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How to Write Excellent Novel
Do you know how to write the excellent novel, especially when you have troubles in creation.
Edited at 2020-10-08 03:14:45
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- Outline
How to Write Excellent Novel Start from Outline
1. The Pros of Outlines
Ensure the balance and continuity of the novel
Avoid going into a dead end
Pre-lay the trail
Improve the sense of rhythm
Better viewing angle options
Keep the characters coherent
Provide motivation and security
2. The Preparation for Outlines
Outline type
mind Mapping
Graphical
map
Outline tool
writer
Old calendar
3. The Prequisite of A Good Novel
"If" question
What if...?
Clear characters, conflicts, plot
Refining the essence of the work: guiding the direction of creation
Guide you to find the next problem
A sentence to satisfy readers' curiosity
Prepare to promote the work
Questions to be clear before writing an outline: exhaust all current thoughts
Brainstorm
Rely on intuition and subconsciousness, don’t rush to review, and keep asking yourself more questions based on "if" questions
The main problem in writing an outline is that the logic is too strong, and the creativity is correspondingly weak. You can start by brainstorming, such as writing "what if" questions on paper to add more creativity
4. Connect Important Points to Sentences
Scene list
List the scenes in your mind
Character sketch
Summarize or list the scenarios you know
Mark the problem
If a part of the novel doesn’t make sense or needs further improvement, you just need to quickly mark it and continue writing
Fill in the gaps between scenes by asking questions (connect dots to make a picture)
Write freely, ignore spelling or grammatical errors
Emotional resonance: Find out your body’s natural response to good and bad ideas
Ask questions instead of statements once your thoughts are interrupted
5. The Core Elements of A Good Novel
Motivation, desire and goal
Identify the motives, desires, goals, conflicts and themes of the novel
Creating a straightforward character can make the character’s motivation and actions consistent
To create complex and elusive characters, their actions and motivations cannot always simply be consistent
The core of the novel is a certain wish of the protagonist
Character changes portray three-dimensional
Make a table to record the changes of the character from the beginning to the end of the novel, compare his character, behavior, values and beliefs before and after, and see how they have changed
Characters must be changed, and they must not be superficial, and their internal values and moral concepts must also be changed
What are the characters at the beginning of the story? What does he care about? What does he believe in? How will he act in a specific situation?
At the beginning of the novel, the characters are always flawed.
Provide readers with informative examples to show the behavior or beliefs that the characters need to change, which is particularly important in the first half of the novel.
Equip the character with the necessary tools (instructor’s suggestions, special situations, etc.) so that he can improve himself
Wait until the climax of the novel to reveal the truth, let the inner conflict and the outer conflict collide together
Use actions to prove the internal transformation of the characters, design the same scene at the beginning and the end of the characters in different ways of doing things, reverse the characters’ previous practices
If he had specifically walked up to the beggar and said harsh words to him, at the end of the novel, he might be able to buy a meal for the beggar
Create conflict
Make the conflict fierce
Watch out for procrastination
For the character, what is the worst thing he can encounter? Try to write ten possibilities
One by one
Evaluate the setbacks encountered by the character
Character conflict
If a character hinders the achievement of the hero’s goal, we can call it a villain
Thrilling plot
Let the novel become thrilling and increase the urgency of time
Internal conflict and external conflict
Each scene has two kinds of conflicts, so you can promote the growth of the plot and the characters at the same time
balance
The beginning of the novel must contain a certain conflict to catch the reader’s attention. After that, the writer needs to gradually deepen the conflict to keep the reader’s attention.
Adjust the rhythm of the conflict, so that the characters have the opportunity to rest, to clear up their clues, so as to meet the next challenge
Mix all kinds of things together, and the characters and readers don't know what will happen in the next scene.
theme
Use people to highlight themes
At the end of the novel, the cognition that your character has (and sometimes failed to get) is the theme
A clear character track is the key to shaping a profound theme
From the event to the climax, the changes experienced by the characters determine the theme of the novel. But the change must conform to the character's temperament
How to discover your subject
What is the inner conflict of the protagonist?
With the development of the novel, which concepts of the protagonist have changed? How did they change and why
At the beginning and end of the novel, how does the protagonist prove his different concepts and attitudes before and after?
Can you use symbolism to strengthen the theme and explain the character's attitude towards it?
How should you use the subtext (unspoken text) to confirm the theme so as not to blunt it to readers?
The protagonist’s core issue, subject-oriented
How to reinforce the theme through symbolism
Good symbols in the novel leave no trace
Deepen the theme through details and repetition
6. Explore The Story Behind The Scenes
Behind the scenes
Behind the scenes, refers to the story behind the novel
Through the behind-the-scenes story, you can find out the character’s motivation
Use trigger events as a springboard
Inspiring events means that the characters will experience earth-shaking changes, which are naturally triggered by the story behind the scenes
Which of his past experiences were the seeds that inspired the event buried?
