Writing Novels

This is my method and order for writing a novel, as well as some tools and resources. It's all theoretical, though. I have yet to actually finish a novel.

Planning (Month 1)

Brainstorm (Week 1)

Write, write, write; concepts, characters, set-pieces, everything.

Outline (Weeks 2 - 4)

Starting with the important ideas from the last step and building out from there, begin creating a detailed outline.
Get the general shape of the story using the 5-point story structure, the heroes journey, and save the cat. Mix and match as needed. Throw out what doesn't work and keep what does.
Establish the protagonist(s). Each should have at least one problem (what’s wrong with them, their flaw), want (what they think will fix their problem), and need (what will actually solve their problem, or render it no longer an issue). The more the better. Then run them through the character gauntlet to learn who they really are and how they respond to difficult situations. Let those discoveries inform the story.
Use MICE (milieu, inquiry, character, and event) to determine starts, ends, and middle scenes of story threads. Nest them inside each other and try to end inside threads before outside threads. Determine the beginning and ending of a thread, then fill in the complications between. The complications should be things that prevent the character from reaching the end of the thread.
Complications should challenge a character's specific strengths and weaknesses. Antagonists should uniquely challenge protagonists.
Use try/fail cycles and yes/no and/but.
Every scene should reveal character, plot, or setting. More often than not, a scene should do double, or even triple, duty.
Every important scene should be set up beforehand. Foreshadow things—more times for more important things. Incorporate the foreshadowing scene into a scene that also reveals character, plot, or setting so they aren't obvious. But make the payoff big and obvious.
The more pieces in a given scene—beginnings or endings of threads; complications introduced or resolved; revelations of character, plot, or setting—the more powerful the scene will feel. Use scenes from one thread to complicate another. As often as possible, braid threads together.
Always address the obvious, the different, the why, and the why not.
Use irony, especially dramatic irony.
Remember: the outline should contain every beat, scene, and chapter of the story—leave nothing out. Things will change, of course. But a strong outline is very important for my process.

Writing (Months 2 - 12)

First Draft (Month 2 - 8)

Working off the detailed outline, write the first draft of the story.
Write well to save work in subsequent drafts, but also write with the freedom of the knowledge that no one will ever read this draft but you.
Write one thirtieth of the draft each week. Start the week by reassessing and solidifying the outline for the coming chapter. Feel it out. Decide if it feels like at least one thirtieth of the book. If not, bring the following chapter into the process as well. Then make a writing plan for the week. It won't be the same each week. Sometimes, it'll be one scene a day. Sometimes more. Maybe sometimes less, depending on the scene.
Write three to four thousand words per week, using wordcount as a gauge—not a goal.
Once finished, set the draft aside and try not to think about it for a week or two.

Second Draft (Months 9 - 11)

Read through the first draft with fresh eyes, taking brief notes about what might need to be changed.
Working off those notes, make any modifications to the outline that are needed.
Then, using both the first draft and the new outline, write the second draft, pasting over any parts that don't need changed and writing or rewriting sections as needed.
Export the second draft into a sharable format and share it with select individuals for developmental feedback on narrative—what worked really well, what didn't, where was the story thread lost or weakest, etc.

Third Draft (Month 12+)

Using the second draft and feedback on it, rework the story outline as needed.
Using the reworked outline and the second draft, compose the third draft.
Correct grammatical and other technical errors—spelling, grammar, punctuation, etc. Pay special attention to: passive voice, adverbs, sticky sentences, overused and vague words, pronoun overload, hidden verbs, clichés, repetition, dialogue tags, overly complicated vocabulary.
Export the manuscript for querying.

Publishing (???)

???

Tools and Resources

I currently use Scivener for planning, writing, and editing. But I'm considering switching over to using plaintext with markdown for future projects.

Adding Dashes to Windows—it doesn't include an easy way to type them for some reason

Em-n-en

Planning

Inspirations

Folklore and Mythology Electronic Texts

Writing

Internet Writing Apps
Desktop Writing Apps
- Abricotine
- ghostwriter
- Writemonkey
- Typora
- Q10
- Caret
- Mark Text
- novelWriter
- Manuskript
Cross-Platform Writing Apps
- iA Writer
- Obsidian

Jacob Densford