The way to Write a Novel (With out Errors): The Full 20 Step Information
What if you could start your novel without fear of failure? What if you had such a foolproof process that you knew you would end no matter what writer's block threw you? The zombie apocalypse could finally strike and you would still be facing the blank page to end your novel.
Every day I speak to writers who don't know how to write a novel. They worry that they don't have what it takes and, frankly, they are right to be concerned.
Writing a novel, especially for the first time, is hard work, and the desk drawers and hard drives of many great writers are filled with the skeletons of failed books.
The good news is you don't have to be one of those failed writers.
You can be a writer who writes to the end.
You can be the type of writer who knows how to write a novel.
My journey to learn how to write a novel
My name is Joe Bunting.
I used to be afraid I would never write a novel. Growing up, I dreamed of becoming a great writer and writing books as I loved to read. I even tried to write novels, but kept failing.
So I decided to study creative writing in college. I've written poetry and short stories. I got an expensive degree.
Still, I didn't know how to write a novel.
After college, I started blogging, which resulted in a few appearances on a local newspaper and then on a national magazine. I had the opportunity to write a nonfiction book (and get paid for it!). I became a full-time professional writer.
But even after writing a few books, I worried that I didn't have what it took to write a novel. Novels just seemed different, more difficult somehow.
Maybe it was because they were so precious to me, but when I am writing a nonfiction book, I was no longer intimidated by writing – writing a novel scared me.
Write a novel? I didn't know how to do it.
Until a year later I decided it was time. I had to stop blocking and finally take over the process.
I've worked out a plan to end a novel with everything I've ever learned about book writing. Every trick, hack, and technique I knew.
And the process worked.
I finished my novel in 100 days.
Today I am a Wall Street Journal bestselling author of thirteen books passionate about teaching writers how to write and finish their books. (FINISH is the key word here.)
I have taught this process to hundreds of other writers who have used it to write and complete their novels.
And today I'm also going to teach you my "How to Write a Novel" process. In twenty manageable steps!
As I do this, I am going to share the best novel writing tips from 37 other novelists that you can use for your novel writing journey.
All of this is now compiled and constructed The writing planner: Our specific planning guide for authors, which gives you the entire process in a clear, actionable and manageable way.
If you've ever felt discouraged not to finish your novel like me, or worried that you might not have what it takes to build a career as a writer, I'm here to tell you you can.
There is a way to make writing easier.
Even smarter.
You just need to have the "write" process.
"
Those 20 steps helped me complete my seventh novel in sixty-three days. I'm sharing it with you to help (finally!) Complete your novel in 100 days.
How to Write a Novel: The Foolproof 20-Step Plan
Below, I'm going to introduce a foolproof process that anyone can use to write a novel, the same process that I used to write my novels and books, and the same process that hundreds of other writers used to finish their novels too.
1. Get a good idea
Maybe you already have a new idea. Maybe you have twenty ideas.
If you do that, that's great. Do this for me now: pat yourself on the back and then forget about any feeling of joy or accomplishment you have.
Here's the thing: an idea alone, even a great idea, is only the first small step in writing your book. There are nineteen more steps, and almost all of which are more difficult than developing your original idea.
I love what George R. R. Martin said:
“Ideas are useless. Execution is everything. "
You have an idea. Now start executing, starting with step two.
(And if you don't have a new idea, here is a list of 100 story ideas that can help, or you can check out our genre-specific lists here: sci-fi ideas, thriller ideas, mystery ideas , Romance ideas, and fantasy ideas. Check them out, then choose an idea or make your own. When you're ready, return to step two.)
2. Write your idea as a requirement
After you have a novel idea, write it down as a premise in one sentence.
What is a premise and why do you need one?
A premise brings your novel idea to a single sentence. This sentence will guide your entire writing and publishing process from start to finish. It captivates the reader and captures the high stakes (and other important details) that advance and challenge the protagonist and the plot.
It can also be a bit of an elevator space for your book. If someone asks you what your novel is about, share your premise to help explain your story.
Also, a premise is the most important part of a letter of inquiry or book proposal, so a good premise can actually help you get published.
What is an example of a novel premise?
Here is an example from The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum:
A young girl is kidnapped by a tornado in a magical land and must go in search of the magician who can help her return home.
Do you see the hooks? Young girl, magical land, go on a quest (to see the wizard) – and don't forget your goal of returning home.
This premise example very clearly contains the three elements that any premise needs to emphasize:
- A protagonist described in two words, e.g. a young girl or a world-weary witch.
- A target. What the protagonist wants or needs.
- A situation or crisis that the protagonist has to face.
Ready to write your premise? We have a free worksheet to walk you through writing a publishable premise: Download the worksheet here.
3. Set a deadline
Before doing anything else, you need to set a deadline by which to finish the first draft of your novel.