What kind of experience does this character have to do with the exciting event?
What legacy issues will trigger events become more difficult?
Good trigger event
Directly affect the plot afterwards.
Create conflict
The greater the change brought about by the event, the more intense the conflict
Grab the reader's attention
The stimulating event must be special enough. Whether a novel can attract readers is largely determined by the stimulating event. Don’t be satisfied with mediocre ideas.
Initiate action
The characters really start to act
How to create a behind-the-scenes story
Exploring the behind-the-scenes story is naturally inseparable from the in-depth exploration of the characters. The behind-the-scenes story of the novel consists of the behind-the-scenes story of each character
General overview of the characters
Write biographies for several important characters
Explore other important people
Explore the big events of the characters
Setting a big event for the characters that can change their life trajectory is a turning point in the characters’ lives. Its influence on the characters is good or bad, but it will leave an indelible mark on the characters, and every choice of the characters will follow. This event is closely related
Use the behind-the-scenes story correctly
●Provide clues as early as possible to suggest the existence of the behind-the-scenes story, and let it appear when the novel is indispensable
●Succinctly outline the behind-the-scenes story, the shorter the better. Large memory scenes will only interrupt the rhythm of the novel
7. Character Interview
Character interview
Basic information: name, birthday, place of birth, specialty, family members, interpersonal relationship, educational background, job, salary,
Appearance: body shape, manners, facial features, clothing, voice, health status?
Personality: Personality type? Weaknesses? What are you afraid of? Self-discipline? Talent?
Hobbies: Favorites-food? Politics? Collections? Music? Movies? Books? Entertainment? Mantra? Previous daydreams/now daydreams?
Outlook on life: What is most important to him? Personality? Demon? Most admired person? Dislike person? Belief? Are you satisfied with yourself? Moral level?
Free interview
Enneagram
8. Novel Background
Is the background an integral part of the novel?
How does the character view the background in which he lives?
Can background affect readers' emotions?
Are you overusing the background?
9. Turn Outlines into Novel
What kind of novel are you going to write?
What are your favorite elements of movies and novels? That's what you want to write
Who is the reader
Reader gender?
Reader age
Target readers
What perspective?
Build a good novel structure
beginning
Straightforward, introduce the protagonist
Show readers the daily life of the protagonist
Show readers the iconic moment of the protagonist
Start with dynamic
Build emotional resonance between readers and protagonists
Give the protagonist wishes and goals
Create exciting events and completely change the status quo of the protagonist
Force the protagonist to respond to the triggering event
intermediate
Let the protagonist fall into a series of uncontrollable events and let the dominoes fall one by one
Let the protagonist’s original goal drift away
Set new goals for the protagonist
Create conditions to change the relationship between the protagonist and the villain, and turn him from a passive response to a full-scale confrontation
end
Let the protagonist have a deeper understanding of himself, break through himself and defeat the villain. The transformation of spiritual morality leads to the ultimate victory
Test the protagonist’s body, spirit and morals, and challenge his limits
Empower the protagonist at the last moment
Let the protagonist grow into a hero
The protagonist should deal with the challenge in a unique way
The protagonist defeats the villain and decides the winner (upward ending). Or vice versa (low ending)
The protagonist achieves his goal (upward ending). Or did not achieve the goal, but the protagonist got some truth or something (low ending)
End with classic sentences
Three basic elements of a novel
relationship
action
sense of humor
Echo
Effectively introduce relevant characters, scenes and themes at the beginning of the novel, and echo the beginning at the end of the novel
Domino effect
There is no dispensable scene
Reverse outline
Reverse what happened in the front from the scene behind
10. Make the Novel Roadmap Carefully
The benefits of a streamlined outline
Avoid wandering aimlessly
simple and clear
Refine relevant points
save time
Further organize the scene
Let the reader read on at the end of the chapter
1. Foreshadowing of conflict
2. Secret
3. Important decisions or oaths
4. Announcing the shocking event
5. Intense emotions
6. Suddenly enough to subvert the novel
7. New Ideas
8. Unanswered questions
9. Mysterious dialogue
10. Prophecy
11. Turning point
Control the rhythm
In action scenes, use short sentences to give text tension and rhythm
If you want to advance the scene quickly, try to be concise. If you want to make the scene more relaxed, slow down the style.
Cut off excess fat
Fat is mostly gathered at the transition of the scene or the part where the characters are transferred
Scene switching skills, generally used at the perspective switching or background transition
11. Make Good Use of Outlines
The outline can be adjusted at any time
An outline is a guide, not an iron law