An Unexpected Journey in Novel Writing

Recs Mas 2017 Dec 11th: A Diverse Book

So I recently had to give a presentation about some strategies for starting/writing/finishing a first draft of a novel. And since I post about writing on here sometimes, I figured this might might be something you guys would want to see. (And, as always, I’m not an expert. There are just things that have helped me.)

How to start your novel:

Sort out the basic plot.

Before you begin to write, you should have a clear idea of your most important plot points, including your ending. You can always change how it ends later, but it will be easier to get to the end if you have an idea of what that is. Otherwise, once you write the beginning, you will find yourself at a loss of what to do with the middle porton. If you have a start, an end, and a few big things that happen in between, the rest will probably fill itself in as you write your first draft.

Choose your perspective.

Consider your options for the main character, and whether you want it in first person, third person limited, or third person omniscient (in which case, you don’t have to have a main character!) You can also consider switching narrators throughout the book.

My best advice is to choose the perspective that feels most natural. If you start writing and it doesn’t feel right, switch it around until it does.

Flush out the setting.

If it takes place on Earth, decide where. Are you going to be explicit or implicit? Decide before you write or while you are in the early stages, as your setting will help shape description of environments.

If you are writing in a fantasy universe, spend some time deciding lore and history for the world itself, regardless of whether it will be included in the book. Consider drawing a map or charting out the political system of your fantasy country. If there is magic, decide how it works now; make clear rules and follow them. Consider designing mythical creatures or deities if your fantasy universe has these, or plants, foods, ect. Basically, you want a treasure trove of information about your fake universe so that it feels like a real one.

Flush out your characters.

Oftentimes the basis for a story is the characters, so if you’ve already come up with them and feel like you know them pretty well, go ahead and start. If not, spend some time with them. Consider what their role in the story will be, what they look like, how the will act, and how they will change.

I have a more detailed post about this here.

Write the first scene.

Prologues are a beautiful thing, in my opinion; a short excerpt to set the stage for the rest of your story that doesn’t necessarily have to start where your story does. If you want to use one just describe one scene - quick and simple - and move on to your first chapter.

If you do not use a prologue, then it is the first scene in your first chapter that is pivotal for catching the reader’s attention. Starting with action or dialogue is optimal. Do not describe your characters in lengthy detail right away, do not relay history and exposition right away. Some of this can certainly be included in the first chapter, and your character’s, setting, and exposition should be made clear eventually, but hold back! Delivering this slowly will hold the reader’s interest and build mystery. The reader will feel rewarded each time you give them background information if you space it out correctly.

How to finish a novel you’re in the middle of:

Make a chapter list.

Summarize in one or two sentences what has happened in each chapter so far, then begin to plan what you want to happen in each chapter that follows. You can always diverge from this list, but having a plan of what needs to happen in a chapter before you starting writing said chapter will help you get through the middle portion of your book, straight through to the end.

If this is difficult (because you’re not entirely sure what was supposed to happen in the middle at all) consider these other tactics:

Write character studies. Just write out a detailed paragraph about each of your major characters to streamline their personalities and what growth you want for them throughout the book. Then, consider what events could lead to this growth by the end of the book. (Character studies are also great for keeping characters consistent and not “out of character”.)

Consume related media for inspiration. Take scenes from other stories, considering how your characters would adapt in such situations and if something similar could move the plot forward in your own book. Don’t steal plots (obviously) but don’t be afraid to take inspiration.

Special Advice on twists and mysteries:

If you your book includes a twist, make sure it’s logical. Do not completely contradict yourself, and if you put any red herrings in place be sure to explain what actually happened / what the misconception was. A twist that is surprising because it is illogical is just bad writing. A twist that is surprising because the reader missed your subtle hints is good writing. You want your reader to shout “OMG that makes so much sense!” when the reveal hits, not “OMG that makes no sense!”

If you are writing a mystery novel (or your plot includes complicated, mystery-like elements) you might want to consider writing a separate, fact-based description of what actually happened. This way, as your characters discover bits and pieces of your mystery, you don’t lose the facts among their speculations.

This side piece should not go in your book. It shouldn’t really be prose, either. Just make a note to yourself of the when, what, who, where, why of what happened “off screen”.

Basically, you want to give yourself as many resources as possible - but also resources that will help you stay organized. Keep things clearly labeled for future reference and keep them available while you write. “Extra stuff” like maps, designs, chapter lists, character studies, etc. will help you keep consistent. 

And consistency and planning will not only help you write a novel, but it will help you write a good novel.

So go write your novel! 

Rule of thumb about the word “that”: If the sentence still makes sense without it, delete it. This is subjective, of course. But you might be surprised how often you’re using “that” unnecessarily, cluttering up your writing.

but somehow this realization has made me feel less dumb about reading YA as an adult even though that’s a dumb thought process to have view YA novels in a new way.

Although the target audience is different, YA novels often - but not always - are also written by adults, as are (generally) those written for an adult target audience.