Writing the First Novel

[Dodo25]

Do any of you have experience with writing whole novels? What are the skills that are needed?

I am 19 and I have some IMO great ideas for a novel that I've always wanted to write. Yet somehow, I fear I am too inexperienced. I've never taken creative writing courses.

All I've done is read a lot of books, some of them 'classics', studied basic literature in highschool, and writen one short story (5000 words) that I think is readable. So how do I write a novel?

So far, I planned on writing a 'skeleton' first with the plot, character sketches, and basic scene descriptions. Only after this I'd actually start writing. I'm confident about the first part, I think I know what makes a novel readable and interesting and I do have good ideas for themes and conflict and all that stuff. Also I think I have a unique idea and perspective.

The only thing that (really) bothers me is 'writing style'. How do I learn to write good prose? Should I just start, or, despite my enthusiasm at the moment, concentrate on 'smaller exercises' for practice first?

I really appreciate any comments and suggestions!

Edit: I just noticed that this is clearly the wrong section.. Sorry about that, maybe a mod will move it.

Edit2: Has been done, thanks!

[Kyriakos]

First of all i want to wish you good luck with your attempt to write a novel May it become a reality, and be a well-crafted book.

Secondly i am afraid that, although i am a writer myself, i cannot give you advice about novels, since i only write stories up to 30 pages long.
But if you haven't created many stories then you are perhaps in a difficult position to write a whole novel. You have to be familiar with writing, its balances, individual for every writer, before giving life to a massive piece of work. Personally i do not even plan to write a novel though, i am happy with shorter pieces.

However if you do attempt it, then a skeleton of the story seems needed, so that you can control where you want it to go.

[breathtest]

I haven't yet written a full novel (i've tried and failed about three times now), but i think the best way to improve your writing style and your voice is to write constantly. What i do is i write short story after short story, which i've pretty much been doing for three years now. And looking back at my old stuff i can tell that there is a massive difference in how my writing has progressed. And i'm pretty sure now that i've found my own writing style, you know?

You should do that, because i think you can use your novel ideas and downsize them into short stories and then expand them later, or you can just use other ideas altogether and leave your novel ideas untouched until you think you're ready.

I would probably say don't try and write your novel before you are comfortable that you've found your own unique writing style, because that's why i failed those three times. i'm just not ready. I'm sure you want to write a book you're proud of, and that will probably take time before you're even ready to begin.

[Lokasenna]

My first novel was produced in a blaze of activity when I was 15-16, and will never see the light of day because my adult self cannot stand it. It's rather... how shall I put this? It's rather Dan Brown. In terms of planning, however, I was very methodical, sketching the whole novel out, chapter by chapter, in the first instance, then writing up from my notes.

My latest project, which I flatter myself by saying is infinitely superior to my first, is much more organic. I'm writing page after page of notes, but they're now more based around ideas and themes than a point-by-point plan of my work. I've decided to let it flow naturally, and see what happens.

Ultimately, you have to go with what works for you. I have a friend who has planned a novel expansively, on a sentence-by-sentence basis, but I know I could never do that.

[Dodo25]

Thanks to all for the quick advice and encouragement.

Yeah I have noticed that when writing short stories, what at the time of writing seems good stuff turns out to be naive and poorly written with just a little bit more experience. I fear that this will happen to the novel too, especially since I'm a perfectionist. I'll definitely get more practice before I start it from the beginning. I can imagine polishing my old story, and writing new short stories that could serve as drafts for chapters for the novel..

[hillwalker]

The only advice I would give you, on the back of breathtest's excellent response, is - it is difficult to come up with a style without actually writing. It's like deciding how you will play the piano - before getting your hands on one.

Also, based on my own experience I would dissuade you from spending too much time on drawing up the 'skeleton' as you are then in danger of twisting the story to fit this preliminary outline.

The best way is to sit down and write it - from chapter 1 until you find yourself stuck. If you're lucky you will never reach that point, but if you do - take stock. Take a complete break from it and you might suddenly find you were wrong about some of the characters or plot.

