What is your story about. What is the main event and outcome to your story. Do you have the beginning, middle and end to your story. What time period is your story set, and where is the location. How many characters are there in your story.
Do you have any working chapter titles. To begin with make a list of your ideas.
Below is my writing guide. Readers are welcome to copy and paste it.
ADRIAN’S - WRITING TIPS
One main storyline: keep the storyline as straight and clear as you can make it.
Be careful that there are not too many changes of geographical settings or locations. When you change, have a strong reason for doing so.
One main character: not too many characters, a maximum of five or six is best.
Focus the readers like and dislike in your characters. How do the characters function:
Elianor is sensible, Marianne is over-emotional, Macbeth is ambitious, etc.
Round characters are key and very important.
Flat characters play minor roles.
OPENING TO THE NOVEL
Your opening should be dramatic, straight Into the Action.
Frame by frame continuity.
What are the functions of your characters?
What makes each character uniquely different from each other?
SHOW DON’T TELL
Define your characters by their actions, and by what they think and say about
SENTENCES
Sign-Posting is Very Important.
Each Sentence : What is My Basic Point Subject? What Am I Saying About It?
If in doubt over a choice of words, opt for the simple word over the longer more complicated word.
Keep sentences short, use simple vocabulary.
Sentences should be visual and speakable.
One thought one sentence.
Build sentence round a person or solid object.
CHAPTERS
Chapters should be short: no more than eight to twelve pages. They can be as short as half a page, or two, three, four pages in length.
Chapters should have broad themes, yet be strong as a unit.
A chapter should link with the preceding and following chapter.
Chapters should have a dramatic opening. A landmark signpost and end with a cliff-hanger. (maybe) or a hook (always).
Who or what is the chapter about?
Where is the chapter set/location?
Each chapter should be a water-tight, self-contained episode.
PARAGRAPHS
A paragraph should contain one main topic.
The topic should be clearly signalled by the opening sentence, which is called a topic sentence.
You should be able to get an overview of the content of a paragraph by just by scanning the opening (topic) sentence of each paragraph.
The topic is then developed, either by further explanation, an example, or by a contrast of opinion.
You may occasionally need a linking sentence to the next paragraph.
Short paragraphs are best – long paragraphs only if it is necessary.
A break in the text occurs at a change of, Subject, Time, Place and Viewpoint, indicated by asterisks or a white space between sections.
DIALOGUE
Half to two-thirds of your novel your novel should consist of dialogue. Only use stream-of-thought for secret, or private, or highly individual experience.
It is vitally important to have your characters talk to each other.
Use characters’ streams of thought to let people know their inner world; perhaps reveal things that would not be revealed in any other way.
What did your characters, think, see, hear, smell, taste or feel.
Is your dialogue speakable?
Does your dialogue make sense when spoken aloud?
CAN I SEE IT
Use your imagination to picture the scene you are writing about.
Write descriptions of your characters’ surroundings. What they see, hear, touch, taste, smell.
Use vivid descriptions.
Use real life experiences to describe characters, scenes and locations.
FAMOUS AUTHOR’S ADVICE
George Orwell: Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
Never use a long word where a short one will do.
If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
Never use the passive where you can use the active.
Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.
Henry James : Dramatise, Dramatise, Dramatise. Add as much credible drama and suspense as possible.
Ruth Padell : Show Don’t Tell. Do not narrate when your characters can explain themselves and each other, by what they say, think and do.
Walter Allen : Settings are centrally important and should be motivated.
What is the purpose of the setting?
What is its role in the novel?
Raleigh : Good novelists are great novel readers.
James Patterson : Outline, outline, outline. Plan you novel. Have the beginning, middle and end. List your chapters before you start writing.
FR and QD Leavis : The Function of characters, their roles in the novel should be made clear.
What is unique to each individual character.
Alain : ( French Philosopher ) An abstract style is always bad. Your sentences should be full of stones, metals, chairs, tables, animals, men and women.
Thanks everyone, I have taken this advice on board. You all make it sound easy and fun.
Then again...
You could follow the Swedish example and write all about emotions and inner thoughts...
