There is one key step that all serious authors must take before they begin writing their novel. This step will ensure that they write the best novel possible and it’s one many writers overlook. However, if you want to write a novel that publishers and readers will love, you really must start here.
Craft an Inspiring Blueprint To Guide You Every Step of The Way
You must first create a clear, step-by-step map for your journey through your story. It’s essential to go through the process of exploring and developing your initial ideas for character, setting, and plot. By clarifying these key elements of your novel before you begin writing, you will actually be able to finish it without getting lost somewhere in the vast middle section wondering where to go next. Everything will fit together in a unified vision that will inspire you to move forward and get your novel on paper.
Discover Who Your Characters Are
To begin, you’ll want to take some time to explore who your characters are and where they want to go through the story of your novel. You can take your kernel of an idea and develop it through the following questions until you really feel you know your characters and understand their lives and motivations. You’ll know when you’ve accomplished this when you feel a real sense of connection with your characters and you feel invested in how things are going to turn out for them. Use the following questions to get yourself started:
Who are the key players in your story?
What do they look like, how old are they, what makes them unique?
What are they like on the inside? personality traits, habits, unique characteristics, temperament.
Explore their background, family history, and defining past experiences.
What are their loves, hates, fears?
What are their heartfelt dreams for themselves and their lives? What obstacles are in the way of achieving them?
Use this time to really connect with your characters on a deep level. Once you feel invested in them and feel you understand the essence of who they are, you’re ready to go on to the next step.
Explore Your Novel’s World
For the next step, take some time to explore the central locations and environments for your novel until you can really imagine yourself there. Here are some questions to get you started:
What is the region, country, and/or state where your characters live and interact?
When does your novel take place specifically and over what period of time?
Where does your novel take place specifically? i.e. house, business, castle, spaceship and what is it like there?
What season(s) will be portrayed?
Are there key props/elements that are important to the story? i.e. a treasure map, a locket, an old tree.
Map Out the Journey for Your Novel
The third step is to develop a strong plot outline that flows from point to point in a logical, compelling way. Now that you know your characters’ motivations, use these to develop an action plan to help them get what they want. There are many ways to structure your novel to keep the readers interested in what will happen next. At their most basic, each of these come down to the following essential plot questions:
Where are your main characters starting from?
What is their overall goal?
What is in the way of them accomplishing their goals?
How do your characters overcome these obstacles?
As to basic structure: Often your character will have some initial success about a third of the way through the story. Then, complications are introduced and things begin to fall apart about halfway through the novel. Next, your characters will have an experience of failure or loss about 2/3 of the way through your novel. This then leads to a deeper re-commitment to their goal and final push which eventually climaxes in the greatest effort and ultimate success.
It’s Really Worth It
I really encourage you to take the time to create a detailed blueprint for your characters, setting, and plot before you dive into the vast sea of your novel. Completing this essential first step will give you a reliable compass to guide you on the wonderful creative journey of writing your own novel. You’ll know your characters deeply, you’ll be able to clearly imagine the details of your setting, and you’ll have a reliable map to follow that will give you peace of mind and inspiration as you begin to write each day.
