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Top 10 Novel Writing Tips to Help You Write a Better Book
The journey of writing a novel is a marathon, not a sprint. It’s a challenging, rewarding, and often solitary endeavor. Whether you’re a beginner staring at a blank page or a seasoned writer stuck in the middle of a difficult draft, a few key principles can help guide your way.
As a publisher that works with authors at every stage of the creative process, we’ve seen what works. The best novel writing tips are not about finding a magical shortcut; they are about embracing a professional mindset, building sustainable habits, and mastering the fundamentals of the craft. This guide distills the most essential advice into ten actionable tips.
Key Takeaways & Summary
- Tip #1: Embrace the Bad First Draft: The most important tip is to give yourself permission to write a messy, imperfect first draft. The only goal is to finish it.
- Tip #2: Consistency Beats Inspiration: A small, consistent daily writing habit is the most powerful tool for finishing your novel.
- Tip #3: Characters Drive the Story: Your readers will connect with your characters first and foremost. A great character wants something and is having trouble getting it.
- Tip #4: The Real Writing is in the Rewriting: The art of crafting a great novel happens in the revision process, after the first draft is complete.
The Top 10 Essential Novel Writing Tips
1. Your Only Goal is to Finish the First Draft
This is the most liberating tip for any writer. Do not try to write a perfect novel on the first pass. Turn off your inner editor and just get the story down. You can’t edit a blank page. Our guide with first draft tips is essential for this stage.
2. Build a Consistent Writing Habit
Don’t wait for the muse. A novel is built word by word.
Set a Tiny Goal: Aim for just 250 words or 30 minutes of writing per day.
Schedule It: Protect your writing time like it’s a critical appointment.
3. Read Voraciously, Especially in Your Genre
You cannot be a great writer if you are not a great reader. Reading is how you learn the conventions of your genre, the rhythm of prose, and the art of storytelling. It is your best and cheapest education.
4. A Great Character Wants Something (Badly)
The engine of your plot is your character’s desire. Before you write, you must know your protagonist’s tangible, external goal. Their struggle to achieve this goal is your story.
5. Show, Don’t Tell
This is the classic writing advice for a reason. Don’t tell the reader your character is angry; show them with a clenched jaw, a slammed door, and sharp, clipped dialogue. Immerse your reader in the scene through sensory details.
6. Outline Your Plot (Even a Little Bit)
You don’t need a 50-page document, but having a basic roadmap is crucial. Know your story’s beginning, its climax, and its end. This will save you from getting lost in the “sagging middle.” A great place to start is the three-act structure.
7. Raise the Stakes
At every stage of your story, you should be asking, “How can I make this worse for my character?” Constantly raising the stakes and increasing the conflict is what keeps the reader turning the page.
8. Let Your First Draft Rest
Once you finish your first draft, put it away for at least a month. This “fallow period” is essential for gaining the objective distance you’ll need to begin the revision process with fresh eyes.
9. Get Professional Feedback
After you’ve revised your manuscript to the best of your ability, you need an expert, outside perspective. A professional editor will see the problems you’re too close to see. This is the core of our book editing services.
10. Find Your Community
Writing is solitary, but it doesn’t have to be lonely. Find a critique partner, join a writing group, or participate in online communities. Sharing the journey with other writers is a powerful source of motivation and craft improvement. Author organizations like the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi) offer fantastic community forums.
For those who have a great story but find this process overwhelming, our novel writing services can provide a professional partner to handle the writing for you.
Short FAQ
Q: What is the best software for writing a novel?
A: While a simple word processor is fine, many novelists prefer specialized software like Scrivener, which is excellent for organizing chapters, notes, and research in one place.
Q: How do I overcome writer’s block?
A: The best cure for writer’s block is to lower the stakes. Give yourself permission to write one “bad” sentence. Often, that’s all it takes to get the words flowing again. A consistent, daily habit also makes writer’s block less likely to take hold.
Q: How long should my novel be?
A: The target word count for a debut novel in most commercial genres is between 70,000 and 100,000 words.
