The Building Blocks of a Novel

With the launch of our Legacy podcast (iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and TuneIn), I've been thinking a lot about my writing process.  The podcast, after all, deals with the creation of a novel, from soup to nuts, with each episode touching on the various "building blocks" that go into fiction writing, especially novel-length fiction writing.

In this post, rather than simply regurgitate what the podcast has to to say, however, I decided to instead quickly review those building blocks, as I see them.  I'm not going to go into a ton of detail on any of these topics, as they will be discussed quite thoroughly on Legacy and, later, in future blog entries.

Instead, this list should be considered a roadmap of sorts, a companion piece to the podcast, one that illustrates what's coming up on the show.  

1. Beginning:  Starting your novel is the first great challenge every writer faces.  The beginning is vital, and not simply because it's the first thing your reader sees, the first impression, if you will.  It's also the first thing that any prospective editor or literary agent sees, and if you don't present them with an opening that captures their attention and makes them want to read more, you may find yourself without any readership whatsoever.
2. Finding Your Voice: Every writer has a voice.  So does every book.  Your voice is the manner of storytelling you select, not just in dialogue but in your narrative.  It's the "language" that you use to speak to and, more to the point, relate to your audience.  Hard-boiled detective novels have a voice.  So do romances.  Discovering and cultivating the right voice for your novel can be the difference between success and failure.
3. Characterization: Once your book has a voice, its characters need to find theirs.  In every story, there are one or more protagonists and one more antagonists, as well as a company of important secondary characters, tertiary characters, and simple walk-ons.  Part of writer's job is knowing their characters intimately, regardless of their place is the hierarchy, and introducing all of them to your readers in such as way as to render them familiar and real.
4. Narrative Arc: Different genres have their own narrative arc.  Sometimes called the "story arc," this is a thousand-foot view of the plot, a bell curve that demonstrates the story's pace, and which is peaked by the climax (or climaxes).  It's purpose is to help the writer understand what needs to be done with the narrative, and when.  Understanding your story's arc is the first step to maintaining control of your own book.  If you've ever found yourself "getting lost" in a writing project, the lack of a narrative arc is often the reason why.
5. Romance in Storytelling: Romance isn't restricted to books with Fabio on the cover. Most novels have it in one form or another.  The energy between both halves (or all three thirds, I don't judge) of your story's romance lends humanity to your characters and layers to your plot that pretty much every reader can appreciate.  Let's face it, either we have romance in our lives, or we wish we did. Right?
6. The Hero's Journey: Okay, so "hero" probably isn't the right word. The point is that every protagonist has a goal, the pursuit of which makes up, to a large extent, the plot of your novel.  Whether your protag is chasing after his one true love, is preparing to slay a dragon, is fighting an alien invasion, or is trying to solve a murder, he or she needs to get from Point A to Point B to do it.  And the way you convey this journey determines the pace of your story and the engagement of your readership.  
7. The Villain's Path: Once again, "villain" is probably inaccurate.  But where there's a protagonist is this always an antagonist standing in the way of his or her goal.  The conflict between these two is, in most cases, the engine that drive your story forward.  But that doesn't mean your antagonist should be nothing more than an obstacle. A novel is almost always stronger when the antagonist is fully realized, fully relate-able and, yes, even likable.
8. Action vs. Suspense: At some point in many stories, the you-know-what hits the fan.  But sometimes the fuse can be just as effective as the boom, from a narrative standpoint.  You can thrill your reader with tons of daring-do, enthrall them with edge-of-your seat, what's-going-to-happen-next anxiety, or both.  But every good writers needs to have these tools in their toolbox, and be fully aware of the difference between them.
9. Climax: Unless you're a writer, "climax" doesn't mean what you think it means.  The climax in a story marks a pivotal event, after which your plot and characters are never the same.  Many books have multiple climaxes (get your mind out the gutter!).  Murder mysteries, for example, almost always have two.  Understanding where the climaxes go in your novel is key to correctly communicating the story.  It's a skill all to often over-looked.
10. The End of the Beginning: When you're done, you're done.  Right?  Wrong.  Finishing your first draft is only the first, though admittedly most vital, step in the long path from idea to finished novel.  Kudos to you for getting this far.  But don't rest on your laurels too long.  You've got editing to do, and a lot of it.  But that's what Season 2 of Legacy will be about!

These are the topics coming up, first on Legacy and then on this blog.  Bear in mind that all of the advice offered in both these venues is entirely subjective.  Nobody can "teach you know to write a novel."  Not me.  Not your high school creative writing teacher.  Nobody.  The best I can do, the best anyone can do, is teach you how I  write a novel.  Then it's your job to decide which parts can, or should, be applied to your work.

In any event, know that I'm on your side.  Writers are a siblinghood.  We stand up for one another and support one another, or we should. 

Good luck out there.  And keep writing!