Are you thinking of how to get started on writing a fictional novel? Are you inspired by an idea or a dream to do so? You started passionately trying to put your idea into words and then could not proceed further? It is not surprising to have a starting trouble while writing a novel, even the renowned authors have passed through the same state of confusion. Do not let the frustration get to your nerves, before you start writing, try to figure out the structure in which you will need to fill in the words for your narrative fictional work.
Content List
1#) Finish what you started
Start with a structure that is easy and will not discourage you from finishing up.Try to distinguish the plot from the story. Plot is the physical journey that the protagonist of the novel takes during the course of the writing while story describes his emotional journey. The plot contains what happens around your main character while the story will portray what changes takes place within the character on a sentimental level. This will not only give you clarity to your thought process, but also to everything you write thereafter.
2#) Series of Actions
A novel is a recurring series of actions and reactions of the protagonist. The frills added to the story are the dialogue with other characters, the weather and exquisite location sites. The plot basically describes the journey of the main character from the starting location to the end. This involves a series of struggles both physically and mentally that will help you weave a story line.
A clear balance between the plot and the story will set the pace of your fictional novel. When you begin framing your characters, keep the emotional terms in mind like how the character feels, how he thinks, what are his inner struggles and finally what is the emotional impact of the surrounding situations on the protagonist.
3#) Feelings and Expressions
Once you have typed out a rough draft, divide your novel into short pairs of scene and sequel format which will help in generating a balance in the story. If the main character of your novel is sad, you cannot literally write that. You need to show it through his actions in the story, like tears streaming down her cheeks. This will capture the reader’s attention and they may be touched by the story so much that they repeat the same action in reality.
The age old three act structure, traditionally designed for Greek drama is the success behind a lot of fictional novels and movies even till date. If you keep the writing simple and to the point; success will follow, eventually. Start with a clean slate and then devise the perfect plan to write.
4#) Characters with dimensions
To create interesting characters, give dimensions to them rather than turning them into a cliché. For example, in every chapter, try to tell the reader how high, wide and long your protagonist is, but do it differently each time.
You also need to define the point of view from which you will narrate your entire story whether it is first person, second person, and third person, omniscient, anachronistic, godlike or potent. After deciding on the point of view, you have to drive your protagonist with a motivation. Creating a simple piece of fictional work will save you a lot of time and several major revisions of the writing.
5#) Don’t be an Expert
Coming down to the emotional quotient, if the writer is not moved by his own story, no reader is going to cry after reading it. Always revise and keep revising what you have written, unless you do so, you cannot improve on what has been written previously. Value your own judgment and trust yourself completely. Only portray those facts in your fictional novel that you know about.
6#) The Final Summary
In short, avoid opening your book with a weather description unless you want your reader to leaf ahead to find the main characters. A fictional novel does not need a prologue or a foreword; just an introduction will suffice to begin the story. Always try to use the word ‘Said’ instead of other intrusive words like gasped, grumbled, cautioned or lied or any other complicated jargon which will stop the reader and make them run to a dictionary instead.
After following all of the above mentioned tips, read the story aloud to yourself because that is the only way you will understand or alternate the rhythm of your fictional novel. Focus completely on the reader’s attention, as the character of every reader is different like the characters that you have portrayed in your writing.