A list is a rudimentary organizational form that is used all over the world. A list is simply a string of subjects written down under a heading. A list allows you to group a large number of related objects together. This method is very basic and is normally used when there are large amounts of data that needs to be organized. A list of names for a main character or made up words for an object in the novel are excellent examples.

A process diagram, also known as a cycle diagram, is a circular chart that is organized using chronological order (Sebranek, 48-49). A cycle diagram is an excellent way to sketch out a chapter’s events. This chart can also be used to track character growth or overall story progression. Overall, a process diagram is a versatile organizational tool.

The final and most important organizational tool available to a writer is the outline. An outline is a concise, broken down overview of a piece of writing, usually a chapter or section. An outline allows a writer to place all the elements of their writing down and decide how to fit them together without needing to actually write that piece out. An outline’s format also allows a writer to use that outline as a foundation to their writing. It gives a writer the skeleton of the work and allows them to build upon that framework. This gives great control to a writer and can improve all elements of that writer’s work.

A novel is simply a drama without a corporeal stage, and the characters of a novel are its actors. Like a drama, characters spin the story out through their experiences, trials, and triumphs. Well-written characters will laugh and cry, feel pain and happiness, and love and live. The reader will live alongside these people and feel what they feel. A reader will laugh for their happiness and cry for their pain, feel joy at their love, and anger for an injustice dealt (McConnell, 58). A character should be real and seem almost as if they could jump through the cover of a book and live. This humanity applies to all characters, main or minor.

A main character is the lead role. This character will be on the spot throughout the book and needs to be developed with that in mind. A believable main character is not the paradigm of the human race, to be placed on a pedestal and worshipped, but a person just like any other. A main character is just like every person on earth. They have their own vices and virtues to deal with and they should have their weaknesses (Character, 1). A great character should always have flaws. Flaws lend a character a sense of humanity and offer an opportunity for the character to grow and develop (Brown, E1).

Minor characters are just as important as their greater counterparts, if for different reasons. Minor characters do not always possess the fleshed out nature of a main character. A minor character is created to serve a purpose. A country innkeeper in a small village is an excellent example. This character will only be involved in the story for a short amount of time, but without him the entire story would change. Minor characters serve to provide dialogue and people for the main characters with which to interact.

After characters, setting is the most important part of a novel. A setting can add depth and develop a story. A lush meadow, rippling in a slight breeze as the sun sinks slowly behind the snow-capped mountains can add a sense of beauty and peace. Setting allows characters to interact and creates challenges for characters by simply being there. It can also allow for a situational irony that gives a novel presence. The aforementioned meadow may hide a sucking bog with its beauty and surprise a character, perhaps fatally.

Setting should be chosen carefully. A Wild West action novel would be rather out of place in present day New York City, so it is best to keep the story in a setting that feels natural. A setting may help choose itself by nature, but that is not always the case. There are times that a novel will actually profit by placing the characters in a strange setting. This concept, known as anachronism, is useful for developing plot. Best-selling author Piers Anthony’s Xanth novel series, which routinely places characters from our present day world into a setting of magic and monsters, is an excellent illustration of anachronism.

A character must be able to act believably with a setting (McConnell, 60). Simple actions such as putting down a book or lighting a fire must have a believable purpose. Random actions taken by the characters that affect the setting are merely dead weight and should not be used. These gratuitous actions can detract from the purpose of the setting and weaken the story.

After putting a story together and hammering out the details, a writer must trim their story into top shape. This long, arduous process is known as editing and can be quite difficult. A novel must be edited for grammar, punctuation, clarity, and readability. There are many ways to go about this process. A writer may allow their relatives to assist them, or they may procure the services of a professional editor.

While having friends and family to read can provide insight to a novel’s readability and clarity, there is no substitute for a professional editor’s advice. An editor has made a career reviewing literary works and improving them. An editor will clear up problems with grammar and punctuation and offer suggestions to improve the novel’s clarity. A professional editor can help make the difference between a published novel and an unpublished manuscript gathering dust in a filing cabinet.

An optional next step from the editing process is finding a publishing agent. An agent is a professional whose job is to sift through the mountains of unpublished novel manuscripts and assist the owner of that manuscript in contacting a publisher. The agent will also help with handling a public relations campaign in the event of getting published.

A writer must be careful in deciding whether or not to obtain an agent. In the words of Piers Anthony, “An agent is like a wife. A good one will make your life easier, but a bad one will ruin you” (Interview). Agents are a dangerous gamble because they might harm a writer’s career instead of aiding it. It is best to err on the side of caution in taking a chance on an agent.

Contacting a publisher is the final step in getting a novel published. This final step is also the most difficult step. There are three types of publishing companies that can be contacted. There are traditional publishing companies, web publishing companies, and finally self-publishing companies.

A traditional publishing company is the most difficult to contact, but will give a writer far more backing than the other companies. To attract the attention of a traditional publishing company, the writer must send a printed manuscript to their main office for review. If the publisher likes the work, they will contact the writer and arrange a publishing deal. They will also handle public relations and promotion for the writer’s book (Interview). This is where a traditional publishing outshines other publishing choices. Having the support of a traditional publisher means having a team of professionals dedicated to helping the writer sell their novel.

An online publishing company is much easier to contact, but do not give much help to a writer. An online publisher simply needs an e-mailed copy of the manuscript and will arrange for a publishing deal. Once the novel is published, the publisher will provide small amounts of promotion and minimal public relations assistance.
A self-publishing company is the easiest publishing deal to find but offers the least assistance. Self-publishers will publish almost any written work, but will give a writer no backing (Interview). A self-publishing company leaves all public relations and book promotions in the hands of the writer. A self-publishing company is the most expensive choice as all expenses are paid out of the writer’s pocket.

The important thing to remember about publishing is that a novel will not always get a publisher immediately. Beginning writers will often lose hope after a few rejections and give up on their manuscript. Gregory E. Lang, writer of several best-selling books such as "Why a Daughter Needs a Dad: 100 Reasons", had his first manuscript rejected 62 times before a publisher took interest in it. Ten weeks after the book was published, it reached the New York Times bestseller list (Lang, 14). Lang’s novels have sold more than 1.5 million copies and made five appearances on the Time’s list.

There is no easy way to write a novel. A novel is a personal object and can only be written personally. There are tips and tools and tricks to strengthen the technical aspects of a writer’s work, but these techniques enhance writing rather than create writing. The writing itself must come from the writer’s imagination, his thoughts. Once his/her work is complete a writer must attempt the uphill struggle that is becoming published. Only upon completion of this onerous chore can one truly be called an author.

Works Cited
Anthony, Piers. Best-selling fiction writer. Personal interview. 29 Oct. 2005.

Brown, Rosellen. “Characters' Weaknesses Build Fiction's Strengths.” New York Times

“Character Development Tips.” Sandra Miller site. Sandra Miller.
<http://www.pgtc.com/~slmiller/characterdevelopment.htm> acc. 15 Oct. 2005

Lang, Gregory E. “62 Rejections, Then a Bestseller.” Writer Nov. 2005: 14

McConnell, Malcolm. The Essence of Fiction. 1st ed. New York: W.W. Norton and
Company, Inc., 1985

Sebranek, 48-49, Patrick, Dave Kemper, and Verne Meyer. Writers INC. Wilmington: Houghton Mifflin, 2001.

Winston, Daoma. “On Creating a Setting.” Writer Jan. 2005: 8