When a person first sets out to write a novel, one of the first revelations is that it’s an entirely different animal than a short story. It’s not just a short story with added details and action. Some basic novel writing tips will guide the writer to success.
The way a novel is constructed and the process of building a novel takes a different set of tools than short story writing. Many writers take courses, spending thousands of dollars learning how to write that novel. I still take courses, mainly for the benefit of the instructor’s critical eye on my work. However, before I took courses, I devoured any information I could find online about novel writing, some good and some bad.
Today I found a link to a professor’s notes from his novel writing course online. Crawford Kilian, who works at Capilano College in British Columbia, offered his course notes, Advice on Novel Writing for anyone who cares to read them. While quite basic novel writing tips, they are perfect for the beginning novelist.
I printed them out as a review. After writing three novels, none of which have yet sold, I can always use a reminder to make sure I’m on the right track. Of course, all the writing information you find online is slightly different, depending on the author. You simply must read, read, read, then write, write, write, until you find the style and process that works best for you.
