How to Write Your Novel

Name: How to Write Your Novel
Rating: 4.7 (21 reviews)

Simple and Effective Techniques to Guide You on Your Writing Journey

Created bySuzie Carr

Last updated 1/2022

English

What you'll learn

Tap into your creative juices
Generate an idea for your novel
Create a unique book title
Create memorable characters
Decide on theme
Create an overarching plot plan
Chart major and minor scenes
Write your book’s elevator pitch
Hook a reader from page one
Create conflict
Select POV
Build a setting
Write engaging dialogue
Self-edit
Find beta readers and editors
Determine publishing options

Course content

5 sections • 19 lectures • 2h 42m total length

Introduction4:07
Welcome to the How to Write a Novel course!
Writing a novel is time-consuming, pulling your hair out of your head frustrating at times, and a sleep stealer. But it’s also an exhilarating, therapeutic, and fulfilling way to spend your time. And when you’ve actually completed the novel, you realize, if you can write a whole novel, you can do anything in this world. Novel writing isn’t for the weak at heart. It’s for the kickass people out there who are willing to face and embrace the ideas in their head. It’s one of the most liberating things you’ll do, and right from the comfort of your home if you so desire. There are many approaches to writing a novel. In this course, we’ll explore the ones that helped me write 14 of them and turn them into bestsellers. We’ll take a look at the building blocks of how to fill an empty page and turn it into upwards of 65,000 plus words of meaning and intrigue.

PLEASE NOTE: Currently assignments are not supported on the Udemy mobile app. Students can take and complete assignments by opening the lecture in a desktop or laptop computer.
Introduction Assignment
Schedule Time to Write8:02
Carving out time for writing is one of the most difficult parts of being a writer. In this lecture, you will learn how to schedule time for your writing so it becomes part of your daily life.

PLEASE NOTE: Currently assignments are not supported on the Udemy mobile app. Students can take and complete assignments by opening the lecture in a desktop or laptop computer.
Schedule Writing Sessions
How to get your creative juices flowing12:33
In this lecture, you'll learn techniques to tap into your inner muse to help jumpstart your creativity and get ideas flowing.

PLEASE NOTE: Currently assignments are not supported on the Udemy mobile app. Students can take and complete assignments by opening the lecture in a desktop or laptop computer.
Choose one of the “finding your muse" techniques

Generate an idea for your novel8:19
Coming up with a story idea can be challenging, even for the most creative people. In this lecture, you'll learn techniques to help you come up with an idea for your book.

PLEASE NOTE: Currently assignments are not supported on the Udemy mobile app. Students can take and complete assignments by opening the lecture in a desktop or laptop computer.
Let's come up with a story idea!
Create a unique book title8:56
Creating a working title for your book can help drive motivation and clarity as you travel through your writing journey. In this lecture, you'll learn a technique to help you brainstorm a unique working title for your book.

PLEASE NOTE: Currently assignments are not supported on the Udemy mobile app. Students can take and complete assignments by opening the lecture in a desktop or laptop computer.
Let's create a book title!
Create memorable characters16:19
Characters drive the story. Readers who care about the characters you create will likely continue reading the story to find out what happens to them. In this lecture, you'll learn how to create a memorable character who will keep readers glued to the pages of your story.

PLEASE NOTE: Currently assignments are not supported on the Udemy mobile app. Students can take and complete assignments by opening the lecture in a desktop or laptop computer.
Let's brainstorm a memorable character!
Decide on theme3:25
Theme is the central idea of the story. Every story should have a theme. It is why a reader chooses to invest time in reading the book. It is the whole point of a story. In this lecture, you'll learn about theme and how to choose one for your book.

PLEASE NOTE: Currently assignments are not supported on the Udemy mobile app. Students can take and complete assignments by opening the lecture in a desktop or laptop computer.
Let's decide on a theme for your book!
Create an overarching plot plan11:50
Plot is what keeps the readers asking what happens next? It is the structure behind your novel that includes the pace and flow of essential ideas, introductions to characters, and deliberate revelations and surprises. For a story to form, it must move from its current place to a new place, reached only by climbing over, trudging through, and bending around obstacles that keep the story moving and reshaping as the pages turn. In this lecture, you'll learn how to create your overall plot plan.

PLEASE NOTE: Currently assignments are not supported on the Udemy mobile app. Students can take and complete assignments by opening the lecture in a desktop or laptop computer.
Let's create an overarching plot plan!
Chart major and minor scenes12:51
In this lecture, you'll learn how to chart ten of your book's most exciting plot points before you write a word of your novel.

PLEASE NOTE: Currently assignments are not supported on the Udemy mobile app. Students can take and complete assignments by opening the lecture in a desktop or laptop computer.
Let's chart your book's major and minor scenes!
Write your book’s elevator pitch4:49
Whether you are submitting your manuscript to an agent, traditional publisher, or self-publishing it, an elevator pitch of your story is an important tool to writing and ultimately selling your book. Even if you go the self-publishing route, writing a compelling elevator pitch is critical. This will serve you in book interviews, in writing jacket copy, in writing sales information on your author page, and in offering that all-important tight nugget statement readers often ask of you prior to a book release. In this lecture, you'll learn how to draft a winning elevator pitch and paragraph summary/blurb.

PLEASE NOTE: Currently assignments are not supported on the Udemy mobile app. Students can take and complete assignments by opening the lecture in a desktop or laptop computer.
Let's write your book's elevator pitch and summary paragraph!

Hook a reader from page one9:41
As writers, we have one page to dazzle potential readers and lure them to turn that page to discover what other surprises we have in store for them. In this lecture, you'll learn how to hook a reader from that very first page.

PLEASE NOTE: Currently assignments are not supported on the Udemy mobile app. Students can take and complete assignments by opening the lecture in a desktop or laptop computer.
Let's hook your reader from page one!
Create conflict11:05
Readers crave conflict. We want to see our favorite characters fall and rise to face their fates. We want to see them win the tough battles where one tough choice leads to a new set of tough choices Writers have a tough job because we not only have to create believable, relatable conflict where our readers can feel every sense our characters are feeling, but we must do this without being contrived. In this lecture, you'll learn how to inject conflict into your book.
PLEASE NOTE: Currently assignments are not supported on the Udemy mobile app. Students can take and complete assignments by opening the lecture in a desktop or laptop computer.
Let's build some conflict!
Select Your Book's Point of View (POV)4:24
In this lecture, you'll learn about the three most popular Point of Views: first person, third person, and omniscient to help you choose the best one for your story.

PLEASE NOTE: Currently assignments are not supported on the Udemy mobile app. Students can take and complete assignments by opening the lecture in a desktop or laptop computer.
Let's decide on your book's POV!
Build a setting6:37
Just as every character and every piece of dialogue should have a purpose for remaining in your book, so too should every detail when it comes to setting. It needs to serve a purpose more than just filling white space. In this lecture, you'll learn how to write settings that will pop off the page and have readers craving more.

PLEASE NOTE: Currently assignments are not supported on the Udemy mobile app. Students can take and complete assignments by opening the lecture in a desktop or laptop computer.
Let's build a setting!
Write engaging dialogue7:41
Dialogue can make or break your novel. If it’s awkward, stiff, and uncharacteristic of your characters, you risk losing your reader. If it’s done effectively, your characters will come to life on the pages and your readers will root for them, cry with them, laugh with them, and want to continue being a part of their fictitious lives. In this lecture, you will learn techniques on how to write dialogue that engages the reader.

PLEASE NOTE: Currently assignments are not supported on the Udemy mobile app. Students can take and complete assignments by opening the lecture in a desktop or laptop computer.
Let's write some engaging dialogue!

How to Self-Edit6:49
Once you've completed writing your novel, you will enter the self-editing phase. This is a critical phase that will set you up for success. This is your moment to polish your manuscript and remove the clutter that can clog the beta reading and editing process. Before anyone reads your manuscript, you should self-edit. In this lecture, you will learn how to do a clean sweep of your novel to get it in its best shape before anyone else reads it, including your beta readers and editor.
PLEASE NOTE: Currently assignments are not supported on the Udemy mobile app. Students can take and complete assignments by opening the lecture in a desktop or laptop computer.
Let's Self-Edit!
Find beta readers and editors16:45
Beta readers and editors will help you fine tune your story. You need them. They are a necessary tool in your writing toolbox. Without them, your story will suffer. Publishing a book is not a one-person show. As writers, we cannot be objective or observant enough of our own material to make it shine that way we can with the help of beta readers and an editor. In this lecture, you will learn how to find beta readers and editors and build a winning team.

PLEASE NOTE: Currently assignments are not supported on the Udemy mobile app. Students can take and complete assignments by opening the lecture in a desktop or laptop computer.
Let's find your beta readers and editor team!
Determine publishing options6:21
In this lecture, you will learn about your different publishing options.
PLEASE NOTE: Currently assignments are not supported on the Udemy mobile app. Students can take and complete assignments by opening the lecture in a desktop or laptop computer.
Let's determine your publishing options!

Closure and Connection1:34
Writing a novel is an exciting journey that can enrich your life and the lives of others. When approached with a curious mindset and a plan, the process goes from overwhelming to completely manageable. If you dream of writing a novel, the first step to achieve that goal is to start writing. Go through the assignments again and again until the process takes place for you. his short video, I wrap up all the amazing things you learned in this course and

Requirements

Participants will be asked to communicate in English

Description

The How to Write Your Novel Course is designed for anyone who desires a straightforward plan to help them write a novel. This course will instruct how to brainstorm, plan, and organize information to write a novel. We'll go through the important elements of how to generate novel ideas, find time to write, get creative juices flowing, create a unique book title, create memorable characters, hook a reader from page one, select POV in storytelling, create an overarching plot plan, outline major and minor scenes, construct story conflict, build a setting, write dialogue that engages the reader, write a novel’s blurb, self-edit, find beta readers and editors, and publishing options.

Many people have a story in them that they want to explore and share with others. The process of writing a novel can overwhelm, especially if one has no idea where to start or how to follow a system that guides them through the process. To reduce overwhelm, the learner needs to know how to pick a topic, genre, setting and overall tone. They need to learn how to plan their novel so they remain open to creative flow, know where their story is headed, create believable character flaws and strengths, and plot out major turning points, conflict, and resolutions. The planning stages for writing a novel is about building a scaffolding system that allows creativity to bloom, characters to grow, and the story to unfold in a logical, satisfying manner for the reader. Contrary to what many believe is luck and talent when it comes to writing a saleable story, writing a novel comes down to building skill sets that will provide the foundation for a writer’s journey in telling their story.

If you've always wanted to write your novel but aren't sure how to get started, this course will guide you every step of the way!

Who this course is for:

Participants are people who desire a straightforward plan to help them write a novel. Participants may be have already written a novel or multiple, some have never written any fiction before.

How to Write Your Novel

What you'll learn

Explore related topics

Course content

Essentials to Productive Writing3 lectures • 25min

Build a Strong Foundation7 lectures • 1hr 6min

Develop Your Style5 lectures • 39min

The Art of Fine-Tuning3 lectures • 30min

Wrap up1 lecture • 2min

Requirements

Description

Who this course is for: