Dear O'Abby: How do I write a novel?

Dear O'Abby,

I have an idea for a book, but I've never really written before. At least not since I finished school.  Do you have any advice about how to go about writing a novel?

Sincerely,

Wannabe Writer

Dear Wannabe Writer,

Wow!  What a big question... 

First up, writing a novel is a pretty major undertaking, so you need to be sure this is something you really want to do.  It will take up a lot of time and, if you're anything like me, you'll end up living and breathing alongside these characters for years and years to come. Before you sit down and start writing, I'd suggest you sleep on it for a least a night.  If you wake up and that story is still burning to be told, well, maybe you need a little more sleep..

But seriously.  Wait until you're sure that story is the one you really, really want to tell.  The story you have to tell and that only you CAN tell.  Once you're sure this is the story of your heart, then you can think about starting to write.

There are a number of things to think about before you actually sit down and start writing.

Firstly, whose story is it?  Is it something that would best be told through a single lens, or does it need more than one perspective?  This will help you decide what point of view to tell the story from.  A single, first person narrative will limit what you can show to what your main character sees and experiences, while a third person narrative can open things up to showing things from more than one perspective.

You may want to outline the story to make sure it works, and that there is enough action and character development and tension to sustain a story of this length.  Personally, I don't do this, but only because I prefer to find the story as I write it and my characters make (often stupid) decisions along the way.  A lot of other writers find outlining helps them structure their stories and figure out where the beats are.

Some writers also like to create character sketches so they have all the details about their characters from the color of their hair to their favorite TV show at their fingertips. If you're writing science fiction or fantasy, it's important you know the rules of the world you're creating, so this may be something you need to sketch out in some detail too.

Once you've done all that preparation, you may feel ready to write.  Or ready to throw in the towel on the whole thing... If you decide to go ahead and write, then you need to get your butt into your chair and get started. 

Just remember, it's not finished when you type 'the end'.  Those words you've just written - all 80,000 or so of them,are just the beginning.

Scared yet?

Don't be.  Writing novels isn't easy - it can be painful at times, I won't lie to you.  But when you get it right, it can be the most rewarding feeling in the world.  So don't be frightened. The worst that can happen is you don't finish it, but unless you broadcast to the world that you're writing a novel, no one needs to know...

Good luck!

X O'Abby