However, part of writing that first novel is being able to finish it. This is difficult for many, but it is a necessity if you want to call yourself a novelist. If you find yourself flitting from project to project without really accomplishing anything, you might want to consider the blueprint approach to writing a novel.
Clarifying Your Idea
An architect doesn’t just scratch out a blueprint. He has to think and plan. The blueprint method of writing a novel is similar. You need a firm idea before you begin. If you want to write a novel, you probably already have a basic idea. Perhaps you’ve even started writing the thing and just can’t seem to finish it. If so, revisit the project by clarifying the general arc of the story in a single thought. A sentence or two if you can manage it will help.
You might be asking why you would want to boil down the plot of an entire novel to a single sentence. The answer is simple: it helps to make the idea behind your story clear in your own mind. If you don’t know where your story’s going, you can’t get there. Well, you can, but the route is infinitely complex. Without a firm goal, it’s easy to ramble and eventually abandon the project.
If you really can’t clarify your ideas, then you might have to tweak the idea a little, or tackle a different project altogether.
Expand on Your Idea
Now that you have your basic idea, it’s time to expand it into something larger. Not a novel just yet, but a decent blueprint which will enable you to create a novel. Take your single thought or sentence and elaborate a little, adding the conflict that will form the basis of the novel itself. Make sure you include all the major stuff, including hurdles along the way and how the entire thing eventually resolves itself.
From here, you can, if you wish, draw yourself a novel outline. Personally, I find novel outlines incredibly annoying. I find myself fiddling with the outline instead of actually writing my story. But, for many people, a basic outline does have its advantages. It can help you stay on track and prevent you from rambling, which is the entire point of the blueprint approach. So, if you think you’ll benefit from an outline, now is the time to create one.
Add Some Characters
Now that you know what happens, you need to know who’s involved. As you’ve thought about your novel, you’ve probably already developed your basic characters to some extent. If this is the case, you might only have to fill in the gaps. Outline the details of each main character. Only the main characters. Developing individual stories for a hundred characters is stressful and unnecessary. Stick to just the basics, your antagonist, protagonist, and anyone who plays a significant role in your novel.
Take the time to determination the motivations for each of your characters. For example, in the novel I’ve recently completed, I have several characters, each of them with their own goals and motivations. The protagonist wants only to discover who he is outside of his father’s shadow. There’s also a girl who wants to free her people and a boy who wants to keep his closest friend safe. Then there’s the antagonist. All he wants out of life is to kill all three of them and not lose his slaves. Obviously his goals clash with the goals of everyone else. This is where the fun is, at least from the perspective of a writer.
Finishing the Novel
At this point, you should have a good grasp of your plot and your major characters. Now you have to decide if you should add more details to your outline or start writing. Either way, you’ll have a blueprint that you can follow through to completion. Write your first draft, but don’t be afraid to change something if it just doesn’t work.
Keep your eyes on your major plot points. Figure out how to get your characters to these points, deal with them, and move past them. Let these scenes come together to form a cohesive whole. If you have to rearrange them, do so. You probably will find that in order to get your novel to flow smoothly and logically, you have to do some tweaking. This is okay. It means you’re getting somewhere.
If you’ve already established plot and characters, your first draft should come together with very few problems. I won’t say no problems. There are always little problems that crop up, even when you’re prepared. But, if you’ve planned everything out, at least to a minimal degree, you should be able to fire off a first draft.
At this point, you’re almost done. However, you still need to edit and possibly revise your manuscript. This isn’t as hard as it sounds, and if you planned your novel down to the smallest detail, you might find that you almost don’t have to revise it at all.
There’s much more to writing a novel, of course. But each writer will experience unique problems. In my case, my biggest problem tends to be characters who just won’t do as they’re told. They insist on running off and creating their own little side-plots. I know this sounds a little silly (I’m the writer, after all), but it happens with a regularity that dismays me.
Using the blueprint approach can help you to map out your story, in turn encouraging you to complete the novel. However, you still have to sit down and write the thing. Carve out blocks of time, get your story straight, and soon you’ll be well on your way to writing your first book. Of course, you could always take my best friend’s advice: “Why don’t you just hire a ghostwriter to complete it for you?”
