To write a novel is a bit overwhelming at first. It requires a lot of research and a good story for people to like it. Moreover, the story should move forward with a great plot. A good first chapter, nicely paced plot, conflicts creating tension and a good ending.
In order to achieve all this without losing a mind, the writer should apply some techniques to simplify the writing process.
Writing a novel, a good novel, might challenge the patience. But if you are not enjoying the writing process, then perhaps you need to have second thoughts about it.
The primary requirement to write a novel is to love writing and to have faith in your story.
Let’s move towards the simple tips every writer should consider before writing a novel.
Make a timetable and decide the agenda
Creating a schedule is not tough, following it regularly can be a challenging process. However, if you are punctual then it’s not hard for you to follow your timetable.
Some writers suggest ‘Write when you feel like writing’. Sometimes I suggest the same. But if you are writing for living then you need to make a habit of writing even when you don’t feel like so.
Create a schedule to research, to read, to write and to review your chapters. Set up a deadline for every task. Follow those deadlines. Then writing a novel won’t be overwhelming.
Create an outline of the novel
The mistake I did before creating the first draft of my novel is to write in a flow without creating an outline. Even though I knew the whole story, I could not write it without facing writer’s block every week.
Then I created a storyline in an index form. It’s simple to create an index for the chapters.
- Decide the number of chapters your book will have.
- Give them a tentative title for now. You can always change the titles before publishing.
- Mark the chapters where you want to introduce the characters.
- Mark the chapters where the conflicts will be introduced.
- Add brief details of each chapter under the title in the index.
- Decide which chapter will have conflict resolution and why.
You can also use the Index-card outlining method for taking notes.
Develop the characters of your novel
As you have decided the whole storyline. It’s time to develop some characters. Creating and developing a character profile will help you understand the character.
A writer should know all the characters and their qualities, both positive and negative, in order to portray them nicely.
Readers fall for the character, readers empathize with the protagonist, readers hate the antagonist, readers care about certain characters. And all this is the achievement of the writer.
Characters are going to create an impact on the readers and that’s why it is important to study them.
You can create a customized character profile template or can request my template for reference. The template helps to track the physical appearance, habits, hobbies, and a back story of each character.
What tools can be used to write a novel
There are plenty of tools you can use to write comfortably. Microsoft word or an inbuilt editor in the laptop is preferred by many of the writers. I prefer Google docs or Evernote to save and backup my work instantly on my drive.
Use whichever tool you love as long as you are creating at least 2 backups of the draft.
There are some good extensions on chrome to check the spelling and grammar which will highlight the errors. Create an error-free draft of your novel to avoid additional editing afterward.
Amount of time dedicated to writing a novel
Some writers write a novel in their free time after college or a job. They write for an hour or two depending on their free time.
But the full-time writers like me, treat the writing like a 9 to 5 job.
Yes, you heard me. Writing is your job now and you love it.
Fortunately, you have lots of time in a day to write. That does not mean you should write for 5 to 6 hours straight. Assign a time to read for a while, research on your novel, edit the previous work, write a new chapter.
All these processes are parallel. Researching and reading do not end after you start writing.
Give some amount of time to each of the tasks and utilize the time you have.
Create the first draft of your novel
Creating the first draft of your novel takes a comparatively large amount of time as you are writing it for the first time. Facing some difficulties is not unusual during this phase.
Make sure you write the first draft without eliminating any detail. Do not treat it as a rough work, treat it as a fully written novel.
First, write the whole novel and then move towards editing.
Of course, nobody publishes the first draft of the novel. Editing is very important in order to maintain the whole storyline. Edit your draft until you are satisfied.
Review the draft
Review your own work. Read your draft as a reader, not as a writer. Make changes if you feel so.
Now, give your work to someone trustworthy, maybe your friends or family, to read and review.
But there are high chances to receive only positive reviews from these people as they care about you.
Request them to mention the negative points as well.
You can go for beta readers. They will give both negative and positive review making you aware of what changes should be done.
Some writers edit the novel by themselves and some hand it over to the editors. It’s completely your own choice.
Publish your Novel
Publishing a novel also has many steps including the design of the cover, deciding the publisher, deciding the number of copies to print and then making it available to buy in the market.
But as technology has evolved, there are many platforms out there where you can self-publish your novel.
I am going to publish my novel on Wattpad. You get paid based on the number of views and votes. Other than Wattpad, you can easily find similar apps online.
You can publish an ebook on Amazon and it’s very easy.
Marketing of the novel
Writer’s work does not end after publishing the novel. One should start marketing the novel before even publishing it. Marketing can be done by creating social media accounts on different platforms including Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Tumblr, Quora, Twitter and whichever you like the most.
Build an audience for your novel by advertising it on your own social media. Create an author’s website and publish all the updates regarding your novel. Publish the preview of your novel, perhaps the first 3 to 4 chapters on your website.
Don’t stop marketing your novel after publishing it, but make sure you do not annoy your readers by frequently posting about your novel on every social account. Use different approaches for different social platforms.
Signed copies and collaboration
Selling a signed copy in the market helps you find your fan followings and audience. Interact with the readers and make them feel valued. As you post updates of your novel on social media, certain viewers will become your fans for sure.
Collaborate with other authors and grow your network. Help each other to market the novel. Offer some gifts (mostly the novels of your fellow writers) and giveaways for early buyers of your novel.
These are the tips for all the writers to successfully publish a novel. I have added almost everything. Comment below if I missed something.
Happy Writing!
Follow me on your favorite social media.
Read more about creative writing.
Image source: Pexels, Google
