LORI TWINING
  • Home
  • About
    • Awards & Achievements
    • Events & Appearances
  • Blog
  • Published Works
  • Writing Resources
    • Writing Tips
    • Writing Events
    • Writing Groups & Associations
    • Writing Retreats & Workshops
    • Writing Courses & Degrees
    • Crime & Mystery Magazines
    • Literary Journals & Magazines
    • Online Journals
    • Poetry Journals
  • Contact Info

3 Essential Things to Know Before You Start Your Novel

7/7/2013

0 Comments

 
Picture
So, you want to write a novel, but you’re not sure where to start. Well, in my opinion there are three very essential things that you must know first, before you put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard:

1.  Know your Subject Matter

So, how well do you know the subject of your next project? Do you know it well enough to explain it to a class of teenagers or a room full of seniors? Could you answer ten minutes of their questions without hesitating and freaking out? Let’s face it, the more you know about the subject in your novel the easier it will be to write… and the more believable it will be to read.

There are many ways to do research into a topic that you only know a little bit about, besides having first-hand knowledge and experience.

Visit your local library. Search out huge sections on your topic, scouring through every book you can get your hands on. The non-fiction section will be bursting with perfect background information for you. Also, don’t forget about the Young Adult section. They have amazing books that break your subject down into easy to read and easy to understand chapters. (i.e. animals, sports, drugs, alcohol, weapons, psychological disorders, Ancient Greece and other destinations, World War II, etc.) These books can give you a quick insight into the subject and help you decide if you want to tackle such a subject in your novel.

Do interviews. This is extremely helpful talking to people who have experienced your topic first-hand, contact them via telephone, email or in-person. Some people interview so many people, that after their novel on their chosen subject is finished and published, they write an accompanying book with all the interviews compiled in one place. It’s a great idea.

Visit the place. Where do you want your novel to be set in? The beach, the mall, prison, police station or a hospital? Just sitting for a few minutes, in the location you’re going to write about, helps your five senses come alive, and you can write a piece that makes the reader feel like he’s right there with you.

People Watch. If you’re writing about teens, visit a mall and eavesdrop on their conversation. Get a feel for how they speak to one another. If you are writing about sports, visit an arena or baseball field and write down what you hear. Specific phrases that are repeated. The smell of the hotdogs and popcorn. The sound of the crowd after a goal is scored. If you’re writing about senior citizens, visit McDonald’s Restaurant at 8:30am. They flock there to enjoy their coffee at the morning coffee club. Or maybe visit a seniors home?
 
2.  Know Your Target Reader

Do you actually know who might pick up your book and read it? Who are you trying to influence with your writing? Here are a few questions to ask yourself, before you decide who you are trying to talk to:

Who is my reader?
What has currently been published that your reader finds intriguing?
What is interesting to this group of readers?
How does my reader feel about this topic?
What does my reader currently know about this subject?
What does the reader need to know?
Can you give the reader a new perspective on the subject?
How does my reader feel about this subject?
What would help a reader understand the subject better?
Do you as the writer, have something new to add to the subject matter that already hasn’t been addressed?
 
3. Know Yourself

You already know you are a writer, right? Otherwise, you wouldn't be here reading this. You also know a writer is someone who takes all the information they gather from doing research, they sort it all from a messy pile to an orderly stacked pile and then proceed to write it all down in clear precise manner that allows the reader to understand something easier. Does that make sense to you?

You, as the writer, need to communicate with your reader in a distinct clear voice that the reader loves. The reader needs to hear your voice stand out from all the other million writers out there. There’s no point in trying to write in a professional boring voice, or try to capture the voice of someone else… if you can write in an exciting unique voice, that is your golden nugget! It has to be a voice that your reader will remember. That is the key to success! You want them to remember your voice and you want them to crave more of your voice, hence, writing book number two… but that’s getting a little ahead of ourselves. 

Good luck on deciding what your subject will be for your next novel.



 

0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Lori Twining

    I love reading everything... books, magazines, blog posts and even manuals. I believe if you want to improve your writing skills, you MUST be a voracious reader.

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    December 2019
    October 2019
    August 2019
    June 2019
    April 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    November 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    July 2013
    June 2013

