Have you ever tried to write a novel? No? Good! Here's a step-by-step guide you can follow to write your first novel!
Step One: Think of an Idea
This can happen in various ways. You may think and take notes and plan out your ideas. You may use sticky notes on your wall. You may sit in a park and just observe people. Or you may just suddenly see an image in your head and the idea creates itself. Regardless of how you find inspiration, find it. Go ahead, go find it. I'll wait…….. Did you find it? Got it? Good. Hold on to that idea. Move on to step two.
Step Two: Begin Writing Your Novel
There's no better way to write a novel than to just get in there and start writing your novel. So just roll up your sleeves, get comfy, and start. There's no time like the present.
Step Three: Write One AMAZING Section of Your Novel
So, you've started writing…. Good job! And you've written something you LOVE! As you read that section repeatedly, you love it so much, you can't even seem to find anything to correct or edit. By this point, you're feeling like this novel is going to be a piece of cake. Novel writing can finally be taken off of your bucket list. Be proud of that prologue!
Step Four: Continue Writing
Now that you have written a great section, keep that momentum going! There's no way you can lose this level of inspiration and creativity.
Step Five: Hate What You've Written
Okay…. So this chapter sucks really bad. No big. You can recover from this little flop. You wrote that amazing prologue, ya know? You’ve got this covered.
Step Six: Write Back at it Again
Take a deep breath. Clear slate. Take two. Just keep writing, just keep writing, just keep writing writing writing.
Step Seven: Begin to Doubt Your Novel Writing Skills
Wow….. This chapter sucks too……. Hmm…. Well, my prologue is still great. So I can do this…. Right? Can I do this?
Step Eight: Pump it Up
"I can do this, I can do this, I can do this." Write that 100 times. Get it embroidered on your favorite sweater and get back to it. Your amazing novel is not going to write itself.
Step Nine: Write Some More
Damn…. Another crappy chapter. Okay, okay. This is harder than you thought. Maybe I should go back and plan a little more?
Step Ten: Ask for Advice
I know that one person who finished a novel. Maybe they'll tell me how to plan my story better. Ask anyone and everyone who has written something more than a Christmas card to their Grandma. Get tips, pointers, character studies, and mad libs.
Step Eleven: Back to the Drawing Board
Start planning again. Ask questions that you didn't before. Use all of the advice, pointers, and mad libs you got in step ten. Now, move on.
Step Twelve: Take two, three…. Just Try It Again
Okay. Just write. You did your research and mad libs. Try one more time to write this novel.
Step Thirteen: Despair
There is no way I can write a novel. How can I finish a novel? Who are these people I'm trying to write about? And why does one of them just keep saying, “See ya later, kid” over and over again? I'm a horrible novelist. Cry in the corner. Use your prologue as tissues.
Step Fourteen: Consequently, Give Up
This was more than I could handle. I'm not a novel writer. I never will be. Who can handle knowing the ending of a story 350 pages in advance? I rarely read 350 pages, how can I write that much.
Step Fifteen: Take up a New Trade
Maybe I can be a poet? Learn poetry. Return to step one.
If you're interested in writing a novel, be sure to join National Novel Writing Month this November at nanowrimo.org!
