Things You'll Need:
- pen
- paper
- book ideas
-
Step 1
Keep a notebook with you at all times. A pocket-sized one will do just fine. Life is full of ideas for books. Observe people and jot down their appearance, quirky habits, and such. For example, in my novel, The Rich American Woman, the character of Sister Joliet was based in part on a person I once knew. Having said that, never completely illustrate another person you know – just take their interesting qualities and/or appearance and incorporate them into your characters.
Some writers use personality profile tests to create characters. I personally find that too cumbersome of a task. I like things simple. -
Step 2
If you experience a beautiful sunset, describe how it makes you feel, and then when you need a setting such as a couple walking on the beach, you can incorporate those feelings.
In short, any experience you have using the senses of sight, taste, smell, and feel whether pleasant or not can add to a story. In my novel, The Rich American Woman, the main character, Amelia is in the mission fields of India. She is being shown the village and its people by one of the villagers when a nasty old camel spits on her shoulder. What follows is a funny scene where she struggles to get rid of the spittle. ( I used an actual incident that happened to me and re-worked it to fit into the storyline.) -
Step 3
When you are ready to write you book. Do a chapter outline. It can consist of the title and just one line to describe the chapter. For example: Chapter One – Amelia gets disgusted with her job has fight with boss and quits.
My chapter outlines are just a starting point to form chapters. I usually re-work the story several times before I am happy with it.
On that note, when you are starting to write the novel don't worry about perfection, just write it. You will go back several times to edit it after the first draft is completed. On the second edit I usually add more character such as vivid scenery, descriptive wording. On the third rewrite, I work on the mechanics of the dialogue. By the time, I get to the last rewrite, which can be seven, or eight times, I fine-tune the grammar and spelling. It's at this point I also recheck my facts in the event the book has some historical information such as The Rich American Woman had in some of its chapters. -
Step 4
Read the book aloud or to someone. If that is not possible, research speech to text software on the internet. I believe Microsoft has a program. You can have your novel read to you by the computer. If it sounds okay after its read aloud then chances are it’s a good book.
These are just some ideas to get you started. In future articles I will delve further into character development and setting scenes.
Read the book aloud or to someone. If that is not possible, research speech to text software on the internet. I believe Microsoft has a program. You can have your novel read to you by the computer. If it sounds okay after its read aloud then chances are it’s a good book.
These are just some ideas to get you started. In future articles I will delve further into character development and setting scenes.