Stephen King said a first draft should be written in no more than one season, ninety days. National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) aims to encourage people to write a book in just thirty days.
In our 100 Day Book Program, we give people a little extra time, 100 days, which seems like a good amount of time for most people (me included!).
I recommend setting your deadline no longer than four months. If it's longer, hesitate. A good amount of time to write a book makes you a little nervous, but not downright scared.
Mark the deadline on your calendar, kneel on the floor, close your eyes and swear to yourself and your book idea that by then you will be writing the first draft of your novel, no matter what.
4. Set the building to the final deadline for smaller deadlines
A novel cannot be written in a day. There is no way to "cram" a novel. The key to writing (and finishing) a novel is making a little bit of progress each day.
If you write a thousand words a day, which most people can do in an hour or two for 100 days, you end up with a 100,000 word novel – quite a long novel!
So, set smaller weekly deadlines that will break your book down into pieces. I recommend writing 5,000 to 6,000 words a week every Friday or Sunday, whichever works best for you.
If you can meet all of your weekly deadlines, you know you will meet your final deadline in the end.
As long as you hold yourself accountable to your smaller, feasible, and prioritized writing benchmarks.
5. Create a consequence
You might be thinking, "Setting a deadline is fine, but how can I actually meet my deadline?" Here is a secret I learned from my friend Tim Grahl:
You have to create a consequence.
Try the following:
- Set your deadline.
- Write a check to an organization or nonprofit that you hate (I did this during the 2016 US presidential election by writing a check to the campaign of the candidate I least liked and who is to remain nameless).
- Think of two more minor consequences (e.g., giving up your favorite show for a month or buying ice cream for everyone at work).
- Give your check and your two minor consequences list to a friend you trust with firm instructions to hold you to your consequences if you fail to meet your deadlines.
- If you miss one of your weekly deadlines, you suffer from one of your minor consequences (e.g., giving up your favorite show).
- If you miss THREE weekly deadlines OR if you miss the final deadline, mail your check to the organization you hate.
- Finally write! I promise you will be incredibly focused as you complete steps one through six.
When I took these steps while I was writing my seventh book, I finished it in sixty-three days. Sixty-three days!
It was the most concentrated that I have ever seen in my life.
Writing a book is hard work. Setting sensible consequences makes it harder NOT to finish than to finish.
"
Do you want to write a novel? Set a deadline and create a consequence if you don't meet it.
The next few points are about how to write a good story.
The reason we set a deadline before considering how to write a story that gets noticed is because we could learn how to write a great story for a lifetime, but never actually write it (and it's the writing process you actually learn how to make your story great).
So learn how to make it great in between writing sessions, but only good enough for the draft you are writing. If you focus too much on it, everything will be ruined and you will never get finished.
Writing a perfect novel, a novel like the one you imagined, is an exercise in futility.
First drafts are inevitably terrible. Second drafts are a little better. Third drafts are even better.
But I bet none of these designs come close to the perfection you built in your head when you first pondered your novel idea.
Even if you do, you will still try to write the perfect novel.
So keep reminding yourself: "This first draft doesn't have to be perfect. It has to be good enough."
And good enough for now, when you start your first draft, it just means you have words on a page that are slightly like a story.
Writing is an iterative process. The purpose of your first draft is to have something that you can improve on in your second draft. Don't overthink. Just do it. (I'll remind you of this later in case you forget, and if you're like me you probably will.)
Ready to see what makes a good story? Let's skip to the next few points – but don't forget your goal: to get your entire book on the page, no matter how messy your first draft reads.
7. Find out what type of story you want to tell
Now that you have a deadline, you can think deeper about what your protagonist really wants.
A good story primarily focuses on just one core thing that the protagonist wants or needs, and the place where your protagonist's wants or needs meet the reader's expectations determines the genre of your stories.
Story type is a big topic, and for the purposes of this post, we don't have time to fully explore it (see our Novel Genres Overview here).
However, the type of story is about more than just which shelf your book is on in the bookstore.
The book type sums up the basic values of what your story is about. According to Shawn Coyne's The Story Grid (a resource I highly recommend), there are twelve content “genres” and seventy-seven “subgenres”. A full list and explanation of each Story Grid genre can be found here. However, a short version is given below:
External values (what your protagonist wants)
- Action: Life versus Death (subgenres are Adventure, Heist and Revenge Plot)
- Crime: justice versus injustice (subgenres include Cozy Mystery, Caper and Police Procedural)
- Horror: life versus damnation (i.e. a fate worse than death)
- Thriller (which in Story Grid considers a combination of mystery, crime and horror): Life vs Damnation
- Love: love versus hate (subplots include advertising, marriage, and obsession)
- Achievement: respect for shame (subplots include sports, arts, and business)
- War: victory versus defeat
- Western: Insider vs. Outsider
- Society: rebellion vs. conformity
Internal values (what your protagonist needs)
Internal genres work a little differently than external genres. These are essential in transforming your character from page one to the end, and deal with either shifting a character's black and white view of the world, a character's moral compass, or his character's rise or fall in social status.
