Novel Structure.
If you want to sit down and write a book, and you get Ywriter or WriteWay, or you even are in it to win it and you spend the $45 on Scrivener (good choice), you have the tools.
But don’t write that novel yet!
When I wrote my first novel, I thought it was just a matter of “think of a plot, start writing”. That’s called Pants’ing. There are many novelists who are pantsers, but I can tell you that it creates more heartache than fixes.
I essentially used Dramatica to plan out my first novel, which is good and bad, because it forced me to put elements of romance in it, which I wouldn’t otherwise have done. I wanted to get to the gunfire car chase thing as soon as possible.
The big problem was, I ended up with a 180,000 word behemoth that dragged in some areas.
My second novel was perfect, according to my wife. It needs edits and rewrites, but hey, at least it’s not a weighty tome of unbearable fiction.
By the time I wrote the fourth novel, things were vastly different. I was now in the target word count for the genre, and the story paced better.
What was the difference? What did I do between novel’s three and four?
I learned story structure.
Save yourselves some serious pain. Before you commit one word to Ywriter, WriteWay, or Scrivener – learn story structure. Get Save the Cat, and learn to adapt that to your novel.
This is essential and it will save you a lot of work both writing and rewriting.
Once you understand that your book must be 25% act one, 50% act two, and 25% act three, it’s easier to plan it out. Chapters 1-7 act one. 21,500 words
Chapters 8-21 act two. 43,000 words.
Chapters 22-28 act three. 21,500 words.
This will save you a lot of heartache. Learn this. Study this.
Now go write your first novel.
