How to start a book...for beginners!(Completed 6/24/15)

Plot

Every novel has a plot, but does every novel have a thoughtful, interesting plot? Probably not. Some authors use too many characters or have too many unanswered questions, which leaves the readers confused and frustrated. By avoiding these common mistakes among others, you can develop a plot that will excite, amuse, and thrill your readers and yourself! Here are five awesome tips to aid you along your plotting journey.

What is the purpose? Every novel has a goal that needs to be solved by the end of the novel. Figure out what that goal is and have your story revolve around it. For example, every chapter is a step closer to your character accomplishing his or her goal. Take some time to carefully imagine what you want your character to do, what the steps are to get there, and what the outcome is.

FOR EXAMPLE: The purpose of your novel is for Megan to defeat the school bully. To do this, she will set up traps that will make the bully realize what is it like to be bullied. The outcome is Megan gets in trouble for bullying the school bully, and realizes that bullying someone back is not the answer to solving the problem.

Who are your characters? Before you start thinking of your plot, be sure to know the ins and outs of your characters. Do you just have a main character and a villain? Or do you have a main character, protagonists, and a villain?

Here are some questions to ask about your characters:

What point of view is my novel being told from?

What is the character's dream or aspiration?

What personality traits does the character have?

What conflict will the character face?

Why does the character behave or act in a certain manner?

Consequences. Just as in real life, there are consequences for every action made. This applies to your characters too! For example, if your main character does not defeat the villain, then what will happen? Will she face life or death? By thinking of these consequences, you can make your plot more interesting and believable.

QUICK TIP: To avoid too many plot lines, do not have too many goals that will result in many consequences. This will leave your novel messy and unorganized.

Make an interesting opening. To start of your novel, you want to have a really great opening to hook your readers and reel them in! Start the novel by explaining or showing what problem your character has. This will allow your readers to start questioning what could happen in the following chapters and you should be prepared to answer them! Also, avoid too much backstory that will bore the reader.

QUICK TIP: Pretend you are a reader of your novel and read your first chapter. What do you want to find out? What elements are unimportant but might be questioned? Is there anything that might confuse the reader or won't match up with the rest of the plot?

Map Out. For every novel, there must be a structure you will follow as you write. This structure is the glue of your novel that holds everything together. To create this, you can map out each chapter and what will happen during it. Also, write down what questions readers might ask and what questions will be answered. This can also be done in a storyboard format if you are a more visual person. Remember this structure is just a tool for you to create your plot and can be adjusted at any time!