For more information, see Shawn's post on Story Grid Internal Genres here.
The three internal genres are quickly listed below.
- Worldview: Naivety towards worldliness (subgenres include disenchantment, maturation, education and revelation)
- Morality: selfishness versus self-sacrifice (subgenres include punishment, redemption, and testing)
- Status: failure of success (subgenres include pathetic, tragic, sentimental, and admiration)
By choosing your external and internal genres, you are on the road to success
You can combine these genres to a certain extent. For your book to be commercially successful, you need to have an external genre.
In order for your book to be considered "character-based" – or a story that is universally related to the reader – you should also have an internal genre. (I can only recommend both.)
They can also have a subplot. So these are three genres that you can possibly incorporate into your novel.
For example, you could have an action plot with a love story subplot and an internal genre of worldview education. Or a horror plot with a love story subplot and a moral genre. There is a lot of leeway.
Regardless of what you choose, the balance of the three gives your protagonist a lot of obstacles to face if he is to achieve his goal from start to finish. (For the best results on publication, make sure you have an external genre.)
If you want solid preparation for writing your book, I highly recommend grabbing a copy of The Story Grid, reading the free articles (like this one on the genre), and subscribing to the podcast.
What two or three values are fundamental to your story? Spend some time thinking about what your book is really about. Better yet, use our Write Structure worksheet to pinpoint your story type.
8. Read novels and watch films similar to yours
"The hard truth is that books are made of books."
I fondly remember this quote from Cormac McCarthy when thinking about what my next novel is really about.
After you've thought about the plot of your novel, it's time to see how other great writers did the impossible and turned the glimmer of an idea into a great story.
You might think, “My story is completely unique. There are no stories like me. "
If it is you, then a word of caution. If there aren't any books similar to yours, maybe there is a reason.
Personally, I've read a lot of great books that were great fun and were similar to other books. I've also read a lot of bad books that were completely unique.
Even precious, unique snowflakes look more or less like other snowflakes.
Once you have found your content genre in step three, select three to five novels and films that are of the same genre as you and study them.
Don't read / look for pleasure. Instead, try to figure out the conventions, key scenes, and the way the writer / filmmaker leads you through the story.
Understanding how your story is the same but different is very important.
9. STRUCTURE, STRUCTURE, STRUCTURE!
Those were the three words my college screenwriting professor, a successful Hollywood television producer, wrote on the blackboard in almost every class.
You can be a panther, someone who writes on the seat of his pants.
You can be a plotter, someone who needs a detailed outline for each of the plot points in their novel.
You can even be a planter, somewhere in between (like most writers, including me).
It does not matter. You still need to know your story structure.
Here are some key structural elements that you will want to find out for your novel before proceeding:
6 key moments in the story structure
Six moments are required in every story, scene, and plot. You are:
If you are unfamiliar with these terms, I recommend studying them each, especially the dilemma, which we will talk more about in a moment. Mastering these will be of great help in your writing process.
For your first few scenes, try to plan each of these six moments, focusing particularly on the dilemma.
Better yet, download our story structure worksheet to walk you through the story structure process, from creating your initial idea to writing the summary.
I've included some more detailed thoughts (and important information) about the structure below:
Three-act structure
The classic writing tip describes the three-act structure well:
In the first act, stand your character on a tree. Throw stones at them in act two. Take them down in the third act.
Wondering if you should use a three or five file structure? (Note: you probably don't want to use the five-act structure. For more information on this type, see our full guide to the five-act structure here.)
Note that each of these acts should have the six key moments listed above.
The dilemma
I mentioned the importance of a character in crisis, but it needs to be repeated as for me it completely changed my writing process.
In every action, your protagonist has to face an impossible choice. It is THAT choice that creates drama in your story. This is how your action moves forward. If you don't have a dilemma and your character doesn't choose, your scenes won't work, and neither will your actions or stories.
When I'm working on a first draft, I don't focus in my writing on figuring out all five key moments every time (since I've internalized them by now), but I try to figure out the crisis before I start writing.
I start with that goal and figure out how to put the protagonist in a situation where they have to make a difficult choice.
One who has consequences even if they choose not to do anything.
If you do that, your scene will work. If you don't, it will fall flat. The protagonist looks like a weak-willed observer of his own life, and ultimately your story will feel boring.
Find the dilemma every time.
