Welcome back to You Write a Book? Yes…

First, let me say that there are a TON — seriously, a ton — of books that are ready to tell you how to write a novel. I have read so many writing books that don’t help at all! In this article, I’ll list the books that I credit for my understanding of craft, character, and story structure and hope they will help you begin your journey of writing your novel. If you have others you swear by, I would love to hear about them - please leave me a comment below and don’t forget that if you like this post, please share.

I have news for you: when you are first writing a novel, you don’t actually start it by writing. I know! That sounds weird, right? At least I don’t start that way, and I believe that most novelists don’t start that way, either.

After I’ve decided on the idea, then it’s time to think about some things that go into the novel like story structure, plot, characters, settings, and… okay, let’s stop there. As a new novelist, read how other people do it — beyond this blog — and start learning how a novel is made of a bunch of different parts that make it a whole. Believe me, it makes the process a little less chaotic.

Below are a few of the books that have helped me write my novels that I suggest you read. By the way, many of these books are available from your library, so check there first before you buy.

Story Genius is the reason I understand hero development and arc. In the book, the author explores how to create a hero who has to undergo a transformation from beginning to end. Written in a style that is easy to read, this book will help you understand total character development.

This is such a good book for story structure - seriously, the best! Ms. Brody examines the structure of a whole slew of popular books and shows you exactly how to outline your book to success! Also, she has a book for writing a young adult novel, so if that’s your genre, check out that edition. Highly recommended!

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Want to know what’s supposed to happen to your hero in each part of your book? This will outline exactly what your hero is supposed to be doing in Act 1, Act 2, & Act 3. Mr. Edson is a proven successful screenwriter and generously shares all his secrets.

This is one of the greatest books on craft that I have ever read. Mr. Swain, who was a great science fiction writer himself, gives tips and tricks on how to craft sentences and thoughts, and is an expert on writing character reactions. It’s one of those books that’s so good, I’ve almost worn out my copy.

These are the books I would start with and I believe that if you read them, you will also get a good understanding of craft, character, and structure.

Click here for Story Genius

Click here for Save The Cat Writes a Novel

Click here for The Story Solution

Click here for Techniques of The Selling Writer

Do you have any go to books about writing that have helped you? Please leave them in a comment below because I’m always looking for a great read!

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In this series of posts, I will outline exactly what it takes to go from idea to marketed book - eventually going from nothing to something in your hands. This is my process, but you can take it and mold it into how you do things. Please share and like this article!

Let’s begin at the beginning, shall we?

You and I want to write a series of books so that we can either A. make some passive cash or B. we can prove to ourselves that we can write a novel. It’s all of A but some part of B for me. When I get to the end of writing (or reading) a book, I’m very fulfilled with the work I’ve done. And let me tell you, this is no small endeavor. It takes everything you’ve got to keep going till the end. So grab a coffee, or your preferred beverage of choice, and let’s get going because there’s no time like the present to start.

First, a poem about staying the course.

Side Note: This poem doesn’t have to do with just writing. It can me your mantra for life! Like, whatever you’re doing, keep doing it no matter what gets in the way. Seriously, your future self will thank your current self with many presents!

Okay, enough about staying the course.

So, back to the beginning of your novel.

When I started my first book, I taped this to the cabinet above my desk and looked at more than once per day.

So, to begin… you must promise yourself to keep going. You will encounter all sorts of distractions and delays on your journey, but you must keep your goal in front of you at all times.

A little more inspiration: You have the ability to fulfill a dream. Mull that over in your brain for a sec. Fulfill a dream. That’s a lot of power, isn’t it? Well, you’ve got it, now keep it.

You may get your book done within a month, or a year, or five years. Hey, life can get in the way, right? Sure, but keep going. I know a mom who completed her book by writing in 15 minute sprints when her kids were doing something. It took me four years to finally go from notes to writing to finished book for The Church Ladies League. I was afraid my writing would stink so I never did it. But then one day, my notes smacked me in the face and I knew what I had to do, so I would write at night after everyone had gone to bed.

The idea for your novel.

Before you start brainstorming for ideas, there are a few things to consider.

1. Make sure your idea can be turned into a story/novel that can sell.

2. Think about your genre. Here’s a list of a few common genres:

   1. Science fiction

   2. Romance

   3. Fantasy

   4. Dystopian

   5. Thriller

   6. Comedy

   7. Fairy tale

   8. Dark Fantasy

   9. Paranormal

   10. Historical

   11. Mystery

   12. Literary fiction

   13. Horror

   14. Adventure

There are so many more. When choosing your genre, you will want to read the best sellers in that genre as well as check the rankings on Amazon. So once you have your genre in mind, it’s time to start thinking about an idea that fits into that genre.

It could be the idea that’s been bugging you, maybe for years, that you must write. I believe that the Lord puts ideas not only in your head, but in your heart as well. So, if you got an idea in your heart, how do you go from idea to a story? You ask the age old question: what if?

Here’s how I’m generating the story for the series I’m writing next.

A little background: I’m a closet musician and in the 80s I was really into heavy metal. (I’m jamming out to Lita Ford right now) I’m a pianist, but I have to admit I play some serious air guitar. I’ve always wanted to be up on that stage, but I’ve always had some stage fright, so I never did it. BUT….

What if a group of aging high-school rocker friends decided to get back their band back together and they become a huge hit? (BTW, who says this couldn’t happen?)

I know, it might sound kind of boring, but what if (again with the what if!) my main character is a conservative woman in her 50s who is married with teenagers (who think she’s totally uncool) who happens to be a widow, and a member of her high school band is actually the love of her life, but they lost touch?

Hmmmm (I say as I rub my hands together) this might be getting better. I think I just changed my genre to add some comedy to it because this could be really funny and inspirational at the same time.

What if the premise of the book is we never really lose our coolness, it just gets covered up in our lives as we get intrenched in adultness?

I’m liking this so far, so what will I do now? I will let this idea churn in my heart until I’ve got sections of the story. Now, I don’t know if you’re like me, but I have a photographic mind and can see things in three dimensions so pretty soon, I’ll start to see parts of the story like I’m watching a movie. Maybe you’ll see sections of text written on a page or you might hear some dialogue in your mind. The idea will come for you, I promise!

Other strategies for generating ideas:

• Meditate and ask God for help.

• Take an idea from your own life and turn it into a story.

• Look at current events or trends on social media.

• Go for a walk in the woods, sit in a cafe eavesdropping on other people’s conversations while looking like you’re writing, or head to the bookstore and see what’s trending.

You have ideas! I’m sure of it!

So, how and where should you start?

I would get myself a planner with a note section or just a notebook where I could keep notes. Jot stuff down as it comes to you. Keep a small pad with a pen with you at all times - especially when you wake up in the morning. Don’t worry about the writing or how disconnected everything is. Just write it down and get going, because life it short and the world needs your story.

Want some homework? Come up with a few ideas that you can turn into a story.

Questions you can ask about your idea:

• Could this be a good book?

• Would I work hard to turn this into a book? Does it keep my interest enough?

• How would the hero change in this story? What would they be like in the beginning and how would they be at the end?

• Would I be able to tell this idea to a friend (or whoever you trust)?

What’s next in this series? In the next post, we will wander into the anatomy of a story and I’ll show you how I’m matching my idea fragments to a story structure that someone might actually want to read.

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Please like and share this post and drop me a comment about how you’re coming along and ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

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