How do I write a novel?

Answer 1

The key to good writing is practice. I have always maintained that no writing is a waste of time because it's all practice. If you have an idea what you want to write about, make an outline, create your characters, settings, plot, and progression. A list of words, terms and phrases can be jotted down as you plan it.

Sometimes, it takes years to write a novel. Not everyone can churn them out like Stephen King and Dean Koontz. (Not that I'm suggesting that genre. You write what you know).

If you write something that requires research, it will take longer. I have heard of authors who went to college and got a degree in a certain subject just so they could write about it. That's a bit extreme unless it's something you're truly interested in learning.

When you write, you have to have self-discipline. You have to sit yourself down at your computer, forget you have the internet and concentrate on the story. It's not easy, believe me. That's my biggest distraction. To write uninterrupted, I have to get on the computer that isn't hooked up to the internet sometimes. LOL!

Good luck!

Answer 2

It takes an incredible amount of work to write a novel, but it can be an amazing process. Do you write any short stories or poetry? This can be a good warm-up for getting your writing down on paper.

If you're really interested in writing, there's a few books I'd recommend you take a look at:
1) "Writing Down the Bones" by Natalie Goldberg
2) "Bird By Bird" by Anne Lamott
3) "On Writing Well" by William Zinsser

The first two are focused more on creative writing, and the third is a techincal manual to help improve your style. They are my absolute favorite references to anything having to do with writing! "Bird By Bird" will especially be useful, as it goes step by step through a lot of information.

Besides these, read anything you can get your hands on. In particular, read books in the genre that you like to write in. This will give you a sense of how those stories work and what has been done in this genre before.

Like any skill, writing takes practice. The more you do it, the better you get! Try and write every day, even if you're not working on a particular project. Short stories, poetry, and even journal writing can help bring up sources of inspiration.

You also might want to check out http://www.nanowrimo.org for an interesting way to get your story down on paper as quickly as possible. It is a challenge to write 50,000 words in the month of November, and is an exciting community of people who can really support your goal.

Most importantly, never give up! Writing a book can be a frustrating process sometimes, but it is completely worth it. Just keep going and push yourself through the tough spots.

Happy writing!

Answer 3

You will need a lot...a gigantic amount of will, I'm working on one for ages now and its bloody hard!

1)Have a good idea (setting, character...)
2) design an outline (as detailed as you feel)
3)do some worldbuilding, and some character study (know your world, know you characters)
4) start writing (it won't be perfect at first, that come later) and stick to it (I try to do between 1000 and 5000 words a day)
5) you finish you novel
6) you revise
7) you revise again
8) ...more revising until the novel pleases you

If you don't know where you're going you might suffer from writer's block, I find that writing the ending first (or having a clear vision of it) helps.

Good luck!

Answer 4

Here's how I'm writing mine.

Get an idea for a simple story. Like for a school creative writing page. A short story. Then write it down.

Next ask yourself these questions.

What do I want my reader to get from this story.
What's going to be the moral of it.
What's going to happen to the main character during the story.
Will she/he get hurt, die or will someone else get hurt or die.

Answer these by writing more short stories.

Then add them together into chapters or parts of the book.

Finally go over it all to see if you have all the things you want for the book. Make sure it answers all of your questions. Make sure that it makes since, no skipping around leaving gaps.

Then ask someone to read it. See if they understand it and learn what you want them to get from the book.

In short just start writing. Eventually it will all come together in your mind as a novel.

Answer 5

First you have to get an idea, become inspired by anything in your life (I get too many ideas in my head I don't know what to do with them all). Then you just have to write, write some more, then write a little more until you have yourself a complete manuscript with which you are satisfied. If you're not the greatest at words, then take a class and practice a lot. As for publishing, first compile a portfolio of the best of your works thus far, and find an agent willing to take up a beginning writer such as yourself.

Answer 6

Lots of reading is a good start to writing a book. In order to write one, you first have to READ.

And I don't mean read any old book. But rather, one that suits YOU as the reader and what fits your fledgling writing style.

For me, it was STAR TREK and some other classic novels of the 80s.

Then I started writing what I loved:

Sci-fi.

Then after that, outlines came next, then experimental writing formats, and 19 years later, 13 books!

Answer 7

if you are serious about being a writer, there are two indispensable books you should read.

On Writing by Steven King

The Elements of Style by Strunk and White

a good third book to look at is about the visual arts, but applies to pretty much any endeavor.

Art & Fear by Orland and Bayles

that would be a good place to start...
as for getting published, that is easier than ever. there are some really reputable, high quality self-publishing firms out there these days. my friend Stan Simmons just self-published his first novel:
By Path of Night, and Jack Klugman recently self-published his book about Tony Randall.

good luck!

Answer 8

Get an idea, map it out (plot, characters, chapters, everything), and start writing. In the meantime, shop around for a literary agent. I'm enclosing a link that you might find helpful.

Answer 9

If you have to ask this question, you should merely skip the entire process of writing.