With so much to do these days, it’s easy to overlook the many small opportunities we have to be inspired and challenged. But just because there’s nothing more frustrating than trying to get your novel written and stuck on a theme, it doesn’t mean you can do it alone. And when you’re ready to turn your creative muscle into gold, you might as well make the most of each moment. Here are simple tips on how to write your own novel and avoid becoming one of those writers who end up with just a hapless manuscript in their hands.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with your genre
Just because you’ve successfully completed your novel, don’t think that it’s complete. In fact, you might have a few ideas you’d like to include, but are hesitant to turn into pages. This is perfectly normal. You don’t have to stick to one theme or take any specific direction from the author. This can be your creative freedom. Some authors find it exhausting to write multiple genres, so they only write standard historicals or mysteries, for instance, while others can write anything they want. What you have to remember, though, is that the author doesn’t have to fill every single niche in your novel. They just have to choose the topics that they want to spend their time writing about.
Write what you want
You don’t have to stick to one particular theme or take specific direction from the author in your novel. All you have to do is to write what you want to happen in your novel and see what happens.
Find the Inner Writer in You
The essence of inspiration is to have a little bit of yourself left in your words. Your novel can’t be true to you, but it can be true to the feeling of your writing. This is the most important tip for all of the other tips on this list.
Tell a little, and show a lot
You can always tell a lot about a writer by how much they love to tell a little bit about themselves. This tip has even been used by scientists to explain how people choose to read certain books, let alone other things. Some people are drawn to stories about wishy-washy characters who have no idea what’s happening around them. Others are drawn to books with a particular theme. Others just like to hear about things that they’re passionate about.
Don’t be afraid to play around with your tone
It’s important to keep your tone consistent throughout your novel. You don’t have to be a cross between a moving child’s creation and a satanic chant. Just keep to yourself your tone while writing, and you’ll have a much easier time staying focused on the story you’re telling.
Be specific
You don’t have to write about everything that comes up in your life. Just write about things that come to mind when you’re writing. For example, if you’re writing a novel about your relationship with your husband, try to keep to yourself the feelings the characters are experiencing. If you want to tell a story about your trip to Paris, try to avoid using words like “adventure” or “chase” in your descriptions. Instead, use descriptive words like “dungeon” or “garden” to give your characters an idea of where they’re going and what they’re experiencing. It’s also a good idea to save any negative connotations you might have for your spouse so that you don’t forget about him after writing the book.
Have fun with it
It’s easy to get too busy for your own business. It’s also easy to let things get in the way of your creative muscle. It’s important to remember that this is your novel, and you have the freedom to make mistakes. The important thing is to learn from them and move forward from there. If you ever get stuck, just search for any topic online and see if there’s a reference to it somewhere. If not, start a new novel. Just be sure to have some fun with it. You’ll look better for it.
