Fiction Writing Guide
How to write a novel
A novel often lives in your head for years as scenes, characters and moments. This guide shows you what makes a novel work, how to start one, and how to move from fragments to a finished first draft.
What makes a novel work?
A novel is a story built around a character who wants something and the forces standing in their way. Plot is what happens; but story is what it means - how the character changes by the end.
The best novels keep a reader turning pages because they care. Before you write, know two things: what your main character wants, and what it will cost them to get it.
How to start a novel
Do not wait for a perfect plan. Most novels begin with a single vivid scene and grow from there.
- Name your character and their want. Decide who the story follows and what they are chasing. Desire drives everything.
- Find the conflict. Write the one thing standing in their way. Without obstacles there is no story.
- Speak the opening scene. Describe the scene you see most clearly, exactly as you picture it.
- Aim toward an ending. Even a rough ending gives your scenes a direction to travel in.
- Dictate freely. Many writers find it far easier to speak scenes than type them. Dictating captures your voice and beats the blank page.
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Novel ideas
If you are not sure what your novel is about, use these prompts to find the story:
- A character who wants something they cannot have
- A secret that changes everything when it comes out
- A choice your character will come to regret
- A place that could only exist in your story
- The worst thing that could happen to your hero
- A relationship that tests who they are
- A single decision that sets the plot in motion
- The theme that keeps surfacing as you write
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Common questions about writing your novel
Ready to stop planning and start writing?
Open Your Book Pro and dictate your first scene. No blank page - just your voice, captured and shaped into a manuscript.
How long should a novel be?
Most adult novels run between 70,000 and 100,000 words, with 80,000–90,000 a common sweet spot. Genre matters: thrillers can be shorter, fantasy longer. Focus on telling the story well rather than hitting a number.
Should I outline or just start writing?
Both work. Some writers plan in detail; others discover the story by writing. A useful middle path is to know your character's want, the central conflict and a rough ending, then dictate scenes and shape them later.
How do I create a compelling main character?
Give them a clear desire, a flaw or false belief, and something to lose. Characters become compelling through the choices they make under pressure - so put them under pressure early.
How do I finish a first draft?
Give yourself permission to write badly. A first draft only needs to exist. Keep momentum by dictating scenes as you see them and resisting the urge to polish before the whole story is down.
How do I start writing a novel?
Begin with the scene you see most clearly and speak it out loud. Name what your character wants, what stops them, and where the story might end - then keep going.
Start your novel today
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