Novel Writing Links
How to Start a Novel (scroll down page)
How NOT to Write a Novel - 200 classic mistakes and how to avoid them - A misstep-by-misstep guide
How to Write a Novel Plot - Our Quick Guide on writing plots that grip the reader
Anatomy of a Plot - A review of the plot of The Hunt for Red October and an exploration of how the story's plot was constructed.
Plot Generator - Inspiration for your next novel, film or short story
20 Master Plots Exclusive - Download a free PDF of the checklists for each of the 20 master plots.
Navigating In Your Novel - Your New Best Friend, The Document Map
WRITING THE SIX ACT TWO-GOAL NOVEL - Master Reference Guide For Creating and Structuring Plot - All Genres
Red Sage Submission Guidelines - romance novels
Writing a Novel With a Stuck Main Character, Notes on The Kite Runner - An essay about how a popular novel was written with an emotionally stuck main character.
Unfolding a Story from a First Sentence - A review of the opening pages of Isaac Bashevis Singer's novel Meshugah that explores how the story unfolds from the first sentence.
Perceiving the Dramatic Purpose of Scenes , a review of the opening chapters of The Hunt for Red October that explores how the dramatic purpose of the story is set out.
Setting Out a Story's Dramatic Purpose, a review of the prologue of The Exorcist that examines how the author set out the dramatic purpose of the story -- an epic battle between good and evil -- and began to deliver on that purpose in a way that reassured his audience of his ability to tell a story.
The Exorcist -- Page One A review of the first page of the novel.
The Exorcist -- Page Two A review of the second page of the novel.
The Exorcist -- Page Three A review of the third page of the novel.
The Exorcist -- Page Four A review of the third page of the novel.
The Exorcist -- Page Five A review of the fifth page of the novel.
The Exorcist -- Page One A review of the first page of the novel.
The Exorcist -- Page Two A review of the second page of the novel.
The Exorcist -- Page Three A review of the third page of the novel.
The Exorcist -- Page Four A review of the third page of the novel.
The Exorcist -- Page Five A review of the fifth page of the novel.
SMALL SLICES - Capsule reviews of the openings of novels that explore how they were written to engage audiences.
Novel in 30 Days Worksheet Index - To help you successfully complete your book in 30 days, here are nine worksheets to help you keep track of plot, scenes, characters and revisions.
Historical Romance - How to add layers to your scenes
Hatch's Plot Bank - 2300+ plot ideas for fiction and screen writers.
Musik Therapie: Novel Writing Guide - The elements of story telling.
Novel Writing Help - Harvey Chapman, teaching the art and craft of fiction writing. Free resource for novel writers.
Persist and Publish Writing Group - This group is for novel writers. We assume that you are a serious writer aiming for commercial publication.
Right Reading: How to Get a Book Published - Ten steps to getting your manuscript published, from a veteran editor and book publisher.
Information Center - No writer is an island. Whether you’re submitting your first manuscript or negotiating film rights for your latest novel, this Information Center will help you perfect your craft and protect your interests.
[Bracket] shorthand helps you draft with lightning speed - Imagine a shorthand that works for complex storytelling as well as true shorthand works for speeding up general writing. A writer’s shorthand does exist, with the use of placeholding “things-yet-to-be-written” in brackets.
Text and your story’s subtext - Give your readers the equation, but let them do the math. It’s more fulfilling, and keeps your reader engaged, when you let your story’s subtext reveal itself.
Glossary of Book Terms - Definitions of terms relating to books, publishing and the book trade.