Writing a Novel Outline

Deciding the if and how of writing a novel outline is highly debated among novelists. Some novel writers say that writing a novel outline is necessary at the outset. And others would say they can't get started with an outline. So, which way is the right way? In my opinion, the right way is the one that gets the work done.

Personally, writing a novel outline works for me. I have to know which way my story is going before I start. Some people need the certainty of points on paper to keep themselves on track. Writing a novel outline ensures your story will not drift off track and include scenes that stop the flow of events and action. Whatever it takes to help you sit down and write that novel, that's the right way.

Many people wonder about writing a novel in the best way, and sometimes I give the simple answer. You sit down and write it, which is true. But I know we all like to feel like we're on the right track, so here's how I write a novel outline. Over the years I have read hundreds of novels, and for many of these novels I have written a 1 to 3 sentence summary of each chapter. This helps me to understand the structure of the novel. When writing a novel outline, the initial outline might be very sparse. As you develop the story, and even after you have already written a few chapters, you will get a better sense of where you are going. At this point, writing a novel outline will entail writing the chapter outlines. They may change later, but they ought to make sense for now.

On average, a finished novel is about 80,000 to 100,000 words. I scheduled myself 1000 words a day. I owe my book a thousand words a day, no matter what. I don't go to bed until my work is done, and I don't take days off. I know myself, and if I take a day off, I'll be completely off schedule. Even if I write more than a thousand words today, I don't carry a balance. I still owe my book a thousand new words the next day.

I start my day by reading and editing yesterday's work, this puts me right back in the action so I can turn off my soundtrack and get to writing. Therefore, in 3 months, after writing 90,000 words, I'll have my first draft of a new novel. But that's just how I work. It's the right way for me, but it's not the right way for everyone. The only right way to write a novel is to sit down and start writing.

Writing an outline for a novel helps many novelists stay organized and write with purpose. Many times, writers who do not use a novel end up writing page after page and scene after scene that does not fit into the overall novel. A novel ghostwriter can help you to outline the overall story or to write and edit specific scenes.

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How To Write A Book - A Writers Guide

Maybe you've thought about starting a book, but you're left wondering exactly how to write a book. Perhaps you have an idea for a children's book - that's a good start. However, if you really want to write a book of your own, you need a good guide that will help you ensure it gets done and you aren't working on the same book 10 years from now.

Of course, commitment is one of the first essentials that you'll need. With commitment on your side, you have a great shot at becoming the next published author. Here is a simple writer's guide to follow that will help you go through the process of writing a good book.

Know the Subject

If you want to know how to write a book, the first step is to know the subject you'll be writing on. Go with a subject you enjoy or one that you have a lot of expertise in. Just remember, no matter the subject, you need to ensure there is a demand for that information.

Decide on the Audience

Now it's time to decide on the audience for your book. Ask yourself what the age of the children will be who are reading your work. Will this age require illustrations? You want a book that will fill a specific need. Once you know the audience, you can make sure your book caters to that audience.

Write a Short Summary

Next, write a short summary of the book. With just 1-4 sentences, summarize the entire book. This will take a bit of thinking on your part, which will help you to begin to craft the book in your mind. This summary can become your mission statement for the book to keep you focused as you write and make sure you stay on task and on subject.

Choose the Title for the Book

The next step to take if you're wondering how to write a book is to choose the title for the book. You need a title that is focused and compelling. A good title will make it easier for you to write the book and will keep you focused on the direction you're going in while you are writing.

Write Summaries for Every Character

Write down all of the characters you plan on using within your book. Then, write summaries for every character. Start out with a paragraph for each one and then build up to an entire page for each character if you are writing a longer book. The better you know the characters, the better your book will read.

Develop a List of Scenes

Another great idea to help you write a book is to develop a list of scenes. List all the scenes that are needed to turn your idea into a book. You can write this down on paper or you can put the list into a spreadsheet. Then you can use this list of scenes to guide you as you begin the writing process.

Start Writing

Now you're actually ready to begin writing. All of the previous steps will help you in the writing process. You'll have your summary, title, character summaries, and list of scenes to help you as you are doing the actual writing. Create specific times to write to ensure that you write every day if at all possible.

