How to write your first novel.

Writing a book is rewarding but it can be overwhelming at any stage of your career. But don’t dwell on it otherwise you may never get started and write your first novel.

How I Wrote my First Novel

Nobody can tell you how to write your novel or say how long it should take. My first novel started with an idea in my head ten years before it was published. But it wasn’t ready to be written and I wasn’t ready to write it till years later. This article will help beginners get started.

My first novel started over ten years ago.

When I wrote ‘Not everyone finds the Joy of Writing great fun’, I had written three books of a series. I planned to publish them in a series that would run to six books or more.

At the time I was writing the first novel which I planned to publish in 2019. It had been incubating for over ten years and I didn’t consider writing the story as a novel until 2018.

What was happening in all that time? It bubbled away, fermenting under the surface. I occasionally gave it an airing, adding a bit here and there. With little more thought, other than it had potential, I put it back to bed.

This went on for years until each airing got longer than the last. It was a long gestation period, which is not uncommon in the literary world.

Finally, it woke up and demanded my undivided attention.

That first novel – Post it Notes – took more than ten years before it was published, but it sparked a six book series, the other five of which took about a year to write.

A Story Idea can Change Many Times Before it is Read

Back in 2008, I had no idea of how to construct my story as a book. I spent more time day and night dreaming than I imagined was possible. In the meantime, I wrote bits of it in blog posts, which were fragmented and best forgotten. In truth, I was like a schoolboy experimenting in the chemistry laboratory, hoping I wouldn’t blow the school up.

Over time the story changed many times, as characters emerged out of thin air. But its essence remained as it was all those years ago. Eventually, when I collected more material, I began writing the first novel draft.

I began by writing scenes and chapters as they emerged in my dreams and thoughts each day. They were, in effect, a series of short stories, disjointed and random. But the theme was always running through them, as it was locked into my brain.

It may have been unconventional, but it suited me. It was an unplanned, natural way for me to construct the book. I tried hard to make sure there is a hook at the end of each chapter to keep the pages turning.

11 Novel Writing Tips for Beginners

These are some of the important things you’ll need to consider in the early stages before you write your first novel. Here are some novel writing tips that will help beginners when you write your first novel.

1 – Brainstorming: Plot and First Draft

Brainstorm the story idea that is compelling you to write your first novel. I say compelling, because if you are not passionate about it, then it is unlikely to grip your readers. But don’t underestimate the value of simplicity when it comes to storytelling. Novels aren’t just made up of settings and time. There must be a story and plot that drives them, that is compelling from beginning to end, manifested in the first draft.

2 – Clarity

Be clear on the type or genre of your novel. If your story doesn’t fit into one of the most popular, like Romance or Thriller, it will be tougher to sell.

3 – Setting

Choose your setting. Paint a vivid picture of the world your characters will live in to bring life and drama to your scenes. A world you will immerse yourself in for weeks, months, or years.

4 – Title and Cover

Create or imagine your Title and Cover early. Some authors take a long time to settle on a title and cover. Visualising the story in a picture and a few words can be powerful. I like to have a clear picture early in the process, even though it may change by the end. There’s no right or wrong way, just a matter of preference.

5 – Protagonist and Antagonist

Create your lead character and the antagonist who is standing in the way. List the problems your protagonist will face before you find out how to deal with them. Build your story around strong characters who are changed at the end. Assemble a cast of characters.

6 – Main Character

Your main character must have an intriguing life, from backstory to character traits, success and disaster. Understand your characters in depth, so you write about them with colour and vibrancy. Characters make stories.

7 – Point of View

Determine the Point of View most suited to the telling of the story. Should it be the Protagonist in the first person, or a third person onlooker? There are variations, but you will need clarity before writing.

8 – Ending First

Write the ending first. Some authors don’t know how their story will end. But if you have a clear idea of how it will end and write it before you start, it will help you take your characters on the journey to get there. You will have to work out how you are going to get to the ending you’ve written about, even though it may be a bit different by the time you finish.