For each act, write a brief overview in three acts with each of the six key moments. It's okay to leave these moments blank if you don't know them right now. Fill in what you know and come back.
position
The point of view, or POV, in a story relates to the narrator's position in describing events. There are four types of viewpoints, but there are only two main options used by most writers:
- The third-person restricted view is the most common and easiest to use, especially for new writers. In this POV the characters are referenced in the third person (he / she / he / she / she / she) and the narrator has access to the thoughts and feelings up to a maximum of one character at a time (and probably one character for) the Duration of the narration). You can find more information about the use of Third Person Limited here.
- The first-person point of view is also very common and only slightly more difficult. In this POV, the narrator is a character in the story and uses first-person pronouns (I / I / my / we / our) and only has access to their own thoughts and feelings. This view requires a particularly strong style that shows the narrator's different attitude and voice when telling the story.
The third option is used much less often, but is found occasionally, especially in older works:
- The omniscient third-person view is much more difficult to achieve and is not recommended for first-time authors. In this POV reference is made to the characters in the third person (he / she / he / she / she / she), but the narrator has access to the thoughts and feelings of all characters at the same time. This is a difficult narrative as it can be confusing to the reader. Readers are put “in the minds” of so many characters that the drama of a story can easily be ruined due to the lack of puzzles.
One last option:
- The second person view is the most difficult to implement and is not recommended for most writers. In this POV, the characters are denoted in the second person (you / your). This choice is seldom (if not never) found in novels.
10. Find the climax in your novel
Every great novel has a climax on which the whole story is built – it's the whole reason a reader buys a book and reads it to the end.
In Moby Dick, it's the final showdown with the white whale.
In Pride and Prejudice, Lizzie accepts Mr. Darcy's proposal after finding out how far he has gone to save her family.
In the final Harry Potter novel (spoiler alert!), Harry Voldemort offers himself up as a victim to destroy the final Horcrux.
To be clear, there is no need to fully plan your climax before you start writing your book. (Though you know this could make writing and finishing your novel easier and more focused.)
But it's a good idea to know what novels and films like yours have made up.
For example, if you're writing a performance story about a violinist like me, you have to have a big violin competition at the end of your book.
If you're writing a police detective novel, you need a scene in which the detective exposes the killer and explains the reasons for the murder.
Think about the climax of your novel before the final showdown at the end. This climax usually occurs during the climax of the second or third act.
Knowing this, fill in your outline with the climatic moment, then write down the five key moments of the scene for that moment.
If you don't know them, just leave them blank. You can always come back to it.
11. Follow the conventions
The readers are demanding. They have been recording stories for years since they were kids and they have low expectations of what should be in your story.
That said, if you want readers to like your story, you need to meet and even exceed some of those expectations.
Stories do this all the time. We call them conventions or tropes, and they are patterns storytellers have found throughout history for a good story.
In the romantic comedy (love) genre, for example, there is almost always a buddy best friend, some kind of love triangle, and a sweet moment when the two potential lovers meet.
In the mystery genre, the story always starts with a murder, there is one or more red pegs and at the end there is a final exposure of the murder.
Think about the three to five novels and films that you have read / seen. What conventions and tropes did they have in common?
12. Set your intent
You are almost ready to start writing. Before doing this, set your intent.
Researchers have found that if you are trying to create a new habit, if you imagine where and when you will partake in that habit, then it is far more likely that you will prevail.
For your writing, imagine where, when and how much you will write each day. For example, imagine that during your lunch break you write 1,000 words every afternoon in your favorite coffee shop.
Clearly imagine your location as you imagine. Watch as you sit down to work and type on your laptop. Imagine if your word counter ranges from 999 to 1,002 words.
When it's time to write, you can do it.
13. Imagine your reader
The definition of a story is a narrative that is intended to entertain, amuse, or instruct. That means someone is entertained, amused or instructed!
I think it is helpful to have a person in your head as you write. Then as you write, you can better understand what would interest, amuse, or instruct them.
If you imagine them, you will end up writing better stories.
Create a reader avatar.
Choose someone you know or make up someone who would love your story. Describe them in terms of demographics and interests. Consider the question, "Why would this reader love my novel?"
When you write, you write for them.
14. Build your team
Most people think that they can write a novel by themselves, that all they need to do is stay in a cabin in New York state or an attic apartment in Paris and focus only on writing their novel for a few months or decades.
And that's why most people don't finish a book.
When I studied the lives of great writers, I found that they all had a team. None of them did everything alone. They all had people who supported and encouraged them to write.
A team can look like:
- An editor at a publishing house
- A writing group
- An author mentor or coach
- An online writing class or an online community
Whatever you find, if you want to finish your novel, don't make the mistake of believing that you can do it all by yourself (or that you have to do it yourself).
Find a writing group. Take an online writing class. Or hire a development editor.
Whatever you do, don't always try to do everything yourself.
15. Plan the publishing process
I've found that when successful people take on a task, they think through every part of the process from start to finish. You make a plan. Ihr Plan könnte sich ändern, aber wenn sie mit einem Plan beginnen, können sie sich klar darauf konzentrieren, was sie erreichen wollen.
Die meisten Schritte, über die wir in diesem Beitrag gesprochen haben, betreffen die Planung (das Schreiben steht als nächstes an, keine Sorge), aber in Ihrem Plan ist es wichtig, die Dinge bis zum Ende durchzudenken – das Veröffentlichen und Marketing Prozess.
Träumen Sie also zehn oder zwanzig Minuten davon, wie Sie Ihren Roman veröffentlichen (Self-Publishing im Vergleich zu herkömmlichem Publishing) und wie Sie ihn bewerben (auf Ihrer E-Mail-Liste, in sozialen Medien, über Amazon-Anzeigen usw.).
Durch ein Brainstorming über den Veröffentlichungs- und Marketingprozess erhöhen Sie die Wahrscheinlichkeit, dass Ihr Roman tatsächlich fertiggestellt wird, da Sie am Ende gespannt sind (und wissen, was Sie tun möchten, wenn Sie am Ende sind).
Sie haben keine Ahnung, wie Sie veröffentlicht werden sollen? Lesen Sie hier unseren 10-stufigen Leitfaden zum Veröffentlichen und Starten von Büchern.
16. Schreiben (mit geringen Erwartungen)
Sie haben einen Plan erstellt. Sie wissen, was Sie schreiben werden, wann Sie es schreiben werden und wie Sie schreiben werden.
Jetzt ist es Zeit, es tatsächlich zu schreiben.
Setzen Sie sich auf die leere Seite. Tief durchatmen. Schreiben Sie Ihr erstes Kapitel.
"
Erste Entwürfe sollen chaotisch sein. Lassen Sie sich nicht vom Perfektionismus davon abhalten, Ihren Roman zu schreiben.
Vergiss nicht, dein erster Entwurf soll schlecht sein.
Schreibe trotzdem.
17. Vertrauen Sie dem Prozess und beenden Sie ihn nicht
Während ich Schriftsteller durch den Romanschreibprozess in unserem 100-Tage-Buchprogramm geschult habe, erzählen sie mir unweigerlich um den sechzigsten Tag, wie schwer der Prozess ist, wie müde sie von ihrer Geschichte sind, wie sie eine neue Idee für einen Roman haben, und sie wollen stattdessen daran arbeiten.
"Hör nicht auf", sage ich ihnen. Vertraue dem Prozess. Du bist so viel näher als du denkst.
Dann senden sie mir auf wundersame Weise zwei oder drei Wochen später eine E-Mail, um mir mitzuteilen, dass sie kurz vor der Fertigstellung ihrer Bücher stehen. Sie sind so dankbar, dass sie nicht gekündigt haben.
Dies ist der Prozess. So geht es immer.
Nur wenn Sie denken, dass Sie es nicht schaffen werden, sind Sie fast da.
Gerade wenn Sie am liebsten aufhören möchten, stehen Sie einem Durchbruch am nächsten.
Vertraue dem Prozess. Hör nicht auf. Du wirst es schaffen.
Immer wieder auftauchen und die Arbeit erledigen (und denken Sie daran, die Arbeit zu erledigen bedeutet, unvollkommen zu schreiben).
18. Mach weiter, auch wenn es weh tut
Geräte brechen immer, wenn Sie ein Buch schreiben.
Jemand wird immer krank, was das Schreiben fast unmöglich macht (entweder Sie oder Ihr Ehepartner oder alle Ihre Kinder oder alle oben genannten).
Eine Schriftstellerin erzählte uns kürzlich, dass eine Hochgeschwindigkeits-Verfolgungsjagd endete, als das Auto gegen ein Gebäude in der Nähe ihres Hauses prallte.
Ich bin nicht abergläubisch, aber solche Dinge passieren immer, wenn Sie ein Buch schreiben.
Erwarte es. Die Dinge werden nicht nach Plan verlaufen. Es werden große Lebensprobleme auftreten.
Es wird wirklich schwer sein, wochenlang konzentriert zu bleiben.
Hier ist es so wichtig, ein Team zu haben (Schritt vierzehn). Wenn das Leben passiert, brauchen Sie jemanden, zu dem Sie sich entlüften, Sie ermutigen und Sie unterstützen können.
Egal was, schreibe trotzdem. Dies unterscheidet Sie von allen aufstrebenden Schriftstellern da draußen. Sie erledigen die Arbeit auch dann, wenn es schwierig ist.
Mach weiter.
19. Beenden Sie den ersten Entwurf… und fahren Sie dann mit dem nächsten fort
Ich folgte diesem Prozess und am Tag wurde mir klar, dass ich die vorletzte Szene geschrieben hatte. Und am nächsten Tag war mein Roman fertig.