Take Time to Edit

When many people want to know how to write a book, they often forget about taking time to edit what they write. However, some writers make the editing phase take too long. Don't allow editing to become an exercise in procrastination. Get in there and start editing. Cut areas that are not needed in the book. Edit grammar and make any changes in the storyline that are needed. Just don't allow this to take so long that it gets you off track.

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3 Ways to Create More Suspense in Your Writing

Suspense is defined as an excitement that one feels while waiting to find out what has happened and what will happen next. The element of suspense arouses the curiosity of readers and keeps them engrossed in the story. Human beings by nature are eager to discover the hidden secrets of the unknown phenomenon existing around them. Suspense, thrill, mystery and adventure tempt the readers and maintain their interest in the novel or drama they read till end.

Suspense actually includes those factors that are the components of a melodrama. Thus it has its links with horror, mystery, terror and fear as well. All these elements go side by side in any piece of writing that can be termed as a melodrama.

Different writers use different tools to create suspense in their writings. It mostly depends on their imagination and how they express their thoughts as means of communication to their readers. In other words each writer has his own style of creating suspense depending upon the plot in his novel.

The first element of suspense in a story is created by introducing a mysterious plot that makes events complicated for the main characters. The story starts with excited events like murder, kidnapping, robbery, accident etc. They are trapped in a series of unexpected events that arouse a lot of question in the minds of the readers and to find answers to these questions they prefer reading the story in one sitting. The author gives a lot of twists and turns to the events developing the plot. Each time the readers are startled by the sudden and unexpected change of events and this prompts them to follow the author's trail of creating suspense. They are eager to know that how the problems would resolve and the different characters will reach their destination. In the story "Heat Lightning," by Robert.F. Carro, suspense is created in the same manner as the girl running away from the killer identified him only in the end. The readers anxiously read the story to find out who is the killer.

The second element is that of specifying the time factor. Most of the suspense stories are set in a specific time span expending to a night, fortnight, a period of vacation etc. It sets a limited time for the characters to attain their goals before it's too late. This is a vital tool used by the writers to create suspense. It is the same technique used to take the readers to the heights of thrill and adventure. It creates climax of the story.

The third element is the setting of the story. Create a dangerous environment that brings tension and worries for the main characters. They must be entangled by danger and fear of the enemy mostly a villain. Let them be isolated from others. There must be some dreadful encounter with the enemy. This arouses questions like, "what should the hero do to come out of a terrible situation?"

This is how we can develop even a simple plot into a unique one that indulges the readers in the story and maintains their interest.

Here is another article from me. Hope it 'll entertain and engross my readers.
Naheed Haq.

How to Create a Novel That Your Readers Won't Want to Put Down

There are five essential things you as an author must do if you want to create a novel that your reader won't want to put down: 1) create empathy with the main character and their quest; 2) captivate the reader with your tone of voice 3) engage the reader's emotions 4) keep questions open and 5) build up suspense.

First, though, you must remember that only a proportion of all fiction readers actually want a novel they can't put down. Some readers like a novel that has a gentle pace that can indeed be put down, to fit in with their lifestyle, and can then be taken up some time later and the story picked up again without the reader having to go back and remind themselves who certain characters are and how they relate to each other. This in itself is a skill to be admired. But here we are talking about the kind of novel which has its audience hooked from page one, in such a way that engagement with the story is absolute.

1) Empathy with the main character and his or her quest - a reader's attention will be lost unless strong feelings are aroused about the chief protagonist and the central question of the novel. Of course this varies through different genres; and the reader of hard-boiled crime fiction probably won't talk in terms of "feelings" at all, but nevertheless there will be a powerful urge to continue reading, to care about what happens and to want to know the answers to the questions the author poses.

2) Captivate the reader with your tone of voice - a captivating tone of voice comes from the narration and from the main viewpoint character - there are many errors to be made here; if a reader feels patronised, fed too much information, or antagonised by the voice of the novel, nothing can more swiftly guarantee that they will give up on the story.

3) Engage the reader's emotions - the reason why a reader cannot put a novel down is also a great deal to do with the emotional stakes - do we fear for the main character; do we hope for them; how strongly do we care about the outcome?

