Writing Novels

Lesson 2: Writing Your First Draft

While you write your first draft, focus on recording the ideas, events, dialogue, descriptions, etc. that you want to go into your novel. It's not important, at this stage, to worry about the shape of your novel or the exact words used. Some of your story will come out perfect the first time you write it, but most of your early writing will serve to stimulate your imagination and move your story forward. During this lesson, I'll discuss developing ideas, writing quality and quantity, choosing viewpoint and tense, planning and organizing, and making changes.

Developing Ideas

An idea that sparks your imagination is exciting. You write as fast as you can to capture the idea. It may start with an interesting person, place, or event, then your imagination runs with it. After a short time, or a long time if you're lucky, your pen slows. Where do you go now? Have you come to a dead end? Is this writer's block? Maybe it wasn't such a good idea after all.

Don't give up! When you reach this point, change direction. Look at what you've written. Who are your characters? What do they look like? Start asking them questions. What do they want? (This is important.) What have they been through? Ask them anything you want to know. They'll tell you who they are. Some authors are so in tune to their characters in this way that they claim their characters write the story for them.

Where does the story take place? What does it look like? Pay attention to the details of the image in your mind. Use all your senses: sight, sound, touch, taste, smell, and emotional feeling. Does the setting have a mood? Is this a real place or an imaginary one? If it's a real place, your readers expect you to portray it truthfully.

What's going on? Why is it happening? What events led up to it? What's going to happen next? If you're not sure, ask "what if...?" Try out some possibilities.