by Alison Fernandes

Created on: August 03, 2009

Wanting to write a novel and taking the necessary steps to writing a novel is not necessarily the same thing.

There are probably as many stars in the sky as there are people who have had an idea for a novel, dreamed of writing it and of getting published. However, having an idea and being able to develop that idea sufficiently to give enough material for a full length book is only the first step towards the finished product.

There are of course practical considerations to take into account. Not many people will be able to ignore or shut out the outside world while they write. We have commitments to family or work to take into account, as well as all the mundane chores that would dominate our lives completely if allowed.

It is an important step forward to work writing time into our daily routine. It may be very early in the morning or at night once the children have gone to bed; perhaps in the middle of the day suits better. Our personal choice depends entirely on our lifestyle and our commitments, but it is essential to make our writing a part of the natural rhythm of our lives if we wish to succeed.

It is a truism that we should only write of what we know, but nonetheless extremely good advice. To give our novel true depth and keep the reader's interest, we have to make our characters rounded and credible. The backdrop to the novel needs to be carefully crafted to convince of its authenticity. We need, therefore, to write material borne of our own experience, observation and specific interests. We must seek to draw the reader into the same world to which we travel whilst writing. If we wish to venture outside what we know, research and general knowledge may go some way to compensating for lack of familiarity with any aspect of our intended work of fiction.

The idea we have for a novel is, if you like to think of it that way, the seed, which is going to hopefully grow to fruition. We have to take that seed and give it nourishment to encourage it to sprout.

Very few people are able to take that germ of an idea, sit at the typewriter or computer and simply reel off a full length novel. It is usually much harder work than it would seem on first inspection.

The biggest assistant any writer, aspiring or published, can have is a synopsis. This is the skeleton upon which we work assiduously to add flesh and blood, skin and hair until we find ourselves with a fully grown child of our imagination, ready to be cut free

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>