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Writer's pictureLennon K. Riley

Getting started on a novel

Updated: Feb 23

So, you want to write a novel? My condolences.


Honestly, writing a novel is a fun experience... most of the time. However, fun or not, it's a difficult process, especially if you don't know where to even start. Every writer has their own process, their own starting places, but here's where I begin writing once I have that first idea.


Idea

I'll get some vague idea in my head like "normal girl in a world where magic is commonplace." Then, I turn that into a conflict and then a goal/desire. "Normal girl, with no powers, in a world where magic is commonplace. Wants a power of her own." Wala! A story is formed. We have a protagonist, a conflict, and a character want.


Sketch Outline

After an idea has coalesced, I write down (long-hand, in a notebook) what I call the "sketch outline." It's basic, not a full outline, just the main bullet points that I know I want covered in my story. It looks something like this:



I'll be sharing more of my process in upcoming posts, including how this sketch outline becomes a full-out, chapter-by-chapter outline. Stay tuned for more on my writing process!

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