A Handful of Glorious Pages
Are you a novelist, a short story writer, or both? I’m currently reading Ann Patchett’s essay collection, This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage, which… Read More »A Handful of Glorious Pages
publishing
How to Write & Pitch the Cross-Genre Novel – Part 1
by Michelle Richmond (This article originally appeared in the July/August 2013 issue of Writer’s Digest Magazine.) The term “genre fiction” traditionally refers to any novel… Read More »How to Write & Pitch the Cross-Genre Novel – Part 1
How to Publish a Book – Online Publishing Class
In this six-week course, you’ll learn the ins and outs of publishing in the digital age. What we’ll cover: Traditional versus Independent Publishing: Learn the… Read More »How to Publish a Book – Online Publishing Class
Where to Find Pre-designed Ebook Covers
These sites offer quality pre-designed ebook covers: Literra Designs: covers starting at just $35. Literra keeps costs low by using free stock images. You can… Read More »Where to Find Pre-designed Ebook Covers
3 Myths That Are Killing Literary Culture
1. Writers just want to be read. I recently heard a young woman at a party say that writers don’t mind when their books are… Read More »3 Myths That Are Killing Literary Culture
How to End a Story
Stories are like relationships: the beginning is always so much fun, and the ending is fraught with turmoil. When I sit down to start a story,… Read More »How to End a Story
10 Steps to Writing a Novel
The first thing you need to know about writing a novel is that there are no easy answers. There’s no magic formula for novel-writing. Every novel demands its own structure, its own pace, its own way of looking at the world.
Still with me? Good. Because, as it turns out, novel writing isn’t just a head-banging exercise in utter frustration and despair (although, trust me, sometimes it is just that). It’s also a deep swim into your own head space, a really fun adventure, and one of the most thrillingly creative things a person can do. It’s your world; you get to make it, populate it, cultivate it, and bring all of the pieces together.
If you’re ready to take on the challenge of writing a novel, continue reading for 10 steps to get your started.
1. Consider the setting.
Setting encompasses not only place, but also time. Where does your novel happen, and when?
2. Consider the point of view.
Who is telling the story, from what distance? Do you have a first-person narrator who is at the center of the action, an omniscient narrator who is able to go into the thoughts of any character at any time, a limited third person narration that sticks closely to one character?Read More »10 Steps to Writing a Novel
Writers on Writing: Elizabeth Black (or Why You Need an Agent)
I’m currently reading a wonderful novel, Elizabeth Black’s The Drowning House. It’s a debut novel that will be published by Nan A. Talese/Doubleday in January.… Read More »Writers on Writing: Elizabeth Black (or Why You Need an Agent)
How to Start a Story
One of the questions I hear frequently from aspiring writers is, “How do I start a story?” Even seasoned writers have days when the story won’t come. Talking to a reporter for Interview Magazine in 1995, Martin Amis said of novel-writing, “If I come up against a brick wall, I’ll just go and play snooker or something or sleep on it, and my subconscious will fix it for me.” Good advice, for sure. But if snooker and the subconscious don’t do it for you, here are a few tips to get you going.
- You can begin “in medias res,” or in the middle of the action. When you’re telling a friend a story, you rarely begin with, “I was born in such-and-such hospital in such-and-such city.” Rather, you jump forward to the exciting part, the middle of the action of your own life. “I was standing in front of the old movie theater on Amsterdam Avenue when…”
- You can begin with a character in a strange or tense situation (Gregor Samsa wakes up as a cockroach in “The Metamorphosis”, Mersault is on trial for murder in “The Stranger”).
- You can begin with a line or two that describes the setting, then move on to who is in the setting, and why.Read More »How to Start a Story
Writers on Writing: Kathryn Stockett’s tale of never giving up, despite rejection
More Magazine features an essay by Kathryn Stockett, author of the wildly successful novel The Help, now a wildly successful film. It’s an old story,… Read More »Writers on Writing: Kathryn Stockett’s tale of never giving up, despite rejection