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To write a novel, one should read widely, create a detailed outline, find a personal writing program, and pay attention to grammar and spelling. It’s also helpful to have a small readership for feedback, but they should not try to write the book themselves.
Writing a novel is a goal for many people, professional and amateur writers. Sometimes, the idea of writing a book hundreds of pages long may seem terrible and impossible, but that’s far from the case. Having a clear plan, doing excellent research, and staying dedicated to your goals can greatly increase your chances of producing a finished novel.
Probably the first most important research one can do for fiction writing is reading. Reading a wide variety of novels can help new writers understand the limitations, explorations, style, and structure of the novel genre. It is important to remember that writing a novel is not about copying the style of a famous author, but spending time reading many novels can teach a novice writer what he likes and dislikes about the style, what kind of characters are interesting, and also what genres the writer prefers. Reading can act as a self-education for novel writing, and many experts believe it should be maintained on a daily basis.
Outlining is one of the best ways to ensure that writing a novel is not just an exercise, but results in a finished book. An outline is the project of a novel; major plot points, characters, and themes are all written out and carefully revised before a word of the novel is even written. Many authors write passage outlines, where every important moment or plot beat is noted down as a list. Step outlines help an author get an idea of the exact actions of the plot and can highlight any weaknesses or characters that need further development.
Some writers can write an outline in a day, while others need weeks. While an outline is an important step in writing a novel, it shouldn’t distract an author from the business of writing the novel for too long. Writing programs are an intensely individual thing and need to be discovered rather than learned. Some people work best during the night or early in the morning before the kids get up. Many suggest writing every day, but some writers work caffeine-filled bursts of several days at a time before collapsing for weeks or even months of staying away from the novel. Discovering a personal writing program will help focus creativity and ease the process of writing a novel.
While writing, it’s important to keep an eye on spelling, grammar, and structural rules. It’s unwise to believe that all of this will be fixed by a publisher, as the book will have to be published for that to happen. Finishing a first draft with 2,000 errors will only result in a lengthy review process that can quickly become daunting. Running spelling and grammar checks or proofreading at the end of each writing session can save a huge amount of time.
Writing a novel is almost never completed completely on its own. It’s natural to turn to trusted friends and mentors for help with confusing plot points or even general advice. Having a small readership for novel writing can give a writer new ideas and new perspectives. Just remember: a reading friend wants to offer his opinion, not write the book himself. People who get upset when their notes aren’t incorporated or magically produce their own novel with an eerily similar plot aren’t good readers.
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