Es fühlte sich irgendwie antiklimaktisch an.
Ich wollte seit Jahren, mehr als einem Jahrzehnt, einen Roman schreiben. Ich hatte es getan Und es war keine so große Sache, wie ich dachte.
Erstaunlich, ohne Frage.
Aber auch ganz normal.
Immerhin hatte ich das getan und neunundneunzig Tage lang jeden Tag geschrieben. Das Finishing war nur ein weiterer Tag.
Aber die Reise selbst? 100 Tage für das Schreiben eines Romans? Das war Hervorragend.
Das hat sich gelohnt.
Und es wird sich immer wieder lohnen.
Vielleicht wird es für Sie so sein. Sie könnten Ihr Buch fertigstellen und sich großartig und stolz und erleichtert fühlen. Sie könnten sich auch normal fühlen. Es ist der Unterschied zwischen einem aufstrebenden Schriftsteller und einem echten Schriftsteller.
Echte Schriftsteller erkennen, dass die Freude in der Arbeit liegt und nicht darin, ein fertiges Buch zu haben.
"
Echte Schriftsteller erkennen, dass die Freude in der Arbeit liegt und nicht darin, ein fertiges Buch zu haben.
Wenn Sie an diesem Punkt angelangt sind, möchte ich nur sagen: "Herzlichen Glückwunsch!"
Du hast es geschafft.
Du hast ein Buch fertiggestellt. Ich bin so aufgeregt für dich!
Aber auch, wie Sie wissen, wenn Sie an diesem Punkt angelangt sind, ist dies wirklich nur der Anfang Ihrer Reise.
Ihr Buch ist noch nicht fast fertig zur Veröffentlichung.
Also feiere. Machen Sie eine Party für sich. Bedanken Sie sich bei allen Teammitgliedern. Du bist Fertig. Du solltest stolz sein!
Fahren Sie nach dieser feierlichen Verschnaufpause mit Ihrem letzten Schritt fort.
20. Nächste Entwürfe: Entwurf Zwei… Drei… Vier… Fünf
Dies ist eine neuartige Schreibanleitung, keine neuartige Überarbeitungsanleitung (die in Kürze erscheint!). Aber ich gebe Ihnen ein paar Hinweise, was zu tun ist, nachdem Sie Ihren Roman geschrieben haben:
- Sich ausruhen. Machen Sie eine Pause. Du hast es verdient. Durch Ausruhen können Sie auch Abstand zu Ihrem Buch gewinnen, das Sie gerade benötigen.
- Lesen ohne zu überarbeiten. Die meisten Leute springen direkt in den Korrektur- und Zeilenbearbeitungsprozess ein. Dies ist das Schlimmste, was Sie tun können. Lesen Sie stattdessen Ihren Roman von Anfang bis Ende, ohne ihn zu überarbeiten. Sie können sich Notizen machen, aber das Ziel ist es, einen Plan für Ihren nächsten Entwurf zu erstellen und nicht alle Tippfehler und falsch platzierten Kommas zu korrigieren.
- Get feedback. Then, share your book with your team: editors and fellow writers (not friends and family yet). Ask for feedback, especially structural feedback, not on typos for now.
- Next, rewrite for structure. Your second draft is all about fixing the structure of your novel. Revisit steps seven through eleven for help.
- Last, polish your prose. Your third (and additional) draft(s) is for fixing typos, line editing, and making your sentences sound nice. Save this for the end, because if you polish too soon, you might have to delete a whole scene that you spent hours rewriting.
Want to know more about what to do next? Check out our guide on what to do AFTER you finish your book here.
Writers’ Best Tips on How to Write a Novel
I’ve also asked the writers I’ve coached for their single tips on how to write a novel. These are from writers in our community who have followed this process and finished novels of their own. Here are their best novel writing tips:
“Get it out of your head and onto the page, because you can’t improve what’s not been written.” Imogen Mann
“What gets scheduled, gets done. Block time in your day to write. Set a time of day, place and duration that you will write 4-7 days/week until it becomes habit. It’s most effective if it’s the same time of day, in the same place. Then set your duration to a number of minutes or a number of words: 60 minutes, 500 words, whatever. Slowly but surely, those words string together into a piece of work!” Stacey Watkins
“Honestly? And nobody paid me for this one—enroll in the 100 Day Book challenge at The Write Practice. I had been writing around in my novel for years and it wasn’t until I took the challenge did I actually write it chapter by chapter from beginning to end in 80,000 words. Of course I now have to revise, revise, revise.” Madeline Slovenz
“I try to write for at least an hour every day. Some days I feel like the creativity flows out of me and others it’s awkward and slow. But yes, my advice is to write for at least one hour every day. It really helps.” Kurt Paulsen
“Be patient, be humble, be forgiving. Patient, because writing a novel well will take longer than you ever imagined. Humble, because being awake to your strengths and your weaknesses is the only way to grow as a writer. And forgiveness, for the days when nothing seems to work. Stay the course, and the reward at the end — whenever that comes — will be priceless. Because it will be all yours.” Erin Halden
“Single best tip I can recommend is the development of a plan. My early writing, historical stories for my world, was done as a pantser. But, when I took the 100 Day Book challenge, one of the steps was to produce an outline. Mine started as the briefest list of chapters. But, as I thought about it, the outline expanded to cover what was happening and who was in it. That lead to a pattern for the chapters, a timeline, and greater detail in the outline. I had always hated outlines, but like Patrick Rothfuss said in one of his interviews, that hatred may have been because of the way it was taught when I was in school (long ago.) I know I will use one for the second book (if I decide to go forward with it.) Just remember the plan is there for your needs. It doesn’t need to be a formal I. A. 1. a. Format. It can simply be a set of notecards with general ideas you want to include in your story.” Patrick Macy
“Everybody who writes does so on faith and guts and determination. Just write one line. Just write one scene. Just write one page. And if you write more that day consider yourself fortunate. The more you do, the stronger the writing muscle gets. But don’t do a project; just break things down into small manageable bits.” Joe Hanzlik
“When you’re sending your novel out to beta readers, keep in mind some people‘s feedback may not resonate or be true for your vision of the work. Also, just because you’ve handed off a copy for beta reading doesn’t mean you don’t have control over how people give you feedback. For instance, if you don’t want line editing, ask them not to give paragraph and sentence corrections. Instead, ask for more general feedback on the character arcs, particular scenes in the story, the genre, ideal reader, etc. Be proactive about getting the kind of response you want and need.” B.E. Jackson
“Become your main character. Begin to think and act the way they would.” Valda Dracopoulos
“I write for minimum 3 hours starting 4 a.m. Mind is uncluttered and fresh with ideas. Daily issues and commitment can wait. Make a plan and stick to the basic plan.” R.B. Smith
“Stick to the plan (which includes writing an outline, puttin your butt in the chair and shipping). I’m trying to keep it simple!” Carole Wolf
“Have a spot where you write, get some bum glue, sit and write. I usually have a starting point, a flexible endpoint and the middle works itself out.” Vuyo Ngcakani
“Before I begin, I write down the ten key scenes that must be in the novel. What is the thing that must happen, who is there when it happens, where does it take place. Once I have those key scenes, I begin.” Cathy Ryan
“In my English classes, I was told to ‘show, don’t tell,’ which is the most vague rule I’ve ever heard when it comes to writing. Until I saw a post that expanded upon this concept saying to ‘show emotion, tell feelings…’. Showing emotion will bring the reader closer to the characters, to understand their actions better. But I don’t need to read about how slow she was moving due to tiredness.” Bryan Coulter
“For me, it’s the interaction between all of the characters. It drives almost all of my novels no matter how good or bad the plot may be.” Jonathan Srock
“Rules don’t apply in the first draft; they only apply when you begin to play with it in the second draft.” Victor Paul Scerri
“My best advice to you is: Just Write. No matter if you are not inspired, maybe you are writing how you can’t think of something to write or wrote something that sucks. But just having words written down gets you going and soon you’ll find yourself inspired. You just have to write.” Mony Martinez
“As Joseph Campbell said, “find your bliss.” Tap into a vein of whatever it is that “fills your glass” and take a ride on a stream of happy, joyful verbiage.” Jarrett Wilson
“Show don’t tell is the most cited rule in the history of fiction writing, but if you only show, you won’t get past ch. 1. Learn to master the other forms of narration as well.” Rebecka Jäger
“We’ve all been trained jump when the phone rings, or worse, to continually check in with social media. Good work requires focus, but I’ve had to adopt some hacks to achieve it. 1) Get up an hour before the rest of the household and start writing. Don’t check email, Facebook, Instagram, anything – just start working. 2) Use a timer app, to help keep you honest. I set it for 30 minutes, then it gives me a 5-minute break (when things are really humming, I ignore the breaks altogether). During that time, I don’t allow anything to interrupt me if I can help it. 3) Finally, set a 3-tiered word count goal: Good, Great, Amazing. Good is the number of words you need to generate in order to feel like you’ve accomplished something (1000 words, for example). Great would be a higher number, (say, 2000 words). 3000 words could be Amazing. What I love about this strategy is that it’s forgiving and inspiring at the same time.” Dave Strand
“My advice comes in two parts. First, I think it’s important to breathe life into characters, to give them emotions and personalities and quirks. Make them flawed so that they have plenty of room to grow. Make them feel real to the reader, so when they overcome the obstacles you throw in their way, or they don’t overcome them, the reader feels all the more connected and invested in their journey. Second, I think there’s just something so magical about a scene that transports me, as a reader, to the characters’ world; that allows me to see, feel, smell, and touch what the characters are experiencing. So, the second part of my advice is to describe the character’s experience of their surroundings keeping all of their senses in mind. Don’t stop simply with what they see.” Jennifer Baker
“Start with an outline (it can always be changed), set writing goals and stick to them, write every day, know that your first draft is going to suck and embrace that knowledge, and seek honest feedback. Oh, and celebrate milestones, especially when you type ‘The End’. Take a break from your novel (but don’t stop writing something — short stories, blog posts, articles, etc.) and then dive head-first into draft 2!” Jen Horgan O’Rourke
“I write in fits and spurts of inspiration and insights. Much of my ‘writing’ occurs when I am trying to fall asleep at night or weeding in the garden. I carry my stories and essays in my head, and when I sit down to start writing, I don’t like to ‘turn off the tap.’ My most important principle is that when I write a draft, I put it out of my mind for a few days before coming back to see what it sounds like when I read it aloud.” Gayle Woodson
“My stories almost always start from a single image… someone in a situation, a setting, with or without other people… there is a problem to be solved, a decision to make, some action being taken. Often that first image becomes the central point of the story but sometimes it is simply the kick-off point for something else. Once I’ve ‘seen’ my image clearly I sit down at the computer and start writing. More images appear as I write and the story evolves. Once the rough sketch has developed through a few chapters I may go back and fill in holes and round things out. Sometimes I even sketch a rough map of my setting or the ‘world’ I’m building. With first drafts I never worry about the grammatical and other writing ‘rules.’ Those things get ironed out in the second round.” Karin Weiss
“What it took to get my first novel drafted: the outline of a story idea, sitting in chair, DEADLINES, helpful feedback from the beginning so I could learn along the way.” Joan Cory
“I write a chapter in longhand and then later that day or the next morning type it and revise. The ideas seem to flow from mind to finger to pen to paper.” Al Rutgers
“Getting up early and write for a couple of hours from 6 am is my preferred choice as my mind is uncluttered with daily issues. Stick to the basic plan and learning to ‘show’ and ‘not tell’ has been hard but very beneficial.” Abe Tse
If you’re ready to get serious about finishing your novel, I love for you to join us!
And if you want help getting organized and going, I greatly recommend purchasing The Write Planner and/or our 100 Day Book Program.
That’s It! The Foolproof Template on How to Write a Novel
Writing a novel isn’t easy. But it is possible with the write process (sorry, I had to do it). If you follow each step above, you will finish a novel.
Your novel may not be perfect, but it will be what you need on your road to making it great.
Good luck and happy writing!
Häufig gestellte Fragen
If you’re working on your first-ever novel, congratulations! Here are answers to frequently asked questions new (and even experienced) writers often ask me about what it takes to write a book.
How long should a novel be?
First, novel manuscripts are measured in words, not pages. A standard length for a novel is 85,000 words. The sweet number for literary agents is 90,000 words. Science fiction and fantasy tend to be around the 100,000 word range. And mystery and YA tend to be shorter, likely 65,000 words.
Over 120,000 words is usually too long, especially for traditional publishing. Under 60,000 words is a bit short, and might feel incomplete to the reader.
Of course, these are guidelines, not rules.
They exist for a reason, but that doesn’t mean you have to follow them if you have a good reason. For a more complete guide to best word count for novels, check out my guide here.
How long does it take to write a novel?
Each draft can take about the same amount of time as the first draft, or about 100 days. I recommend writing at least three drafts with a few breaks between drafts, which means you can have a finished, published novel in a little less than a year using this process.
Many people have finished novels faster. My friend and bestseller Carlos Cooper finishes four novels a year, and another bestselling author friend Stacy Claflin is working on her sixty-second book (and she’s not close to being sixty-two years old).
If you’d like, you can write faster.
If you take longer breaks between drafts or write more drafts, it might take longer.
Whatever you decide, I don’t recommend taking much longer than 100 days to finish your first draft. After that, you can lose your momentum and it becomes much harder to finish.
Want more guidance to keep you on track through all twenty steps as you write YOUR book? We’ve built each step into the Write Planner, the ultimate tool to help you plan, start, and finish writing your book. Get the Write Planner and follow all twenty steps to your finished novel!
Discover The Write Planner »
Which steps of this process do you follow? Which steps are new or challenging for you? Lass es uns in den Kommentaren wissen!
WORK OUT
Writing your novel idea in the form of a single-sentence premise is the first step to finishing your novel. So let’s do that today!
Download our premise worksheet. Follow it to construct your single sentence premise.
Then post your premise in the comments below. If you post, please be sure to leave feedback on premises by at least three other writers.
Maybe you’ll start finding your writing team right here in the comments section!
Happy writing!
Joe Bunting
