Writing a novel (5) – First Words

I’ve read lots of advice about writing the first paragraphs of a novel. Orient the reader – show them where and when the story is set. Establish the tone and style of the novel so the reader knows roughly what to expect, i.e. this novel is going to be humorous, historical, mysterious, political, psychological, a

Writing a novel (4) – Here be dragons … and a supermarket

As a young reader, I loved novels which began with a map. J. R. R. Tolkien’s ‘The Hobbit’ and the books in Arthur Ransome’s ‘Swallows and Amazons’ series immediately spring to mind. The map set the scene for a great adventure and was something to refer back to when the story got complicated. It might

Writing a novel (3) – Getting above my station and going for it

I can name my characters and give them backstories, goals and obstacles. I can plan my novel in detail, think about themes, how to build tension and raise stakes, devise plot twists and a satisfying ending. I can write a novel. I know I can because I’ve done it before. My biggest stumbling block when

Writing a novel (2): Who’s in?

For me, one of the most enjoyable parts of planning a novel, as opposed to the work of writing it, is creating and developing characters. There are so many questions to ask about a new character – what’s their background (family and upbringing, friends, enemies, education, jobs)? what do they look like? how do they