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Many famous authors write their novels in a matter of weeks. William Faulkner wrote As I Lay Dying in six weeks. Joyce Carol Oates often cranks out two or three books a year. Stephen King believes first drafts should take no more than three months to complete. So, what's the trick? Novel writing isn't about inspiration. It's about the time, energy, and discipline to see the project to its finish.
With The 90-Day Novel at your side, now is the time. This inspiring guide will be your push, your deadline, and your spark to finally, without excuses, and in three short months, nail that first draft of your novel.
The difference between wanna-be writers and real writers is the difference between talk and work. If you commit to the schedule and the techniques within The 90-Day Novel and invest two to three hours a day for twelve weeks, you will complete your book. An outline will appear. Characters will take shape. A plot will emerge. Scenes will come together and form a story worth reading. And then the talking can begin!
This helpful guide provides:
An Introduction, a Challenge, and a Warning 1
Part I Outlining Techniques & Scene-Writing Basics
Choosing Your Tools: An Outlining Primer 12
The "Structure-Plus" Outline 18
The Signpost Outline 20
The Note-Card Technique 22
The Spreadsheet Approach 24
The Flowchart 25
Learning to Compartmentalize: Scene by Scene by Scene 28
The Scene Defined 29
Scene Structure 36
Scene Variety 39
Part II The 90-Day Writing Challenge
The First Three Weeks: Days 1-21
Brainstorm, Chart, and Outline 47
Day 1 Ready, Set, Go (With What You Know) 49
Day 2 Writing With Your Senses 53
Day 3 Letting Your Old Ladies Scream 56
Day 4 Plot Happens 63
Day 5 Setting the Setting 67
Day 6 The Heart of the Heart of Your Novel 72
Day 7 Say What?!: Some Tips on Dialogue 78
Day 8 Choosing Your Eyeballs 83
Day 9 POV&V (Point of View and Voice) 88
Day 10 Packing Enough Baggage 93
Day 11 The Art of Conflict 99
Day 12 Making the Most of Minor Characters 103
Day 13 Scene or Summary, or, Taking the Dull Parts Out 108
Day 14 Act One: The First Cluster of Scenes 112
Day 15 Act Two: The Second Cluster of Scenes 115
Day 16 Act Three: The Final Cluster of Scenes 117
Day 17 Flashing Backward, Looking Forward 119
Day 18 Don't Be Tone-Deaf 122
Day 19 Novel Synopsis, the Preblueprint 126
Day 20 & 21 Ladies and Gentlemen ... the Outline! 128
Week 4 Days 22-28
First Assessments 132
Week 4, Assignment 1 Assessing Scene Worth 134
Week 4, Assignment 2 Assessing Scene Variety 136
Week 4, Assignment 3 Assessing the Narrative Arc 140
Week 4, Assignment 4 Researching Your Fictional World 150
Week 5 Days 29-35
What A Character 153
Week 5, Assignment 1 You Are How You Look 155
Week 5, Assignment 2 Sharply Particular Characters 156
Week 5, Assignment 3 Conducting Background Checks 158
Week 5, Assignment 4 Becoming a Mind Reader 162
Week 5, Assignment 5 Eyeballing It 164
Week 6 Days 36-42
Where It All Begins: The First Scene(s) 166
Week 6, Assignment 1 The First Lines 167
Week 6, Assignment 2 Scene One, Take One 171
Week 6, Assignment 3 In the Middle of the Beginning 174
Week 6, Assignment 4 The End of the Beginning-or the Start of the End 177
Week 7 Days 43-49
Welcome to the Middle 179
Week 7, Assignment 1 Attention: Minors Served Here 181
Week 7, Assignment 2 Set the Mood Lighting 182
Week 7, Assignment 3 I Second That Emotion 185
Week 7, Assignment 4 A Meditation on Theme 188
Week 8 Days 50-56
Stuck in the Middle with You 191
Week 8, Assignment 1 Lights, Camera, Action! 194
Week 8, Assignment 2 Talk It Out 197
Week 8, Assignment 3 The Scene Before the Scene 201
Week 9 Days 57-63
On the Other Side of A Bridge Too Far 205
Week 9, Assignment 1 Mountaintop Messages 207
Week 9, Assignment 2 Adjusting the Picture 214
Week 10 Days 64-70
So Long, Farewell 216
Week 10, Assignment 1 Bump, Set, Spike ... Then What? 217
Week 10, Assignment 2 Tying off Mini-Threads 220
Week 10, Assignment 3 Good-Bye Is the Hardest Word 233
Week 11 Days 71-77
Mind the Gaps 226
Week 11, Assignment 1 Outline to Novel to Outline 228
Week 11, Assignment 2 Between the Scene 233
Week 12 Days 78-84
Quick Starts, Grand Finales, and Universal Messages 237
Week 12, Assignment 1 In the Beginning (Again) 238
Week 12, Assignment 2 The Riveting Reflective Finale 243
Week 12, Assignment 3 Theme Me Up, Scotty 246
The Homestretch: Days 85-90
Cleaning up Your Acts 249
The Homestretch, Assignment 1 Your First Job as Editor: Judging a Book by its Cover 252
The Homestretch, Assignment 2 The Final Read-Through and a Self-Editing Checklist 254
The Homestretch, Assignment 3 Finding Your Critics, or, "Just Say No" to Relatives as Final Readers 257
The Final Assignment 261
Day 91 And Beyond 264
Demystifying the Role of Agent and Editor 266
Query, My Dearie 269
Revise Reprise 270
And Then Submit 272
This Is the End 274
Acknowledgements 276
About The Author 277
Index 278
I'm using this book to help me write a draft of my first novel. Excellent "coaching" tips for actually getting pages written. Very much like having a writing professor with you. Unusually funny at times, too; you don't expect that in an instructional book. Makes the work more enjoyable. Highly recommend. Good luck with your writing!
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Posted July 17, 2012
This is a really helpful book lots of explanations for beginner writers.
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Overview
Got 90 Days? Then You Can Be a Novelist
Many famous authors write their novels in a matter of weeks. William Faulkner wrote As I Lay Dying in six weeks. Joyce Carol Oates often cranks out two or three books a year. Stephen King believes first drafts should take no more than three months to complete. So, what's the trick? Novel writing isn't about inspiration. It's about the time, energy, and discipline to see the project to its finish.
With ...