How to Write a Novel

Writing a novel will change your life.It might not be in the way that you expect, but when you hold your book in your hand and say, 'I made this,' something will shift. The process of getting to that point will light a spark in your creative soul and help you discover unexpected aspects of yourself. It will be one of the things you are most proud of in your life. This book will help you get there.I’m Joanna (J.F.) Penn, award-nominated, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of 18 novels and novellas with nearly a million books sold in over one hundred countries.This book will help you write your first novel, or improve your creative process so you can write more books and reach more readers. It covers mindset, ideas and research, aspects of craft, how to write a first draft, and work through an editing process to a finished book. You will discover: Part 1: First PrinciplesWhy are you writing a novel?What has stopped you from completing a novel before?Principles to keep in mind as you createPart 2: Ideas, Research, Plotting, and Discovery WritingHow to find and capture ideasHow to research your novel and when to stopOutlining (or plotting)Discovery writing (or pantsing)What are you writing? GenreWhat are you writing? Short story, novella, or novelWhat are you writing? Stand-alone, series, or serialPart 3: Aspects of a NovelStory structureScenes and chaptersCharacter: Who is the story about?Point of viewDialoguePlot: What happens in the story?ConflictOpenings and endingsSetting and World-building: Where does the story happen?Author voiceThemeBook or story titleLanguage versus story and tools versus artPart 4: Writing the first draftAttitude to the first draftHow to write the first draftDictate your bookWrite fast, cycle through, or write slowWriter’s blockWriting tools and softwareWhen is the first draft finished?Part 5: The Editing ProcessOverview of the editing processSelf-editingHow to find and work with a professional editorBeta readers, specialist readers, and sensitivity readersEditing tools and softwareLessons learned from editing my first novel after more than a decadeWhen is the book finished? Conclusion