Nathan Bransford - How to Write a Novel

Title Page

Copyright

How To Write a Novel 2013 by Nathan Bransford

All rights reserved.

Published by Nathan Bransford at Smashwords
www.nathanbransford.com

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2nd Edition: October, 2019

Cover Design by Mari Sheibley

Interior Design by D. Robert Pease, walkingstickbooks.com

Published in the United States of America

Introduction to the 2nd Edition

In the years since I first published How to Write a Novel, I struggled to write a new novel.

I mean struggled. I wrote dozens of pages that went nowhere. I would have a burst of inspiration, only to find myself hopelessly stuck. Years ticked by. Gray hairs took up residence on my head. I began to lose faith that I would ever write a novel again.

It did not help that I had recently published a guide to writing a novel, which sold far more copies than I had ever imagined when I placed it for sale in my local mega-selling online bookstore behemoths. The irony of being someone who told other people how to write a novel while being unable to write one was not lost on me.

Well, dear reader, I recently finished the novel. And, in truth, the words in this guide helped sustain me throughout this painful process.

You see, I wrote these chapters as much for myself as for you, to remind myself of what I should be doing when my novel was not cooperating and writing itself. It is not easy to follow the advice contained herein, even (especially?) for the person dispensing the advice. But, when I needed to remember how to get back in the saddle after a long break, what I might be forgetting while revising, or what in the world I said about reversals, I cracked open these pages to remind myself what to do.

So it comes from the heart when I say that this guide is personal and meaningful to me, and I can only hope it will be to you, as well.

This new edition contains two entirely new rules and many polished and updated chapters, which were influenced heavily by the work Ive been doing editing manuscripts and helping unpublished authors on their publishing journey. I find this work incredibly meaningful, and if you need help with your manuscript, or some guidance on the publishing process, please feel free to reach out to me at .

Writing novels really is a journey, and theres never a moment when it starts being easy, even after your books have been published. Its challenging and arduous and you may often question your life choices, but however difficult the voyage may be, it ultimately leads to a deeper, richer, and more meaningful life.

Thank you for embarking upon this voyage with me!

FIRST THINGS FIRST

Rule #1: BELIEVE!

The first thing you need to know about writing a novel is this: you can do it.

No, really. You can. Lesser people than you have written a novel. Im not saying they were all good, but they did it. You can, too! And if you read this book, and apply the rules and advice herein, it will probably be pretty good!

I spent eight years reading slush as a literary agent at a century-old agency, so I can say this with authority: you cant possibly go and write the worst novel ever written. Its already been done. Dont even try.

You probably shouldnt try to write the best novel ever written, either, because the resulting paralysis will turn you into a miserable alcoholic.

Instead, write the novel you want to write. Strive for quality, write something you love, and dont become a brooding, cafe-squatting malcontent whom people avoid at parties. You will learn a lot from the writing journey, you will be thankful you have written a novel once youre finished, and humanity may thank you for shutting yourself inside long enough to write something that brings meaning and entertainment to the world.

You can do this.

Proof: I did it! I once harbored major doubts about whether I could really write a novel. Then I went and wrote one, and it didnt get published; then, I really doubted whether I could write a novel. But I had another idea, I wrote a new novel, I found an agent, and the end result was the Jacob Wonderbar series. Whats more, I wrote the series while maintaining a more-than full-time job. I didnt even get fired.

If I can do it, you can do it. But you have to want it.

There will come a time in the course of writing a novel where you would rather rip off your toenails and light them on fire than write one more word. This is normal.

There will be days when scrubbing your floor with a toothbrush will start to sound like a good idea if it means you can avoid writing. There will be days when you will contemplate driving yourself to the nearest mental institution and hurling yourself onto the reception desk because anyone who would devote so much time to writing a novel when the rewards are so uncertain is surely insane.

This is also normal.

This is because writing, when done correctly, is not always fun. If you think writing a novel will be completely fun, you should find another hobby, like playing laser tag on ice skates. Or something. I dont know what non-writers do with their time.

Writing is not always fun. It shouldnt always be fun. Youre not doing it because its always fun.

The only reason to write a novel is because you have some insane fire burning inside that years of therapy have been unable to extinguish and you fear how disappointed you will be with yourself if you never do it. Or, you know, because you really, really want to do it.

You have to want it. You have to work at it. You have to be able to write when the weather is teasing you with its pleasantness and when your friends are merrily drinking bottomless mimosas without you because they are happy non-writing jerks.

Its hard. It really is. But, again, you can do this.

You, the person who may not always have had the best work ethic. You, the person who wonders whether theyre really creative enough to think up enough ideas for a whole novel. You, the person who thinks the whole thing seems magical and impossible. You, the person with the nagging voice in your head that says, why do I want to do this again? You, the person who feels like they never have the time. You can write a novel.

And if youve already written a novel, you can learn to write an even better one.