But I assure you that you will find much of the time the novel writes itself. The characters decide for themselves what they are going to do next - you just take notes.
Then style and touching up comes when you go through it all over again with an editing pen - more often than not cutting out bits that are no longer relevant.

Good luck, and enjoy yourself.

H

[Emil Miller]

Do any of you have experience with writing whole novels? What are the skills that are needed?

I am 19 and I have some IMO great ideas for a novel that I've always wanted to write. Yet somehow, I fear I am too inexperienced. I've never taken creative writing courses.

All I've done is read a lot of books, some of them 'classics', studied basic literature in highschool, and writen one short story (5000 words) that I think is readable. So how do I write a novel?

So far, I planned on writing a 'skeleton' first with the plot, character sketches, and basic scene descriptions. Only after this I'd actually start writing. I'm confident about the first part, I think I know what makes a novel readable and interesting and I do have good ideas for themes and conflict and all that stuff. Also I think I have a unique idea and perspective.

The only thing that (really) bothers me is 'writing style'. How do I learn to write good prose? Should I just start, or, despite my enthusiasm at the moment, concentrate on 'smaller exercises' for practice first?

I really appreciate any comments and suggestions!

Edit: I just noticed that this is clearly the wrong section.. Sorry about that, maybe a mod will move it.

I have written two novels and am currently on my third although I didn't write the first until I took early retirement to do so.
Let me say that there are two things that concern me here, the first being your age, because 19 is very young to be thinking of a full blown novel; even though there may be examples of writers who started at that age.
The second is your country of origin, because reading the literature of one's own country will certainly have an impact on it's style; unless, that is, that you have already been reading in English and are going to write your book in that language. However, the first thing you need to know is that your book will be very time consuming and will engender more than a little stress.
Secondly, you will have to have some idea about the overall layout of the book i.e how many chapters and their relative lengths.
Obvious things like avoiding repetition and correct grammar and punctuation will also be a consideration.
Developing an individual style may prove difficult to start with but it's wise to avoid imitating your favourite author and to gradually build your own style through experience. If you have read as widely as you say, prose writing will be easier than for someone who hasn't read extensively. I would like to add avoid padding e.g. superfluous characters and overlong prose passages but both Charles Dickens and Henry James managed to write famous novels despite these tendencies.
Another trap to avoid is the confused time frame, by that I mean make sure that the events follow a logical time progression so that you don't suddenly find yourself referring to something that doesn't fit in sequentially with events that have already happened.
Finding a title might be a problem if you haven't thought of one already. You might be amazed at the number of books that have already used what you thought was a good title. In fact Shakespeare has probably provided more titles for books than any other writer, so it might be a good idea to avoid him; although the working title for my current book is called A Tangled Web and I have no idea what it will actually be when the book is finished.
Don't worry about the methodology used for writing your book, it's a personal thing. Harold Robbins who wrote his first book, The Valley of the Dolls, one of the biggest sellers of the post-war period, said that he just started tapping away until he had written the first paragraph and then went straight on making up the story as he went along. The fact that it was rubbish didn't matter because it went on to sell millions of copies.

Finally, you will have very little possibility of getting your book published unless you have among your acquaintances someone who is connected with publishing or a literary agent. If you wish to see the finished product in print, you can find printing companies that will print your book on instruction for a reasonable fee so that you will be able to give copies to your friends and get some feedback on how you are progressing.

Don't give up when inspiration flags, just keep harassing the storyline like a dog with a bone until the problem resolves itself.

I hope this is of some help.

[Abras]

Also let me add that NaNoWrimo (National Novel Writing Month) is right around the corner. I decided to participate in that event for the first time last November and, let me tell you, it really got the gears going. If you're like me -- and most wanna-be writers, I imagine -- you spend a lot more time talking about writing than simply writing... but forcing yourself to write 50,000 in the small space of one month, even if the story is total junk, usually helps a lot and hardly can be seen as detrimental. There's one thing all "How To Write" books have in common: they always tell ya to write, write, write, and write some more.