9 – First Line & Chapter

Write a great opening line and first chapter. When you have written the ending, hook your readers with the best opening to the story you can write, and never let them off. You can start in the middle of the story, or where there’s action. Don’t pussy-foot about.

10 – First Page

Introduce your main character on the first page. Or even introduce the antagonist before the main character. Readers love baddies, so get them in the action early.

11 – Acts

Divide the story into acts. Stick to the classic three-act structure. Each act must end on a pivotal moment in the plot. Aim to develop the narrative so it progresses throughout the novel, so it flows consistently from start to finish.

How my First Novel became a Series

As I pieced the story together, it took on a life of its own, the characters, particularly Alfie, evolved and swept me along with them on the journey. I had little control as the story of human challenge, manipulation, rejection, abuse, and the search for peace unfolded.

It was not the one I imagined when I embarked on the project in 2008. To say it was a challenge would be an understatement, but a joyful one nevertheless.

So, how did one story turn into a series of six books, three novels and three short stories? Quite simply, the whole thing was far too long, approaching two hundred thousand words.

I tried splitting it into two ninety-thousand word novels, but it didn’t work. However, it fitted the three-act principal perfectly, with each novel around sixty-thousand words.  

How to Start Writing a First Novel.

I have an answer that might help and set you up for future work.

Many authors write their first draft in very rough form and then return to do the re-writing. Although it is recommended and standard practice, I don’t work that way. I am constantly re-writing and tinkering as I go. So my first draft, before editing, will be, closer to the finished article.

Along the way I learned on the hoof. I listened to many author interviews, took copious notes and borrowed many ideas, as I read novels. Then I devoured YouTube videos, when I found ones that made sense.

Early on, I discovered Harvey Chapman’s – Novel Writing Help, a comprehensive and succinct e-book guide to novel writing. It has become my bible and I can’t thank him enough. How good an endorsement is that?

You might ask, how to write a novel or how long does it take to write a novel?

There is no definitive answer – Every author works in a different way. I have given you some ideas on the basics and how I work. I hope they are helpful, and you will think about them. But they aren’t set in stone.

And a novel takes as long as it takes until it’s published.

How Important are Time and Discipline to Write a Novel?

 Time is a hindrance to the creative process. But not an excuse to waste it.

Self-published authors are not usually under time constraints unless they are self-imposed. That’s how I believe it should be. Discipline is important, but not when it stifles creativity.

It used to confuse the hell out of me when I kept reading about word count and how authors should be writing so many words a day, and how some of them churned out a novel a month. I read this nonsense before I wrote my first manuscript, wondering if I would ever be able to get into the game. Now it just makes me smile.

Do what feels right for you and you will eventually strike a balance and a workflow that works and makes you as productive as you need to be to write good books. If you can’t organise your time efficiently, you will struggle in any business. Authoring is no different. It’s that simple.

When I’m in writing mode, meaning when I’m focussed on a first draft and not doing admin or marketing, I try to write between 500 and 1500 words a day. So, I’ll write a first draft in two or three months. But I refuse to be rigid about it. Word quality and story are vital. I don’t write at all if my mood is wrong. Word-count is irrelevant.

If you have broken the Guinness Book of words writing record and written a load of garbage, what have you achieved? 

The Sacrifices: Write Every Day – Deadline Meeting 

The writing is only a part of the whole lonely process. I say lonely because creating a novel is a project that requires aloneness and complete lack of outside interference to bring to a successful conclusion.

The book can become your only friend.

If you can create a good novel with telephones ringing all day and screaming kids in your other ear, then you are a better person than I am. Good luck.

I usually feel a sense of relief and then achievement when a first draft is finished. Then I have some time away before the real work of self-editing begins.

If you blog, then you should be prepared to let it rest quietly for a while. And as I wrote in a post blogging can help boost book sales, if done well. 

I love the writing process, so I am prepared to give lots of my time to it. I don’t see that as a sacrifice, though I know some do.

So, by now you should know how to write your first novel.  I hope I’ve given you some food for thought and wish you all the best.

It takes time and patience, so don’t rush.

But don’t put off starting for too long. And don’t let planning, though a vital part of the process, stop you from writing your first book.

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Updated April 2024