One way to start writing your novel is to practise first. Write an article of 350-500 words on any subject that appeals to you.
Smash those words with a hammer!
Sit down and write it now.
What can you write about? About a zillion things. If it helps, start with something you know: work, hobbies, sport or even your life. Your life is a good subject - you know all about it! Or why not write about the reasons which got you looking at articles on how to write your book.
Before you go any further write the article now.
OK. You’ve finished the article. Go through it all again. Chuck out words doing nothing or are used too much. Take out the word "that" - find substitutes for it.
Take a hammer to the sentences. Smash useless words out of them
Economy of words is the game now.
How many words do you have per sentence? Knock them down to no more than 15. Just like a précis at school. Some of you might remember those. I don't.
Is the same word used more than once in sentences or paragraphs. Clear them out. Change the words. Look in the thesaurus.
How many commas per sentence do you have? The rule here is no more than two per sentence. Sort them out. Some sentences will not have any commas, this is good.
Right. Write it all again. Now what do you have?
You should have the beginnings of a very good article. It might be so good no more work is required on it.
Back to the beginning of it all.
Do you write like you talk? If not. Why not? It's the best way.
So change it if you have to and you end up with a well written article.
Or are there other ways it could fall down? Do not insult your readers. ‘The huge red apple fell to the ground below’. Of course it fell down. Of course it fell to the earth. Not going to fall up is it? The red apple fell from the tree.
And the final rule for today is: ‘Every Rule Is To Be Broken"
Before you break any rules you must know the rules you are breaking.
Now for practise - write another article. Here's a start for you as an idea. You’ve just won a million dollars. What are you going to do with it?
Use the rules above but don't let them dictate the writing to you. Write what you will, then go back. Use the rules and see how it ends up. You will be surprised.
Once you have done all the practise, get on with your novel or non-fiction book.
My thoughts go with you.
Barry
You will find other articles by Barry on this site. You can also go to his website for more. http://www.novelmaster.com
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