How to Write a Damn Good Novel

1. Compelling Characters Are the Foundation of Great Fiction

Characters are to a novelist what lumber is to a carpenter and what bricks are to a bricklayer.

Create rounded characters. Develop three-dimensional characters with complex motives, conflicting desires, and rich inner lives. Go beyond stereotypes by giving characters contradictory traits and unexpected qualities. Build detailed character biographies, exploring their physiological, sociological, and psychological dimensions.

Identify the character's core. Uncover each character's ruling passion - their central motivating force that drives their actions throughout the story. This passion should be rooted in their backstory and inform their decisions and conflicts. Characters should be determined and well-motivated, operating at their maximum capacity within the bounds of their established traits.

Examples of compelling characters:

• Michael Corleone in The Godfather
• Scrooge in A Christmas Carol
• Emma Bovary in Madame Bovary

2. Conflict Drives the Story and Reveals Character

Story is struggle. How a character struggles reveals who he is.

Create multi-layered conflict. Develop external conflicts between characters, as well as internal conflicts within characters themselves. Ensure that conflicts are evenly matched, with well-motivated opponents on all sides. Use conflict to reveal character traits, force difficult choices, and drive the plot forward.

Maintain rising tension. Structure your story so that conflicts escalate and complications multiply, building pressure on the characters. Avoid static or jumping conflicts by having characters change incrementally in response to mounting obstacles. Create a "crucible" that keeps characters locked in conflict until the final resolution.

Types of conflict:

• Man vs. Man
• Man vs. Nature
• Man vs. Society
• Man vs. Self

3. A Strong Premise Is Essential for a Cohesive Novel

Writing a story without a premise is like rowing a boat without oars.

Develop a clear premise. Formulate your premise as a concise statement that encapsulates the core conflict and transformation of your story. A good premise contains character, conflict, and conclusion. Use your premise as a guiding principle for plot development and character arcs.

Let the premise shape your story. Use your premise to determine which scenes, characters, and subplots to include or exclude. Every element should contribute to proving the premise. Be willing to cut beloved scenes or characters if they don't serve the central thesis of your story.

Examples of strong premises:

• "Greed leads to self-destruction" (The Great Gatsby)
• "Love conquers all" (Romeo and Juliet)
• "Power corrupts" (Animal Farm)

4. Master the Art of Storytelling Through Structure and Pacing

A story is a narrative of consequential events involving worthy human characters who change as a result of those events.

Craft a compelling narrative arc. Structure your story with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Start just before the inciting incident, develop the conflict through rising action, build to a climactic moment, and provide a satisfying resolution. Use a step-sheet to plan out the key events and character developments.

Control pacing and tension. Vary the rhythm of your storytelling by alternating between scenes, half-scenes, and narrative summary. Cut directly into scenes with rising conflict to maintain a fast pace. Use foreshadowing to create anticipation and maintain reader interest during necessary but less dramatic passages.

Key elements of story structure:

• Inciting incident
• Rising action
• Climax
• Falling action
• Resolution

5. Viewpoint and Narrative Voice Shape the Reader's Experience

The magic of identification, the greatest trick of all.

Choose the right viewpoint. Select a narrative viewpoint that best serves your story and genre. Consider the strengths and limitations of first-person, third-person limited, omniscient, and objective viewpoints. Use viewpoint to control the reader's access to information and create identification with key characters.

Develop a distinctive narrative voice. Craft a narrative voice appropriate to your genre and story. Whether using an "invisible" third-person narrator or a more intrusive first-person voice, maintain consistency and use the voice to enhance the reader's experience of the story world.

Viewpoint options:

• First-person
• Third-person limited
• Omniscient
• Objective

6. Craft Dynamic Dialogue and Sensuous Prose

Good dialogue should be in conflict, indirect, clever, and colorful.

Write engaging dialogue. Create dialogue that reveals character, advances the plot, and maintains conflict. Avoid on-the-nose exchanges in favor of subtext and indirection. Give each character a unique voice and way of speaking. Use dialogue to show rather than tell whenever possible.

Paint vivid word pictures. Employ sensory details and figurative language to bring your scenes to life. Appeal to all five senses in your descriptions. Use specific, concrete language rather than vague generalities. Incorporate poetic devices like metaphor and simile, but avoid purple prose or mixed metaphors.

Tips for dynamic prose:

• Be specific and concrete
• Appeal to all senses
• Use fresh metaphors and similes
• Vary sentence structure and rhythm

7. Rewriting Is Where the Magic Happens

Only writers know how to rewrite. It is this ability alone that turns the amateur into a professional.

Embrace revision. Recognize that first drafts are rarely publishable and that the real work of writing happens in revision. Develop the ability to look at your work objectively and identify areas for improvement. Be willing to make significant changes to plot, character, and prose to strengthen your story.

Seek constructive feedback. Join a writers' group or find beta readers who can provide honest, critical feedback. Learn to separate yourself from your work and consider criticism without becoming defensive. Use feedback to identify blind spots in your writing and guide your revision process.

Steps for effective revision:

1. Let the manuscript rest
2. Read with fresh eyes
3. Analyze structure and pacing
4. Deepen characterization
5. Tighten prose
6. Polish dialogue
7. Ensure consistency

Last updated: July 19, 2024