Anyway, I'll be participating again this year -- and I hope to see you there, too.

Either way, good luck!
Abras

[Dodo25]

Thanks hillwalker and Abras.
I've read about NaNoWrimo, I think it is indeed a good way to motivate oneself and actually get a lot of work done. But honestly I don't think I could do it. Pressure kills creativity in my case, and it takes me hours to write even half a page. I can however write a whole night long, so if I keep myself motivated I will make progress, slow but steady progress I hope..

@Brian Bena, thank you very much for the detailed advice. I know I'm young, but since it's gonna be a very long project (possibly multiple drafts), I really want to start it as soon as I'm 'ready'.

I've indeed read a lot of German literature, but I prefer English and am familiar with some of the English classics. I'm not a native speaker however, I have some difficulties with vocabulary range. Fortunately there's thesaurus and online dictionaries, and I prefer a 'simple' style instead of a lot of fancy diction anyway.

At the moment I'm not worrying about the title or publishing, yet I know that both will be very hard to find (I always have problems to find the right title).

[Emil Miller]

Thanks hillwalker and Abras.
I've read about NaNoWrimo, I think it is indeed a good way to motivate oneself and actually get a lot of work done. But honestly I don't think I could do it. Pressure kills creativity in my case, and it takes me hours to write even half a page. I can however write a whole night long, so if I keep myself motivated I will make progress, slow but steady progress I hope..

@Brian Bena, thank you very much for the detailed advice. I know I'm young, but since it's gonna be a very long project (possibly multiple drafts), I really want to start it as soon as I'm 'ready'.

I've indeed read a lot of German literature, but I prefer English and am familiar with some of the English classics. I'm not a native speaker however, I have some difficulties with vocabulary range. Fortunately there's thesaurus and online dictionaries, and I prefer a 'simple' style instead of a lot of fancy diction anyway.

At the moment I'm not worrying about the title or publishing, yet I know that both will be very hard to find (I always have problems to find the right title).

May I ask if you are German?

[Dodo25]

May I ask if you are German?

Of course. I'm not, close though: Switzerland.

[Alexander III]

I think the best way to write great prose is to read and write poetry. Also dont spend time planning it out, begin writing, or it shall end up just being an undone plan, just write, whatever idea you have write it and go with the flow.

Oh and I suggest you stay of the philosophical in this, at least from what I saw on the philosophy forums

( I joke, no offense intended )

[Kyriakos]

Of course. I'm not, close though: Switzerland.

The country of Robert Walser

Jacob Von Gunden (The Institute Benjamenta) is a novel i tried to read many times, but perhaps due to the fact i only have it in english i never decided to go through it.
But i absolutely love the Apprentice, and many other shorter works by him.

[Emil Miller]

Of course. I'm not, close though: Switzerland.

Reading what you have written about how difficult it is to write quickly, I can sympathise with you but it obviously means that you take care over your writing. I don't know if you have read Thomas Mann's short story Schwere Stunde but, if not, you will find it a help in those moments when, like many writers, you lose faith in your ability to proceed with what you are writing.
Go ahead with your book and don't give up. Who knows? Perhaps you may turn out to be another Gottfried Keller.

[Dodo25]

Oh and I suggest you stay of the philosophical in this, at least from what I saw on the philosophy forums

Hahaha I knew that would come. Duh, of course it will have philosophical themes, I want to write something that makes people think. Yet I try to make the philosophical 'messages' as weak as possible (not like i.e. 'Atlas Shrugged'). The book will be written from two different perspectives, not a black&white kind of book.

And yeah, I'll leave the most controversial stuff out of it. Not because I think my philsophical views are wrong(!), but because it would take too much time to defend them for the shocked reader, and that would disturb them and the flow of the book. It will be a philosophical novel wth tension, not a boring treatise on philosophy

That all is, of course, if I manage to finish that thing. I really want to finish it the way I have it in my mind now, so I hope it'll work out.