writing a novel | The Creative Penn

Writing Tips: 6 Things To Consider Before Writing A Novel

September 5, 2018 by Joanna Penn 16 Comments

When you read a lot of novels, it feels like it should be an easy leap into writing them. But there are some aspects to think about before jumping into the writing process that will help along the way.

In today's article, editor Rebecca Monterusso explains more.

Writing a novel is not an easy task. The point is to write. But, there are so many guides out there telling you how that it’s easier to procrastinate than get words on the page. How to get started, to plot, to structure, to find your voice.

How do you find your stride amidst all that chatter?

One thing is clear: the only person who can tell you how to write your novel is you. Sure, looking at how your favorite author gathered their ideas, forced themselves to sit at their desk, and revised their first draft into the book you love is an invaluable experience. In fact, reading as many guides as you can on how to write might be worthwhile to help you figure out your own process.

It might also be a case of Resistance (as discussed before by Steven Pressfield on The Creative Penn podcast).

But, no matter your process, whether you’ve written a novel before or not, there are some things I believe, as an editor and writer, you should consider before rushing your initial idea to the keyboard.

Knowing the following elements of your novel will help you hook your reader, build tension, and payoff the ending in a surprising, but inevitable way.

They will help you keep track of the kind of story you’re trying to tell (even when you might lose your way). And, they’ll certainly help when it comes time to edit that first draft into a story that works. All without causing analysis paralysis.

1. Genre

So many people misunderstand the concept of genre. Put simply: it’s the value at stake in your novel.

For example, action stories turn on life and death. Love stories on love and hate. Crime on justice and injustice.

Meaning, genre describes the arc the character faces on their journey. Will they survive? Commit to their true love? Bring the killer to justice and restore order to the world?

Genre is a fancy way to talk about change. All stories are about change and genre specifies what change the protagonist(s) of this particular story will face.

It’s crucial to your novel because it informs the marketing decisions, cover design, and limits the infinite possibilities writing a book offers. Not only that, it helps you get a grasp on the ideas bouncing around in your mind. To figure out what you want to say and the events necessary to get your viewpoint across.

But is Genre that important? Really?

Put simply, yes. Not only for you the writer but for your readers.

Readers come to story with certain expectations. If you’ve written a love story, readers want to see the first kiss, lovers meet, and the proof of love scenes. Without these scenes, your “love story” will alienate your audience and leave them unsatisfied.

Think of the last movie you went to see. Was is an action-packed superhero battle, a romantic comedy, or something else entirely?

Imagine if you went to see that action-packed superhero battle and no one had superpowers. What if there wasn’t a battle? What if instead of the action you were promised, you got a heartwarming coming of age story?

Not that there is anything wrong with a maturation plot, but it’s probably not what you went there for. You didn’t spend your hard-earned money to be lied to about the type of movie you were going to see.

That’s all genre. And knowing your genre will help readers find your story. It will give them something to look forward to. And, if done well, will satisfy their expectations and keep them coming back for more.

2. Stakes

What’s at stake is another way of asking what the protagonist(s) stands to lose should they not complete the task(s) they set out to achieve.

If the detective doesn’t solve the crime and put the criminal away, injustice reigns over justice. When the couple chooses selfishness over the needs of their partner, commitment and intimacy cannot overpower indifference or hate.

The stakes you choose dictate your genre. They also create tension and build conflict. And nothing moves forward in a story except through conflict.

Knowing the stakes gives you something to throw at the protagonist when you think you’re out of ideas. It also hooks your readers. They will want to know how the protagonist(s) gets what they want despite what stands in their way.

3. Point of View (POV)

Who is telling your story and why? Varying levels of point of view (3rd person, 1st person, omniscient, or free and direct) will change the type of story you’re telling.

Depending on what you want to say, how you say it makes a huge difference to your readers. For that reason, playing with POV is important to your novel.

Try writing the first chapter using different POVs. How does it change your story and what’s to come? What promises are you making to your reader with your specific POV and how does that change when you change POV?

4. Setting

Setting means time and place. Which breaks down to location in time, duration through time, physical setting, and the human or social location (or, levels of conflict). Knowing at least when and where your story takes place limits the infinite.

If you want to write about a heist that takes place in space, that will be very different than one occurring in present-day New York City. A survival novel might play out one way on a desert island and another entirely on an undiscovered planet similar to Earth.

Setting is vital to know. People in different parts of the world act differently. A love story in rural Idaho would be very different than one in Miami.

It’s even more important when writing fantasy or science fiction. For example, Victoria Schwab says that world building is the first thing she focuses on when crafting a new story. Knowing her setting lets all the other story pieces fall into place once she gets that final ingredient.

At least considering your setting is a great exercise to writing a novel. It will help other pieces fall into place.

5. Character

When it comes down to it, character=story=character. The debate of which is more important, plot or character, is irrelevant because without one one or the other you wouldn’t have a story.

But, it’s important to know that characters are more than just their traits and backstory. And though you don’t need to know every detail about every character before you start a story, it is important to get to know your protagonist’s core.

You get to know their core by knowing what decisions they make.

Robert McKee says that true character is who they really are, which is expressed by the choices they make when under pressure to achieve their object of desire. The greater the risk, the truer the reveal of character.

That means that characters must have wants (and potentially needs). And that they must act on those wants. Wants create empathy. And empathy is oftentimes what brings readers to a certain book.

So, knowing what a character wants is essential to your novel. It determines the choices they will make along their journey.

And, how far they will go to get what they want. Which relates back to stakes and genre.

See how knowing all of this determines the specifics of your particular story?

One last thing to keep in mind when writing a novel is that characters act differently depending who they interact with. Getting a handle on human psychology might help improve your writing.

6. Controlling Idea

Put simply, the controlling idea is what you want to say about the events that take place. If your love story is about overcoming our own selfish worldview, the controlling idea states that in one sentence.

According to Shawn Coyne in The Story Grid, “controlling idea is the one sentence explaining the global value change and its cause.”

Put another way, the controlling idea is why you want to write this particular story. It’s the core of who you are and why this series of events is important for you to get down on paper.

What do you want to say about the world as you see it?

Knowing that will give you a reason to keep writing even when all seems lost.

Novels are a series of decisions

When you sit down to write your story, you have to decide what to say and how. You pick the characters, build the world, and determine the best way to get your message across.

Not to mention creating the message in the first place. And building events, ordering them, and determining overall structure. The list is endless.

Part of why writing is so difficult is because those decisions are all in the writer’s hands.

It might sound wonderful having so much control, but it’s not.

It’s like trying to pick a career but having no idea what industry you want to be in, where you want to live, or what you want to be doing for the next few years or so of your life. Try narrowing something down from infinite possibilities.

You can, of course, throw all of this out the window and write in whatever way works for you.

But, making decisions about genre, stakes, POV, setting, character, and controlling idea creates limits. Though that might seem counter-intuitive, you can’t write a story about everything all at once. Limits help you make decisions in order to tell your story in a way only you can.

Maybe your process is similar to your favorite author’s. Maybe it’s not. Either way, knowing the kind of story you want to write gives you a better starting point than that vague idea you rushed to put on paper.

And, whether you like it or not, those elements are essential to your novel. You can figure them out before writing a single word or after completing your first draft. Either way, they shape your story.

And which way do you think will keep you writing? Knowing ahead of time, or figuring them out after you’ve spent so much time (blood, sweat, and tears) getting a draft on the page?

After all, starting a novel isn’t usually the problem. Finishing one is. And I believe the world needs your novel.

How many of these elements of storytelling do you know before you begin? And which ones do you figure out after your first draft is finished? Please leave your thoughts below and join the conversation.

Rebecca Monterusso is a Story Grid Certified Developmental Editor, which is a fancy way to say that she helps writers learn to tell their stories better.

She spends her time traveling the world, writing whatever takes her fancy, and deconstructing the many stories she reads on her blog to better understand craft. Ultimately, she believes that stories are the only way to change the world, which makes writers mighty powerful people.

[Typewriter image courtesy RawPixel and Unsplash. Couple photograph courtesy Pablo Heimplatz and Unsplash. Lookout photograph courtesy Nine Kopfer and Unsplash. Letterest photograph courtesy Amadodr Loureiro and Unsplash.]

5 Tips for Writing Powerful Inspirational Fiction

January 27, 2018 by Joanna Penn 6 Comments

Many of us write from a burning need to share our story – and for some, that stems from a place of faith.

I interviewed Jerry Jenkins about the Left Behind series last year, and today, he returns to share his tips on how you can write inspirational fiction too.

The more massively important your message — one you feel called to communicate with the world — the more intimidating it becomes to write a story worthy of it, doesn’t it?

Not only do you have to grab your reader’s attention and clearly convey your point, but you also face questions like:

What if my writing sounds preachy?
What if it comes off tacky, inauthentic?
Am I even qualified to write this?

If questions like these haunt you, you and I are a lot alike.

Such challenges overwhelmed me as I sat before a blank screen to write Left Behind in 1995. I’d already written 124 books and worked with many high-profile clients — yet I wondered, can I really do justice to the greatest cosmic event that will ever occur?

I couldn’t blame writer’s block.

For years, I’d taught budding writers to ignore it. Non-writers don’t get to call in sick, saying, “I have worker’s block.”

Writing is my job. Excuses wouldn’t get it done.

Yet I was awash in doubt, unable to write — pacing my office, painfully aware of the poverty of resources I brought to the table.

A sign on my wall reminded me: “The only way to write a book is with seat in chair.”

So I sat back down, honored that Dr. Tim LaHaye had entrusted me with such a message — and opportunity. I prayed for help and asked for the courage to tackle the task.

Then I got to work, simply putting words on the screen.

No one — certainly not I — could have known the impact the Left Behind series would have on my life and the lives of millions of readers.

5 Inspirational Fiction Tips I Learned From Writing Left Behind

Through that writing process, I discovered five truths about crafting a compelling faith-based story which, I believe, led to the books becoming the top-selling Christian fiction series ever:

1. Write From Your Passion

Why do you write?

If you’re an inspirational writer, your answer should have nothing to do with yourself.

I believe God chose the written word to communicate with man — which makes writing a sacred profession. If you’re not writing for God and for the sake of others, the general market would be a better fit.

That doesn’t mean everything you write for the Inspirational market needs to be a sermon, but what is your purpose?

Whatever else the writing life offers, nothing compares to the privilege of seeing God change lives through your words. That doesn’t mean Pollyanna stories in which everyone lives happily ever after — at least this side of Heaven. People suffer, innocents die, but if we cannot crack the door to hope, we dare not call ourselves inspirational writers.

Know why you write, and write with conviction from a carefully considered and lived-out worldview. It will show.

2. Write What You Know

Regardless where you are in your writing journey, always write about not just what really matters to you (see Number 1), but also about what you live.

Had I not believed in the truth behind the fiction I was writing, I could not have faked it. Such an important theme and message had to originate in my soul.

Allen Arnold, former head of the fiction department at Thomas Nelson Publishers, has said, “Your writing will never transcend yourself.” In other words, if you’re not living it, don’t try to write it.

What do you really know and live?

That will draw you back to the keyboard every day.

3. Write for a Single Audience

When I first met with Dr. LaHaye, one of my first questions was, “If I were to attempt this, who would be my target audience? People who agree with us, or the uninitiated we would try to persuade?”

“Both,” he said, beaming.

Charming, but not literarily sound.

“A double-minded book is unstable in all its ways,” I said, parodying the Bible verse about a double-minded person.

I urged Dr. LaHaye to choose one audience. He never did.

While Left Behind became the incredible exception to the rule, experts agree you should write to a single audience.

Consider where your readers are coming from and write with that in mind. I wrote the Left Behind series in layman’s language, not church lingo.

4. Become a Teachable Writer

I’ve written more than 190 books over the past 40 years. My sons accuse me of having written more books than I’ve read. 😊

Yet I remain a lifelong learner. If I’m not growing, I’m stagnating.

That’s why I still attend for writers conferences, buy online courses, and read every craft book I can find.

Teachability is the single biggest predictor of a writer’s success.

Often aspiring authors ask for my opinion on their writing. If I offer constructive feedback and see their faces fall, I realize they never wanted my opinion at all. They wanted to be discovered.

But every so often, when I encounter a writer willing to listen to criticism I know I’ve found someone with a real chance to succeed.

Become teachable. Take courses, join a writers group, read every you can about the craft.

You’ll find many professionals (like Joanna and me) eager to share how they write their books. I get great joy from teaching, which is why I create detailed writing guides like this one.

Find a mentor or a writing accountability partner, and learn to accept input with grace and meet deadlines.

Become a better writer than your spouse, your parents, your editor friends, or even you ever dreamed possible.

5. Reach For the Heart, But Don’t Preach

Jesus Himself used parables to make points. He didn’t explain them. When His disciples asked what in the world He was talking about, He often said, “He who has ears, let him hear.”

Preachiness is the bane of too much writing in the inspirational market. Preachiness on paper offends the reader’s sensibilities.

Ours is a message of hope, of forgiveness, of reconciliation. True art communicates without preaching. Give your reader credit. Tell a story and assume he gets it.

Enjoy the Journey

If books like Left Behind and The Purpose-Driven Life have awakened the general market to the vast potential of inspirational titles, that’s broadened the horizon for us all.

Write with conviction, with your audience in mind. Develop skin thick enough to endure honest criticism, and you’ll have what it takes to make the most of every opportunity God has given you.

The path is crowded and the journey long, but the reward is worth it.

Have you ever been drawn to writing inspirational fiction? Please leave your thoughts below and join the conversation.

Jerry B. Jenkins is the New York Times bestselling author of more than 190 books, with sales of more than 70 million copies, including the Left Behind series. You can learn more about his books and resources for writers at JerryJenkins.com.

Want To Win NaNoWriMo This Year? 7 Tips On Writing And Productivity

October 11, 2017 by Joanna Penn 9 Comments

Ready to take your writing seriously? Getting ready for NaNoWriMo and need some writing and productivity tips?

I had a demanding day job when I did NaNoWriMo in 2009, but I was committed to the writing, so I got up every weekday at 5 am before work to get my words in.

Those words became the kernel of Stone of Fire, my first novel, and that month of writing changed my life. Now I have 15 novels and if I can do it, you can too!

Here are some tips and useful books that might help along the way.

(1) Schedule your writing time

“You need a schedule to help you manage your time, to acquire discipline, and to meet deadlines. Once you become adept at your business, you will know how many hours something will take.” Kristine Kathryn Rusch, Time Management

When people ask for tips on getting their book written, my number one tip is to schedule time for writing as you would schedule any other appointment.

Do you put your gym class into a calendar? Children's party? Doctor's appointment? How about your day job – does that have a clear start and finish time?

You need to take your writing time as seriously as any other appointment, so get out your calendar right now and put in the hours you need to get the writing done this month.

(2) Organize your writing

“The program is so versatile, it can be customized to work almost any way the individual can think of … Sure, there are other novel organizing software programs out there, and most of them work pretty well, but none of them I've tried (and I've tried a lot of writing software) comes close to Scrivener in terms of robustness and versatility.” Michael J. Carlson, The Unofficial Scrivener Workbook

I wrote that first novel using MS Word and it was so difficult to keep track of the story. I've never written completely in order and it was hard to move everything around in one big file.

When I learned about Scrivener, I jumped straight in and have used it for every book since. I love being able to move things around, as well as keep my research in one place, color-code and label my chapters and add notes into the Inspector about conflict, cliffhangers and more.

(3) Structure your story so you can write faster

“The problem in pantsing is, unless you're really intuitive to the direction the story is going and needs to go, the story can wander all over … This can be a problem when you get to the middle or the end of the book and you find that the book is sagging in the middle or has no clear resolution or satisfaction in plot or character.” C. Michelle Jeffries, Story Structure and Master Chapter Outline Workbook

One of my lessons learned during that first NaNoWriMo was discovering that stories had a structure, and if you understood structure, you could plot a book and write it faster. Learning about ‘scenes' was revolutionary for me and when that clicked, I was able to structure and finish the story.

(4) Write compelling characters

“Readers of fiction want one thing – a powerful emotional experience. They want and expect to be someone else temporarily. They want to feel something for the characters in whom they are investing their time and attention.” Michael J. Carlson, Hurting your Characters

Readers remember the characters they love.

They might not remember the details of plot or setting, but if a character resonates, a reader will devour everything they are in. This is why so many authors write long-running series, and why TV has some shows that go on for many years.

There are many ways to make your characters compelling – from using bonds of love with family, friends or animals, to sending them on an impossible journey, through to giving them a fatal flaw in personality, or even a physical wound. You need to dig deep into yourself and your own experience to bring your characters alive – or you can learn from other writers and do research. That's the fun part for me!

(5) Look after your physical and mental health while you're writing

“Think about running. You don't start off running 5K the first time you get off your couch … Writing is the same way. You must train for it.” Leah Cutter, The Healthy Professional Writer

Writing is surprisingly tiring – both physically and mentally. Even if you're used to working in front of a computer for hours, pulling ideas from your brain and making decisions for your characters can be challenging.

Timed writing sprints are a great way to get your words done. Schedule your time slot as above, then set a timer for 15-20 minutes. Write for that time, and then take a physical break.

That means you need to get up, go for a walk, stretch, do some squats or press-ups or whatever floats your boat. But look away from the computer and move your body.

Yes, you can write your book while in pain … but you don't have to.

(6) Consider co-writing and collaboration

“It can be an amazing learning experience to understand the inner workings of another writer and find techniques that will benefit your own work.” Kevin J. Anderson, Writing as a Team Sport

I used to be super-protective of my writing, afraid to let anyone else see my first drafts. I thought that co-writing would somehow dilute my creative process and after all, as an introvert with my own business, I don't play well with others!

But then in 2015, I co-wrote Risen Gods with J. Thorn, and we did Sacrifice together with two other authors in early 2017, plus I have 3 other co-written books under my (secret) sweet romance pen-name, plus The Healthy Writer coming out for Jan 2018, co-written with a medical doctor. I am definitely hooked on co-writing and it will be an increasing part of my business over time.

(7) Value what you write

“When you start thinking of your writing as a business and a retail store, it really is amazing how clear some basics about writing become.” Dean Wesley Smith, The Magic Bakery

You might feel that what you write during NaNoWriMo (or any other time) is a pile of crap.

Don't worry, this is normal and almost all creatives suffer from self-doubt and imposter syndrome. (See The Successful Author Mindset for more on this topic.)

I'm plagued by it as much as any other writer and from all accounts, it doesn't stop even when you're super successful.

But if you can work through those mindset issues, produce a quality product, value your work, and repeat the process, then you can make a living with your writing – if you want to.

Please do leave any questions you might have about writing, productivity or NaNoWriMo in the comments below. Happy writing!

How To Write Fast, Publish Slowly And Focus On Your Author Marketing With Rachel Aaron

July 10, 2017 by Joanna Penn 16 Comments

Podcast: Download (Duration: 1:08:04 — 54.6MB)

We all have limited time, and part of being a successful author is knowing what to focus on. In today's show, I talk to Rachel Aaron about how to write more words faster, edit and publish carefully, and how to decide which marketing strategies will work for your books.

In the intro, I reflect on walking 50km last weekend, the launch of How to Market a Book Third Edition, and heading to New York this week for Thrillerfest.

You can also listen/watch an interview with me on the Science Fiction and Fantasy Marketing podcast talking about international sales and marketing, rights licensing, translation and more.

Today's show is sponsored by my own How to Write a Novel course, which I created while writing End of Days, so you get a behind the scenes look at how the book came together. One course member, Leigh Anderson said, “This course is exactly what I was looking for. I now feel well on my way to writing and completing my first draft. It has been a real breakthrough for me.” Check it out at www.TheCreativePenn.com/writenovel

Rachel Aaron is the fantasy author of The Heartstrikers, an Eli Monpress series, as well as writing science fiction under Rachel Bach. She's also the author of 2k to 10k: How to Write Faster, Better, and Write More of What You Love.

You can listen above or on iTunes or Stitcher or watch the video here, read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and full transcript below.

Show Notes

Rachel's journey from traditionally published author to indie

Why writing fast doesn't have to be a measure of quality

Building up stamina to write for several hours at a time

Why Rachel believes pre-writing is so important

Writing tips on creating a story arc over a series of books and writing compelling characters

What has worked for Rachel when marketing her fiction, and what hasn't worked

Working with a spouse successfully

You can find Rachel Aaron at RachelAaron.net and on Twitter @Rachel_Aaron

Writing Tips: Outlining For Genre And Literary Fiction With Libbie Hawker

May 23, 2016 by Joanna Penn 3 Comments

Podcast: Download (Duration: 57:33 — 46.1MB)

Today I talk about outlining, writing literary fiction fast and ambition with Libbie Hawker.

In the intro I mention my own writing update and how CrimeFest literary festival has changed so much for indies over the last few years, plus, Goodreads expansion into ebook giveaways and email marketing for books on sale, which will see them up against promotional platforms like BookBub.

This podcast is sponsored by Kobo Writing Life, which helps authors self-publish and reach readers in global markets through the Kobo eco-system. You can also subscribe to the Kobo Writing Life podcast for interviews with successful indie authors.

Libbie Hawker writes historical and literary fiction featuring complex characters and rich details of time and place, including an awesome series about ancient Egypt, one of my own obsessions. Libbie is well known in the author community for her books for authors, Gotta Read It, about book descriptions, Take Off Your Pants, about outlining, and Making it in Historical Fiction.

You can listen above or on iTunes or Stitcher or watch the video here, read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and full transcript below.