How To Write A Novel, in Dazzlingly-Simple Bullet-Point Form
(Loosely based on a similar list sent to me by writer Sue McLeod)
- Do any preliminary research required.
- Write a complete first draft, doing more research as you go along. Keep forging ahead, no matter how messy and confusing everything inevitably becomes.
- Put everything aside for at least 4 weeks (a month).
- Editing Time! Structure and Characterization: Look over the first draft for issues (there will be so many). In particular, keep an eye out for weak characterization, lack of tension, imbalance of scene and plot, half-scenes, and exposition, logistical and structural issues, arcs that make no sense or that never become resolved.
- Editing Time! Look for writing problems at the level of the sentence and grammar. Look for backwards sentences, adjectives, and adverbs that add little or nothing, tendency to say things twice or in different ways, dialogue that’s too perfect or too long or doesn’t move the story forward or is just blatantly exposition in disguise.
- Formulate a second draft, keeping in mind points 4 and 5.
- Give this second draft to a trusted reader or two. Apply their feedback if it makes sense and rings true to your own aims.
- Take a second look at everything yourself. Apply another round of Editing Time! (Points 4 and 5).
- Write a third draft. At this point, you’re likely going to want to retype the entire thing from scratch, to make sure every sentence, scene, character, and moment in the novel is necessary and furthers your literary aims. Question every single word. Everything that isn’t serving a purpose should go.
- If you have background plots (or B- and C-plots) apart from your main plot, a useful exercise at this point is to read only the scenes and moments that relate to the background plots. Make sure they’re not overly heavy on exposition, and that the way their tone contrasts and fits around the main plot is sensical and furthers your literary aims.
- Remember that characters, plot, and structure are refined and properly discovered not in the writing process, but generally in the editing process.
- Put away the third draft for at least a month.
- Take it out again, and reread in detail, making small changes where they apply. If you need sensitivity readers or feel like you need feedback about certain parts, this is the time to share it it with a handful of trusted readers for feedback. You can ask people to read specific sections only.
- Oh hey, look who has a manuscript! You do!