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KeithRW
Oct '22

Hi all,

What's the best piece of advice or information you've ever been given on writing a novel?

For me I think it was that the more you read, the better your writing will become. Also to read books outside of your normal 'go to' genre. I once read "The Name of the Rose" because of this advice, which is a historical fiction murder mystery set in a 14th century Italian monastery. My usual genre is fantasy, so it really opened my eyes. It's full of religious history too, but I found it fascinating and it gave me so many ideas in terms of style, and language.

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froge27
Oct '22

well i dont really write novels i do comics but i have a LOT of writing advice 1. give your characters personallitys dont just have them be 1 thing have them be multiple 2. dont give them the perfect life there needs to be a conflict like a villan /antagonist or a problem like a virus, death, fight, etc. 3. the story should make sense and dont mean it needs to be realistic if you wanna make fantasy go for it i mean like there shouldnt just randomly be somthing or someone like if your itroducing something/someone give them a reason to be there or a way that they met there shouldnt randomly be like insert new character got the water bottles from the fridge in like the middle of the story like how did we know this character in the past if its a brother or sister thats not important to the story then fine but if they show up 6+ times in the future so theyre important to the story give a reason why and how theyre there hope this helps

Crusoe
Oct '22

One thing I personally struggle with but that I think is important on the practical side of things is to just start. It does not matter if your first draft is crap, it does not matter whether you have a million pages of notes on the worldbuilding. If you don't start, you have nothing to edit, you have nothing to improve upon and you have nothing that will gain a viewership.

BrianBrennon
Oct '22

It’s okay when you have days where you can’t write. It’s okay to have weeks or even months where it just doesn’t happen. Creativity is less like a fountain and more like a garden, and everything has its season when it grows. Don’t beat yourself up over this, just do something else during this time.

LCT_m_a_d
Oct '22

My brother told me, you aren't creating a story, you're telling a story.

Kuma
Oct '22

Write. The more you write the more you realize what you can improve about your writing.

Write. Get feedback. Learn from it. Write again.

Spectorium_1
Oct '22

It's not mine, but I loved this advice. I don't know if I'll reveal who it was from tho, but if they want to swoop in here and take credit, feel free.

"To write, you must read

And then you…have to physically write"

-unknown

TheLemmaLlama
Oct '22

Can't remember where I heard this first (I've seen it around a lot, in many places), but:

Make sure each scene contributes to the story heading in a certain direction. Cut boring and pointless scenes with extreme prejudice.

It not only helps with editing, but also helped me write the 'middle' of a story (moreso than the 'yes, but/no, and' advice anyway XD). When before I'd be at a loss for what to write for the middle, now I can ask myself 'what is needed to move the story to the next major plot point?' or even 'does this section even need a "middle"?'

Not that it registered with me when I first saw it though :stuck_out_tongue: I had to first know what direction I'm taking things before 'contributes to the story heading in a certain direction' meant anything to me XD

KeithRW
Oct '22
froge27

You've made some good points, especially about not giving characters the perfect life. I find it quite difficult to do that, I mean I try and put challenges in the story for characters, but I always wonder if they're strong enough or serious enough challenges as to make things interesting.

KeithRW
Oct '22
Crusoe

Yes agree, good advice. I have done that thing where you spend weeks/months planning the chapters, writing character 'cards' and in the end you never know whether a story is going to quite work as you'd hoped unless you starts. All those planning elements can be added to or changed as you go. I guess everyone approaches things in a different way though. Some people will plan meticulously, others probably just see a blank page and see where the pen takes you.

KeithRW
Oct '22
BrianBrennon

That is a great quote!

KeithRW
Oct '22
Kuma

Yes I think that's definitely right. Practice makes perfect. I know that the first story I wrote was really quite bad, with many basic errors when I look back on it. I like to think I've improved since then even if I'm still a relative novice.
I also thinks it's a good idea not to delete those first novels, as it's a good reminder of how far you've come.

KeithRW
Oct '22
Spectorium_1

I think I've heard that before too, although like you I can't recall who it was that said it. Excellent advice though, I've started reading more in the last few years and I'm pretty sure it's helped.

KeithRW
Oct '22
TheLemmaLlama

I was once told that the character should be in a different position or situation at the end of a chapter than it was at the beginning, which is something that relates to this. It's one of my processes before I publish - if the character is in the same situation, I start questioning if the chapter is actually required.

meap
Oct '22
KeithRW

If the challenges are big enough to base a character arc on it should be fine

froge27
Oct '22
KeithRW

well if theyre not strong enough i would recommend have them mabey be in dout or disbelife now if there not serious enough make that mabey a struggle or insecurtity

1 month later

closed Nov 10, '22

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