    Categories

    All
    #5amwritersclub
    Adventure
    Agents
    Algonquin Outfitters
    Algonquin Park
    Algonquin Theatre
    Alice Munro
    Amy Bearce
    Amy Stuart
    André Alexis
    Andrew Pyper
    Anna Mackay-Smith
    Annika Sharma
    Anniversary
    Announcement
    Anthology
    Art
    Art Auction
    Art Gallery
    Artists
    Ascribe Writers
    Atria Books
    Author Friends
    Authors
    B.A. Paris
    Barbara The Slut And Other People
    Bestseller
    Bibliophile
    Bill Murphy
    Blank Spaces
    Blog
    Blog Tour
    Blog Writing
    Blown Red
    Bodyguard Series
    Bookends
    Bookends Literary
    Bookends Literary Agency
    Book Launch
    Booklove
    Book Review
    Books
    Bouchercon
    Branding
    Bruce Peninsula
    Canada Performs
    Canadian Author
    Canadian Writers
    Can Lit
    Catherine McKenzie
    Challenge
    Chicago
    Chicken House Press
    Chicken Soup For The Soul
    Christmas
    Claire Cameron
    Coach House Books
    Colleen Winter
    Come Away With Me
    Conference
    Contemporary
    Contemporary Romance
    Contests
    Cornerstone Award
    Cover Reveal
    Creative
    Creative Nonfiction
    Creative People
    Creative Writing
    Creativity
    Crime
    Crime Fiction
    Critique Groups
    Dale Long
    Dark Territory
    Dawn Huddlestone
    DB Murphy
    Debut
    Detective
    Domestic Suspense
    Editors
    Elora Writers' Festival
    Escape From Witchwood Hollow
    EWF
    Fantasy
    Festival Of Authors
    Festivals
    Fiction
    Fifteen Dogs
    Film Festival
    Finalist
    Flatiron Books
    Fund-raising
    Gas Head Willy
    George R.R. Martin
    Giller
    Ginger Press Bookshop And Cafe
    Girl Mans Up
    Going Through The Change
    Grand Hyatt
    Grey-Bruce
    Guest Blog
    Guest Post
    Hannah Mary McKinnon
    Harlequin Trade Publishing
    Harper Collins
    Hashtags
    Heather Justesen
    Henry Holt And Co.
    Historical Fiction
    Homecoming: Safe Haven
    Horror
    Humour
    Huntsville Doppler
    ID Press Publishing
    Inspiration
    Instagram
    International
    Interview
    James Dewar
    James McGowan
    Jessica Faust
    John Hart
    Jordan Elizabeth
    Karen Dionne
    Karin Slaughter
    Karma Brown
    Kate Hilton
    Kelly Gadon
    Kevin Craig
    Kidnapping
    Kimberly Belle
    Kimberly Howe
    K.J. Howe
    Lauren Carter
    Lauren Holmes
    Leacock Museum
    Lee Child
    Lesbian Romance
    LGBTQ
    Liane Moriarty
    Library
    Lisa Gardner
    Lisa Scottoline
    Lisa Unger
    Literacy
    Literary
    Literary Magazines
    Literature
    Lit Mag Love
    Lizard Brain
    Lori Twining
    Lucky
    Macmillan Audio
    Maisey Yates
    Make Art
    Manuscript Mentoring
    Marathon
    Marissa Stapley
    Marketing
    Mary Kubica
    Master Class
    ME Girard
    MG
    Middle Grade
    Mira Books
    Molly O'Keefe
    Montreal
    Motherhood
    Muskoka Novel Marathon
    Mystery
    Mythology
    Necessary Risk
    NetGalley
    Networking
    New Adult
    New Book
    New Book Release
    New Characters
    New Release
    New Year's
    New York City
    New York Times Bestseller
    Nonfiction
    Novel
    Novel Writing
    Obsessive List Approach
    OLAC
    Ontario Writers' Conference
    Open Book
    Orillia
    Outlining
    OWC
    Owen Sound
    Owen Sound Art Banner Project
    Paddle Art
    Paddle Art Contest
    Parenthood
    Park Row Books
    Paula Hawkins
    Personal
    Pine Harbour
    Pitchfest
    Pitching
    Play
    Poetry
    Pretty Girls
    Priorities
    Procrastination
    Psychological
    Published Works
    Purgatorium
    Pushing Past The Dip
    Ransom
    Reading
    Research
    Resolutions
    Review Tour
    Richard J. Thomas
    Riverhead Books
    Robyn Harding
    Rogue Women Writers
    Romance
    Rose Ann Marchitto
    Rose-Ann Marchitto
    Roz Nay
    Samantha Bryant
    Scholarships
    Sci Fi
    Sci-Fi
    Self-Help
    Self-promotion
    Series
    Seth Godin
    She’s Too Pretty To Burn
    Short Stories
    Simon And Schuster
    Sisters In Crime
    SlaughterSquad
    Song In My Heart
    Song Writing
    Still Mine
    St. Martin's Press
    Story Starter Contest
    Structure
    Susan Philpott
    Susan Swan
    Suspense
    Tara Wyatt
    The Bear
    The Breakdown
    The Freedom Broker
    The Gatherer
    The Girl On The Train
    The Marriage Lie
    The Party
    The Roxy Theatre
    The Silent Wife
    The Unwilling
    Thriller
    Thrillerfest
    Tom Thomson
    Tom Thomson Art Gallery
    Toronto
    Toronto Romance Writers
    Town Of Huntsville
    Tracey Richardson
    Trilogy
    Turning Leaves
    Tweeting
    Twitter
    UngerSquad
    WCSC
    Wendy Heard
    Winners
    Women's Fiction
    Women’s Issues
    Workshops
    Writers' Of Simcoe County
    Writescape
    Writing
    Writing Buddies
    Writing Marathon
    Writing Retreat
    Writing Retreats
    YA
    YA Literature
    Young Adult
    Zoe York

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly