Novels are long-form prose fiction, typically over 40,000 words. Questions that use this tag can relate to writing, editing, publishing, formatting or technique as applied specifically to novels. If the question applies to more than just novels, it should probably use the Fiction tag instead.
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161 views
Breaking the 'cooling down' rule after finishing the first draft
I've read that after finishing the first draft, you should distance yourself from the project at least a month.
I just finished the first draft of my novel (10 chapters). I've been trying to not to ...
5
votes
2answers
123 views
What's the proper way of formatting writing from a character in a novel?
I'm writing a story that constantly shows what the characters are writing.
I would like to know how to format that. Right now I'm doing it like this
(please ignore the grammar, it is a rough draft):
...
4
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4answers
672 views
Do Fantasy novels have less readership than a Realistic Fiction novel?
Am I right in assuming that a fantasy book will garner much less interest than a realistic fiction novel? On one hand, fantasy has its own market of readers that are always looking for new, great ...
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5answers
180 views
How to tell a story with the least amount of writing?
I love to invent stories and come up with ideas, but I don't have the patience to fill out all the details that is usually a part of a novel. (For those of you familiar with Myers-Briggs or Jungian ...
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4answers
150 views
Is it strange if a novel starts the first chapter without one of main characters?
I'm writing a novel with the following structure (I'm not very sure what's the technical term):
Chapter One (based on the POV of Character C): C sees B for the first time
Chapter Two (based ...
4
votes
3answers
414 views
Single character POV vs. two POVs - how to decide?
I'm starting to look at my next novel, and I'm trying to decide whether I should tell it from one POV or two. I've used both techniques in the past, so I'm aware of the basic ...
4
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3answers
581 views
I have too much dialogue, how do I add more description?
I was looking at the last book I wrote. In it, I failed to meet the word count I had set for myself by a big margin, like 40,000 words instead of 60-70,000.
Doing a post mortem, I found that most of ...
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3answers
718 views
How to sell novel excerpts as short stories
Occasionally I've seen novel excerpts published in short story venues. They're usually sections of a recent or forthcoming novel that also hold together as a self-contained story. Alternately, ...
4
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1answer
121 views
Scrivener project statistics is showing an incorrect word count
I just purchased Scrivener yesterday and am trying to get it figured out. After importing my manuscript, I cut and pasted it, separating it into the 23 chapters that are linked under "Manuscript" in ...
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5answers
305 views
Should I start work on a sequel before I have sold my book?
I finished the 1st draft of my book, and have put it in the freezer(as I asked about in this question). I was planning to start work on a sequel of the book in the meantime.
But I was told by someone ...
3
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4answers
998 views
No English degree, what are my chances on successfully publishing a novel?
I don't have an English or Writing-related degree in any way. As of right now, I have no degree, but what I mean is that I'm not even pursuing a degree in writing.
How does this hurt my chances? Do ...
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2answers
133 views
How to restart a novel(la)?
I've got a novel(la) of 33,000+ (130 or so manuscript pages) words that I would like to build up to 60,000 or so words - but I'm having trouble restarting the project...
So my question is this: what ...
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2answers
117 views
UK laws broken by piracy of novels
I'm preparing some briefing notes on various open licences and I'm looking for some clarification on legal aspects of standard practice in the UK. (If there is a better SE site for this question feel ...
3
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1answer
87 views
How applicable are screenwriting ideas to novels?
My current goal is to write a novel (I'm already close to the 35K word mark). However, most of the books I've read about story structure are actually about screenwriting.
While stories are stories no ...
3
votes
3answers
152 views
How many different words are in the average novel?
I realize there's going to be a bit of variation here from one author to the next and depending on length of the novel, but the range shouldn't really be too large.
The thing is, I really have no ...
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2answers
347 views
Is character driven fiction more successful than plot driven fiction?
I have heard that editors and publishers prefer character driven fiction, where the characters grow and learn, rather than plot driven ones. Is there any truth to this?
Edit:
In response to comments: ...
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2answers
168 views
How to know if the events in my novel are 'realistic enough'?
Sometimes I find my self wondering if the events in my novels are 'realistic enough.' I aware that they don't need to happen in real life, but I want the reader to think: oh yeah, this could happen in ...
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3answers
93 views
Is a glossary needed in a novel?
Is a glossary needed in a translated-novel?
or I would only need to put the translation of the native words under the brackets?
2
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1answer
88 views
Is it a bad idea to turn a short story into a full-length novel?
I've written a couple of short stories. I'm really satisfied with some of them, and I would like to turn them into full-length novels. They were meant to be short stories from the beginning, but I ...
2
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2answers
292 views
Should a long flashback be written in first or third person?
In my novel there will be a chapter-length flashback as one character relates a story from his past. The rest of the novel is written in limited third-person, seeing into one person's mind at a time.
...
2
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2answers
192 views
How do I maintain flow and interest when handling numerous plot threads?
I want to learn how to maintain the flow of a novel's plot - there are so many characters and events to organize. What I find most difficult is the way a writer needs to shift from one phase of the ...
2
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3answers
1k views
Adding breaks in a novel—spaces, asterisks, or a chapter break?
I am editing my first novel and wherever I find a natural break in the story, I add a few spaces. I want to go back and adjust what types of breaks those are, but how best to represent those spaces in ...
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3answers
176 views
Italicizing and adding accents to Spanish words in an English novel.
In my current novel I have a few characters who speak Spanish. The book takes place along the Texico border, so it happens frequently. I know that in more foreign Spanish, or when someone speaks a ...
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2answers
202 views
Why is this ‘loved’ italicized?
I’m interested in italics in novels. Italic writings in novels have a wide variety of feelings, for example surprise, delight, anger, irony, humor, etc. However, consulting reference books, I only ...
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3answers
86 views
How should I begin my research for my Military Fiction?
Where can I learn about the voice procedures, military jargons, submarine communications and politics involved in navy?
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2answers
64 views
What constitutes historical fantasy?
I'm writing a trilogy set 80% in Italy and 20% in other European countries. Each novel incorporates real historical characters and fantasy elements (a magical object, real/imagined symbols, ...
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2answers
71 views
Tenses I should use in a translated-novel
I have been translating a novel that is originally written in my native language into English. Considering that the book's plot is the author's experience of a life that has happened in the past, I've ...
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1answer
83 views
Writing competitions
Are there writing competitions/awards for novel length works by authors under 18?
There are certainly prizes for professional novelists, and amateur novelists, but I'm looking for something for ...
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4answers
138 views
Should it be a Short Story or Full Story
I asked Three questions in another question. To break it up, I am going to ask one which I still would like more feedback on.
NOTE: I was told to break it up by the moderator who closed it. Although ...
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3answers
274 views
How to cover different perspectives/levels of thinking in one story?
I was reasoning with a friend about why movies/novels often get highly successful while other, despite having an interesting story/topic, dont get much attention. We came to speak about Matrix, Pulp ...
0
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3answers
280 views
What is the “three-asterisk-break” section called?
What is the name for a text subdivision that is shorter than a chapter, but longer than a paragraph? They are always untitled (unlike chapters, which are at the very least called "Chapter 1", "2" ...
0
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1answer
118 views
To translate a novel with Westerner's point of view
I am an Easterner. I have been translating a novel, that is originally written in my native language, into English. During the process, I have also been learning about cultural things, meant to ...
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0answers
82 views
When did conversational dialogue in fiction writing become a prevalent writing style in British Literature? [closed]
Is there a specific time period, author or group of authors that popularized the stye?
