The first thing to do in making a good novel?

Question

I want to write a novel of my own any ideas how to start?

Answer 1

Answer the following questions first:

1. Who is your main character?
2. What happens to him?
3. What does he want?
4. What are the obstacles he has to overcome?
5. Who is helping him?
6. Who is against him?
7. How will he change/grow during the course of the story?

These questions should give you the basic story of the novel. Then you need to determine setting.

1. Is this past, present or future?
2. If past, what era? What country? What are the major events in that era and country? What are the living conditions?
3. If present, what country? Rural or urban? Social class? Your hero's occupation is important.
4. If future, how far into the future? Earth based culture or otherwise? Story takes place on a planet or in space?

Spend some time figuring your story out before you start writing. Things will change. You'll get little plot twists you never imagined and snippets of dialogue that are real gems, but you can't plan those. You do need a clear idea of who your main character is and where he's gonna be at the end of the book.

Answer 2

People usually don't make novels because they want to. Even more rare to find a GOOD novel made because someone 'wanted to'. The best sellers out there were made from raw passion for writing and if you don't have that, you won't even get published. So the first thing I'd do, if I were you, is write everyday for a few months. About a page or so. Doesn't matter what. This will hopefully help you write better. It might also help if you read writing advice books. Anything with inspiration. Learn the craft.

Answer 3

Go to the used bookstore. Buy three from unknown authors (try to ignore the titles and covers! Or better yet, have someone you don't know buy them for you! Heh, heh!) Read, say, twenty pages into each, just before falling to sleep at night. See which one puts you to sleep faster, and which one keeps you awake longer. Decide why. Write accordingly.

Answer 4

There are as many answers to this as there are writers. You really just need to begin.

My best advice (from the look who's talking department... ) is to set aside a specific time and place to write. Keep them sacred and follow through daily.

Answer 5

Start with the part you like the most... you know, that part of the story that you're just dying to write. The one(s) that inspired you to write it. Good luck :)

Answer 6

Write the final chapter first, and take it from there.
Then you'll have something to aim at.