4) Keep questions open - posing questions and structuring the supply of answers - within classic story structure there must be one central over-arching question which is kept open throughout the course of the novel; and when that question is answered, the story is over. But beneath that question many others must be set, belonging to the sub-plots; and when answers are provided to these subsidiary questions, they must lead to others,and so on.

5) Build up Suspense - this involves the careful selection of information, and critical decisions about what can be revealed to the reader, when; and what has to be withheld until later. A writer must exercise skill, fine judgement and instinct in this. Another essential aspect of suspense has to do with viewpoint - what does each character know? It is vital that an author keeps strong control of this - and it is an area where mistakes can easily be made.

A truly unputdownable novel can make life rather difficult for a reader - you must have that open novel in your hand on the bus or train, whilst you are cooking, late at night in bed, even walking along the street... but making this happen can be great fun for a writer, and experiencing it is one of the greatest joys of being a keen reader of fiction. All readers can find ways of coping with it within their lifestyle - I certainly can!

S.C.Skillman

S.C.Skillman is the author of "Mystical Circles"- a psychological thriller. "Intense psychological drama in a beautiful setting." You can buy the book on Amazon and through the Kindle Bookstore, or visit the author's website to find out more, and click the secure payment gateway to buy a signed copy at http://www.scskillman.co.uk/.

Does Theatre Help Us Look Beyond What We See?

Of course, we generally don't think of it while enjoying a drama, play or for that matter watching some TV programme.

It is quite natural to have mixed response over it as some would like to disagree whereas some others would strongly advocate for it. But a real yes comes only when we encounter a life turning experience with the post effect of a drama, play or some TV programme.

My turn to encounter such an experience came in July, 2003. It was one of my normal college days that brought many progressive changes in my thought process and the way of looking at society and things, helping me to question the unquestioned and look beyond what we simply see. Until then I never realized a simple street play could ever be so powerful. Yes, it was a street play.

Having come from a conservative background with stereotypes around, I always believed that dressing sense was one of the major facilitating factors for the rape cases, and therefore women were responsible for all that to a great extent. And that they should also limit their movement to avoid such incidents. However, the street play on the very theme itself shook all my beliefs and opinions that I held so strongly. The street play not only took me out of the grudges of surrounding stereotypes but in the course also prepared the ground for me to be a feminist.

With such magical effect of a street play, the idea of "Social awareness through theatre" strongly appealed to my heart and mind. My journey into a new world with a vision moved its first step when I was selected for the audition to be a part of the collage dramatics society "Anukriti". The first step paved the path and I started walking the road that I so strongly felt for, leaving my footprints behind. And today I don't look back but look beyond what I see as I stand as an active member of my international theatre group "Aatish".

The fields that required interaction with people and conveyed meaningful messages have always been of great interest to me. This may be one of the reasons that Dramatics, music and Social service are part of my hobbies.

During my association with the collage dramatics society, I got the opportunity to participate in various competitions in different institutions all over the country. Different plays carried different themes, highlighted socio-political realities besides raising critical questions on diverse range of issues. Therefore, in true sense, these plays gave me the scope and platform not only to reflect upon various predicaments of the society, but also to engage with ways to change them in the most progressive direction. After every successful play it was not the claps that brought happiness to me, but the thought that the post effect of it would again bring the meaningful turn into someone's life, just the way once it happened to me a few years back in 2006.

My brief stint into writing made me a writer by profession. Right now I am working in a marketing company for my living. However, theatre always lives within me even at my work.

Born and brought up in a small town in Assam known as Tezpur, my journey so far have been full of ups and downs as I have come across both demanding and compelling situations. However, my college days have been the most happening period of my life as I cultivated the vision and new meaning of life through my exposure to the world of theatre.

One of such great exposure with lifelong experience also came to me as a student of Delhi University. The pleasure of being a part of the "Aman Mela" always remains fresh in my memory. The "Aman Mela" was organized by PIPFPD (Pakistan India People's Forum For Peace and Democracy) under the Govt. of India in 19th -24th December, 2005 to support the cause of restarting the railway link between India and Pakistan to promote peace and mutual relation between the two countries. Representing our country, we as the students of 'Delhi University' presented a play. I consider being a part of that team as my lifetime achievement for my country.

