How do I start writing a Novel?

Research begins with the type of story you are writing. Is it fiction or nonfiction? For instance, if you are writing about a nonfictional place in the country, collect information on the landscape, the trees, the flowers, the types of berries, wildlife and so forth. If you're leaning toward a fictional place, let's say...a strange land where magic or other forces beyond the mundane are concerned, let your mind wander.

And on another note, remember this...

Nonfiction stories lean closer to what is REALLY real. Fiction stories wobble around in the realm of imagination.

I think you are on the right track. Whenever the inspiration arises, write down what you are feeling. It will very scattered at first, but then you can begin the process of peicing it all together. Good Luck to you!

Hi getbrowser, I think the first thing is to have a broad picture of what you want to write about, including main characters, and locations. That's how I satrted, and three years, and many rewrites later, I finished the novel. However getting published, well that's another thing altogether.

I will be interested to see how people answer this one because I want to write too,, but haven't really done anything about it, except to write blogs etc.

I would say (and I think this is what I am going to try) just write. Because for me, the biggest obstacle seems to be starting, because I am so perfectionist - I will never start anything if I can't do it right, or finish it if I think its going wrong, and I know thats a problem I have.

So I am trying to write every day - this is one of the reasons I came onto mylot, to just start writing again and getting used to putting my ideas and views down.

Another thing I am trying to do is to write about what I know. I feel I can have an authentic voice to my writing if I write from my own experience. That doesn't mean it has to be autobiographical but just taking things, feels, people and situations that ring true to you because you know them in some way.

Do let us know when you have written something!!

I wrote tons of teenage romance novels that me and my friends feast upon. Ah, hopeless romantics.

I agree about making an outline. As a journalist, it helped me a lot too. With a draft, you could always put a line like "Insert scene where the girl will meet the boy at the local diner". I do that because I feel that if I stick to writing contiguously, I cannot finish the story soon enough.

I usually start with a very dramatic scene, something that makes the readers crave for more. The beginnings of novels are usually the reason why readers continue to read to the next pages.

You don't have to describe everything about your character like when you were asked to introduce yourself at the start of classes. You have to be creative about your "introductions". Also, don't always state everything. Try to give them the right to think and wonder. Make them seek the answers. Make them search for more.

You do not need to have your own signature style of writing. As a beginner, you could experiment with various types of plots, various kinds of characters, and various settings. It always makes writing very interesting.

When I feel like giving up in the middle of the novel, I always think back the hardships I encountered while writing it. Friends anticipate a new story and they ask me almost everyday about it. It makes me guilty for thinking of giving up the thing.

Just enjoy what you are writing. Be inspired. Be motivated.

Writing a novel needs encouragement and inspiration. You can hardly write something when you don't have anything to encourage and inspire you. But the inspiration begin within yourself by putting determination that you can be a great writer.

hi! you have to write your plot first then from that point on you can develop each of the major parts of your story. If you are yet unsure of your story, you may write the important parts so you can further write other events that you want to present in your story.

Get inspiration and you can write anything. Once you are inspired, more words will come to your mind.

You are defeniatly on the right track with the making an outline thing. I don't do that for every story, but I should because when I do it always turns out better.

One thing you should do is make sure you know what your story is about, some things/events you want to include in the story and where you want the story to end up.

Something else you could do to help you get started is make notes on your main characters, and maybe some of the flatter characters....maybe figure out where they are going to be in the story and what they're going to do!

Good luck!!!:)

There is a fantastic book you should get hold of called How to write a novel in 30 days. It basically challenges you to write a certain number of words everyday without worrying too much about the content which you can polish up afterwards. Getting started and creating volume are 2 of the biggest hurdles and the advice in this book helps you get over them. once you have the basic novel on paper you can edit it to your heart's content. Good luck!