Consider
The first draft is you just telling yourself the story.
– Terry Pratchett
Many think the year’s eleventh month is November. To a half million people worldwide, these thirty days have a special, exhilarating name: NaNoWriMo[National Novel Writing Month]! From the 1st through the 30th, hundreds of thousands are averaging almost nine pages a day to make their fabulous visions real. Minute-by-minute, they’re accumulating 50,000 words. Whew!
Succeeding at NaNoWriMo requires special preparation and stamina [I’ve done so]. Whether aiming to meet the 30-day challenge or allowing more time, here’s how to start a book.
How to Write a Novel in 13 Steps. Among the tips offered here, the recommendation that starting by thinking through the main characters is important. Why? “Readers become invested in what happens to them. You can develop the most brilliant, twisty narrative, but if the reader doesn’t care how the protagonist ends up, you’re in trouble.”
Mind Map Your Novel This technique is a great way to plan a novel can be. Mind mapping can start with a central premise [what if a cat flies to Mars to become human] and allows possibilities to be explored and characters developed easily.
How to Start A Book Don’t have time to write? Consider,
… time is not something we have; it’s something we make. Set aside time, even just 10 minutes per day. Start a timer … to reinforce the feeling that you’re keeping an important writing appointment.
In 10 minutes you can:
- Write a quick scene synopsis
- Find out as much as you can about a setting
- Create a character profile detailing a character’s appearance, goals, fears, strengths, weaknesses, secrets
The internet offers lots of advice on how to write books. I liked the above resources best, as well as the two videos offered below. Both are packed with great insights. If you’ve got a story to tell [or are curious about how the process begins], keep award-winning and best-selling author Margaret Atwood’s words in mind,
Succeed and Soar!
How to Write a Book, 13 Steps
from Top Selling Author
Click Here to View.
17 minutes, 36 seconds.
How to Write a Novel,
for Beginners
Click Here to View
10 Minutes, 33 Seconds
Join me in drafting a complete novel [or memoir] during 2024. Each Weekly Class [via Zoom] includes:
- Inspiring Resources
- Enriching Discussions
- Encouraging Support
- Enlightening Feedback
Goal: 430 page first draft by mid December
Cost: $100/month. [Sample first class for $25. ]
Write me with questions and to register. Classes begin mid-January, 2024,
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- Enlarge, reduce size of art
- Change placement of art and text
- Over 60 background colors can be chosen [shades of yellows, blues, greens, grays and more].
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