Writing a Novel: From Brainstorming to Polish
You have a story burning inside you, and you’re ready to write your novel. Where do you start? Break down the process into manageable steps.
Published in
7 min readSep 19, 2024
Brainstorming and Idea Development Every novel starts with an idea. Maybe you have a character, a plot twist, or a setting in mind. Let your imagination run wild. Grab a notebook or open a new document on your computer. Jot down everything that comes to mind.
Ask yourself questions.
Who’s my main character?
What’s their biggest problem or goal?
Where and when does the story take place?
What’s the main conflict?
Don’t worry about organizing your thoughts. The goal is to get all your ideas onto the page. If you want to write a mystery novel, your notes might look something like this.
Main character: Sarah, a rookie detective
Setting: Small coastal town in Maine
Problem: A series of mysterious disappearances
Twist: The culprit is someone Sarah trusts