For me right communication through a right medium is the best technique that one should possess and develop in order to feel him/her self as a part of the society and link with the outer world.

Fond of aroma as I stand by my name, love singing, dramatics, travelling and writing. My articles might not liked by people with the agenda of marketing and money, but am sure a person above this will like it... Thank you!

Fonzi's Jacket, Archie Bunker's Chair and Richer Expressions of Literary Cubism

I visited Washington, D.C. on a quest last week. I wanted to see Fonzi's jacket at the Smithsonian's American History Musuem. I failed. I never found the jacket.

Instead, I found: Archie Bunker's chair; Dorothy's ruby slippers (yes, the heels were clicked together); the original Muppets; and Catwoman's leather outfit. I moved along the National Mall under cloudy skies, sneakers crunching over the softly pebbled walkways, walking into the Natural History Museum where I saw the Hope Diamond and an array of other gems and minerals. I then made my way down to the National Gallery, paced the many halls and rooms to stand before the creative progeny of Rodin, Monet, Van Gogh and Picasso.

It was here at the National Gallery of Art, through the accident of freeform milling and through the failed quest to find Fonzi's jacket, that I discovered new perspectives on literary cubism. The small exhibit tucked into a small corner of the sprawling museum was titled "Text as Inspiration: Artists' Books and Literature." Intrigued, I entered the area and studied the fourteen artists' books on exhibit. The books were cubist in that their authors employed various modes of artistic expression to tell a story; the individual cubes of art became building blocks that converged into a thematic whole.

The form of literary cubism that I use in my writing is limited to various modes of written expression. I've used poems, letters, e-mails, government and legal memoranda, news articles and even automated spreadsheets as the cubes or building blocks of fiction. The books in this exhibit transcend the use of words as a sole means of expression. These books couple words with visual and tactile formats, giving the reader a synthesis of text, image and form.

Hmmmmm.

Have I unnecessarily and blindly shackled the expressive components of literary cubism in my practice of fiction writing?

Yes, I have.

One of the texts on exhibit was Sandra McPherson's book of poetry titled "Eve." In it, the author includes a thematically relevant papier-mâché sculpture of Adam's rib covered in a feminine black veil. The text of the book falls out of the sculpture in an accordion-like fashion.

Literary cubism is a potent and provocative technique for creating fiction. A richer and perhaps more expressive mode of this technique goes beyond the use of only words. Literary cubism gives full license to inclusion of visual and tactile formats.

Mohamed Mughal writes in the schools of literary cubism and absurdism.

Story Pace: The Speed That's Just Right

The pace at which you tell a story is a critical part of story telling. Knowing if you're moving too fast or too slow at any given time will help keep the flow of your story at its perfect speed. It's not always easy to know what that ideal pace is, but instinct mixed with your best judgment will help you figure it out one way or another.

Just like tempo in music, stories have their own form of tempo. If you change the tempo of the song, you can turn a fantastic work of art into an indistinguishable shrill. The same thing can happen in writing. If you don't follow the right pace, what might have been a masterpiece could read as much less. Pace is an element that no writer can afford to ignore.

Like most things in life though, saying its important is easy, but actually doing something once you know that isn't always as easy. It's not like you always sit down, begin writing, and the story hits the perfect pace right off. It isn't always recognizable, or obvious from the get go. It could be at any stage of your writing process that you suddenly grip the natural pace for that story.

Writing is a journey of self discovery, and many times you just have to follow your gut and go with the pace that feels right to you. As we write, we grow, and that experience allows us to write better. That includes finding and writing the correct pace. Depending on personal situations, you may have editors, and others working who can help you find the correct pace. If you're just starting out, this may not be something you've ever even considered. No matter what stage you're at in your writing life though, pace is an important element in what you do.

My advice to writers when it comes to pace is to keep it in mind. When you're reading lines, or writing them, make sure you give pace a thought during the process. It's important to remember to look at the project as a whole, and not just as individual paragraphs and sentences. If all those don't come together to establish the right pace, it may damage the flow. It is just another of the many factors that must be considered when writing. The story will be all the better for doing so.

I'm Benjamin C. Andrews, an author sharing my writing knowledge with others. Visit http://magicjarpublishing.blogspot.com/ for more writing tips and tricks, and other quality information.