Author Information
WANT TO WRITE A NOVEL? PART 1
Folder:
English For Poets .
Want to write a novel? I am offering a creative writing course in prose fiction. I have been writing novels since 1975 and have 13 done; 5 ready (almost) for copyright and publishing on Amazon Kindle.
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I will add more suggestions as time goes futureward :D.
allets
10-12-16
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When and where to start:
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TITLE
3 or more Words
TIME
You can select: present day contemporary, past would be a period novel/future ~ science fiction. Multiple times using flashbacks work too.
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If it is 3 months later and you have not come up with a title, novel writing may not be for you.
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WORK FROM AN OUTLNE
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Design outline: (sample)
i. Hurricane Ginny
ii. Evacuated Late
iii. Car Stolen
iv. Survive or Die
v. Of six member family
only sixteen year old
survives
vi. Dug out of rubble by National Guard.
Last lines of novel:
"Is anyone else with you?" The sandy haired man asked, his face flushed, his breathing labored and raspy
I was angry. I was thirsty and hungry after being buried for three days. Mostly I was glad to be alive.
"No," I told the concerned face wavering above me. "They didn't make it.
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POINT OF VIEW
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16 year old female twin.
Recommend you start with first person. Second person is a witness telling someone's story and third person is a narrator telling the story (From several or all character's POV).
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Setting: Small township (big city settings are over done in books). If you are from from Chicago or N.Y.C., you know the terrain. Write from what you know.
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CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT
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16, red hair, freckles, likes unicorns, plays guitar well, loves pink everything, straight A's in school - looking at PSAT scores ~ aced, avid reader of biographies, likes science (knows about hurricane safety)!
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Describing Characters: use poetry skills - hair unruly as if it were a flag that had been caught in a 100 mile per hour wind. Skin pale, so pale as if blood was shy of exposure to sunlight; a genetic trait of some distant Scottish ancestor. Muscular legs, a match for any of the boy runners at school. (Strong - can hang on tight). Gymnast (good climber)! Fast calculator: Ex. I had several choices, get up above the water line, try to find something to float on, or stay put and hope for rescue. The wind almost pulled me from the balcony. Staying here was out.
NOTE: EVERY LINE IN NOVEL REFERENCES WEATHER STATUS. Example: I would have cried longer but the rain was wet enough and now I was alone in danger from high winds. I would grieve later. (Weather references and survivor thinking). Combine as much as possible in compound ideas to save space.
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Character description bounces off setting, dialog, and tone of phrases used. Other characters can shed light on qualities of main characters.
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Example: 1st person POV
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"She's one crazy musician," I heard Belinda say as I headed for my car.
allets
10-12-16
147p
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Additional Notes: Novel writing is the same as poetry writing - some prose is more poetic or more prosaic, depending on what style you develop. The same elements of style apply. Excellent punctuation is mandatory. An editor will not look at it long if spelling is an issue.
