Have you ever dreamt of writing your own novel but don't know where to start? Staring down a blank page can be daunting—but it doesn't have to be! While it's always easier to picture a scene or story in your mind than to actually realize it on the page, these tips can help you get started.
Start anywhere—you don't have to start with chapter one. You can write in any order and rearrange your chapters and scenes at the end. Do you already have the end in mind? Start there.
Tip: If you're looking for a platform to write, there are several places you can write your story for free:
- Libre Office: A free suite of desktop applications that includes a word processing platform that can edit existing .doc and .docx files as well as save in these formats.
- Google Docs: If you have a Gmail account, you already have access to these free programs. Share files easily and save automatically to your Google Drive.
- Microsoft 365 online: The online version of Microsoft is free with up to 5 GB of storage to automatically save online and avoid losing your work. One drawback: the online version of Word doesn't have all the features found in the desktop program.
Whatever you choose for your opening scene, make sure you write a gripping hook and include it early on. I once read a book that opened with pages-long discussions about crops. Not the most exciting way to start a story. You can open right in the middle of the action if you want, and if you don't have a gripping hook to start your story, you can always include a prologue. Just remember that if you use a prologue, it should be the length of a short chapter, and it should set the scene for something central to your book.
Give yourself permission to write an abysmal first draft. Write anything. You can (and will) edit later, but you won't have anything to edit if you haven't written anything. The first draft of my first novel was truly cringe-worthy (trust me when I say editing made the book).
Focus on the scene level. You can't write a readable story, let alone a page-turner, if you can't write a scene. There should be a hook, an object of desire for your character (in short, a goal or sub-goal they are working to achieve), and story progression. If your scene isn't progressing the story, chances are it needs to be edited or nixed.
Include dialogue and make it believable and tailored to the character. Dialogue can make or break your story, so special care should be taken to get it right. Dialogue can be challenging because you, as the author, need to tailor it to the individual character and need to balance making it meaningful and making it believable. For example, in real life, people say mundane phrases like, "Good morning," and "I have to go to the bathroom." While these are very believable and realistic things to say, they don't progress the story and so are often omitted. Unless greetings are integral to the story, they can be summed up fairly briefly in the text instead of being given line-by-line quotes.
Dialogue should flow with the story, not feel set apart and choppy or forced. Be careful of creating emotionally charged dialogue that makes it seem like characters fly off the handle too quickly just for the sake of adding more drama. Emotionally charged dialogue can be powerful, but it must be set up properly (with buildup). Remember: the outburst is only as good as the buildup. Tension can be just as powerful as the resulting confrontation and can work to get the reader on your character's side.
Tip: If you have large sections of dialogue, break it up with actions. People move when they speak (scratch their nose or shift their gaze). Minimize long speeches given all in one shot, and void clichés (long villain monologues, for example).
Make a schedule if possible and create a habit of writing daily (or close to it). Getting started with writing is the hardest part, so once you have the momentum going, don't stop. You can set word count goals or simply time goals. These don't have to be lofty goals. If all you get done is two paragraphs, that's two paragraphs of progress. Everyone writes at their own pace. When you write during this time, disconnect from distractions like social media.
Read. You've probably heard this advice before. If you want to write, you should read, but what does that mean? Simply reading other material won't necessarily make you a better writer in and of itself. When you read, you should pay attention to what makes your favorite books just that—your favorite books. Pay attention to:
- The pacing of the story.
- How dialogue is written and how it works to progress the story while still being believable and in character.
- The sentence structure (varying the length and sentence openers).
- How the senses are engaged to produce descriptions.
And finally
- Transitions. Transitions in the story are often overlooked because, if done right, they're not noticeable.
Tip: If you find yourself struggling with a certain transition, you can use a scene break or end of a chapter to help. This strategy won't automatically progress the story if you're missing the introduction of a clue or lead the characters are discussing following, but it can help you skip over them physically walking or driving there.
Make your characters realistic by giving them pasts (careful—not every detail of everyone's past needs to be brought up), desires, hopes, dreams, likes, and dislikes. Describe your characters early on (at least enough to give the reader a general picture). If you suddenly introduce the character's hair color in chapter eight, chances are the reader has already been picturing your character a certain way up until this point, and the sudden correction to their mental image can be distracting and difficult to alter.
Bonus Tip: Once you start your story, keep to the same story until it's finished. You can take a break with shorter works such as poetry if the mood hits, but keep to one book at a time. Great ideas for new books are sure to strike; jot these down in your notes for later and stay focused on your book. Otherwise, you'll end up with a myriad of partial stories and no finished product to show for all your hard work.
So no more excuses. If you have an idea for a story, open up one of those writing apps discussed in the first tip (or another app you like to use) and start writing! An idea is only as good as the execution. So keep a level head—not being overly critical of your own work and not getting too puffed up to take constructive feedback—and take the first steps to writing your very own novel to be proud of.
Janine Eaby loves to read, write, and garden. She is the author of the Beyond the Water's Edge fantasy book series and enjoys experimenting with poetry.
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