Here are my top tips for writing good novels:
1. Do all the background work and the rest will follow. You have to prepare in order to write a coherent novel. This includes character profiles, plot, style, genre, events, everything! The more prepared you are, the easier it is to write.
2. Get a new notebook just for this. This way you can keep all your ideas in one place, and organise it as you see fit. You might want to keep all of the character notes at the start, and work in sections from there. But don't keep it too neat, you need to feel able to write down everything that comes to mind!
3. Draw in it. Notebooks aren't all about writing. When I wrote my last short story, I drew out my character's journey in terms of location, travel, and events. I also drew sketches of the specific houses and rooms she explored. This is really helpful for making sure there is continuity - if you draw it out, you know exactly which side the bedside table is on and how many drawers it has!
4. Speaking of plot, make sure you have a clear version of the plot before you start writing, this way you can make sure to tie up any loose ends! It can be easy to forget what you have left unanswered once you start writing, so plan everything before-hand. If during writing you realise you have set up a loose end, write that in your notebook before you forget about it!
5. Set yourself daily goals. Writing a novel is a huge task and some days you might feel particularly uninspired. By setting yourself daily goals and regular deadlines, you can make sure the process is progressing as planned. If one day you don't feel like continuing your writing, spend the day working on your characterisation or events - by getting something done every day you'll feel much better about it all!
6. Give yourself space to re-read and edit. Now we've spoken about content and types of story, we are going to be discussing editing for the month of June. Stay tuned for tips on how to edit and not feel bad about it!
Happy writing!
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