David
Ask yourself,
What is your story about. What is the main event and outcome to your story. Do you have the beginning, middle and end to your story. What time period is your story set, and where is the location. How many characters are there in your story.
Do you have any working chapter titles. To begin with make a list of your ideas.
Below is my writing guide. Readers are welcome to copy and paste it.
ADRIAN’S - WRITING TIPS
One main storyline: keep the storyline as straight and clear as you can make it.
Plot / Chain of events.
Central themes, Eg : Revenge, Love, Hate, Life, Death, Greed, Betrayal, Adversity.
Be careful that there are not too many changes of geographical settings or locations. When you change, have a strong reason for doing so.
One main character: not too many characters, a maximum of five or six is best.
Focus the readers like and dislike in your characters. How do the characters function:
Elianor is sensible, Marianne is over-emotional, Macbeth is ambitious, etc.
Round characters are key and very important.
Flat characters play minor roles.
OPENING TO THE NOVEL
Your opening should be dramatic, straight Into the Action.
Frame by frame continuity.
What are the functions of your characters?
What makes each character uniquely different from each other?
SHOW DON’T TELL
Define your characters by their actions, and by what they think and say about
SENTENCES
Sign-Posting is Very Important.
Each Sentence : What is My Basic Point Subject? What Am I Saying About It?
If in doubt over a choice of words, opt for the simple word over the longer more complicated word.
Keep sentences short, use simple vocabulary.
Sentences should be visual and speakable.
One thought one sentence.
Build sentence round a person or solid object.
CHAPTERS
Chapters should be short: no more than eight to twelve pages. They can be as short as half a page, or two, three, four pages in length.
Chapters should have broad themes, yet be strong as a unit.
A chapter should link with the preceding and following chapter.
Chapters should have a dramatic opening. A landmark signpost and end with a cliff-hanger. (maybe) or a hook (always).
Who or what is the chapter about?
Where is the chapter set/location?
Each chapter should be a water-tight, self-contained episode.
PARAGRAPHS
A paragraph should contain one main topic.
The topic should be clearly signalled by the opening sentence, which is called a topic sentence.
You should be able to get an overview of the content of a paragraph by just by scanning the opening (topic) sentence of each paragraph.
The topic is then developed, either by further explanation, an example, or by a contrast of opinion.
You may occasionally need a linking sentence to the next paragraph.
Short paragraphs are best – long paragraphs only if it is necessary.
A break in the text occurs at a change of, Subject, Time, Place and Viewpoint, indicated by asterisks or a white space between sections.
DIALOGUE
Half to two-thirds of your novel your novel should consist of dialogue. Only use stream-of-thought for secret, or private, or highly individual experience.
It is vitally important to have your characters talk to each other.
Use characters’ streams of thought to let people know their inner world; perhaps reveal things that would not be revealed in any other way.
What did your characters, think, see, hear, smell, taste or feel.
Is your dialogue speakable?
Does your dialogue make sense when spoken aloud?
CAN I SEE IT
Use your imagination to picture the scene you are writing about.
Write descriptions of your characters’ surroundings. What they see, hear, touch, taste, smell.
Use vivid descriptions.
Use real life experiences to describe characters, scenes and locations.
FAMOUS AUTHOR’S ADVICE
George Orwell: Never use a metaphor, simile, or other figure of speech which you are used to seeing in print.
Never use a long word where a short one will do.
If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out.
Never use the passive where you can use the active.
Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
Break any of these rules sooner than say anything outright barbarous.
Henry James : Dramatise, Dramatise, Dramatise. Add as much credible drama and suspense as possible.
Ruth Padell : Show Don’t Tell. Do not narrate when your characters can explain themselves and each other, by what they say, think and do.
Walter Allen : Settings are centrally important and should be motivated.
What is the purpose of the setting?
What is its role in the novel?
Raleigh : Good novelists are great novel readers.
James Patterson : Outline, outline, outline. Plan you novel. Have the beginning, middle and end. List your chapters before you start writing.
FR and QD Leavis : The Function of characters, their roles in the novel should be made clear.
What is unique to each individual character.
Alain : ( French Philosopher ) An abstract style is always bad. Your sentences should be full of stones, metals, chairs, tables, animals, men and women.
I hope you find it useful.
Good luck.