Novel Writing Techniques - Developing the Ability to Spin Stories
By learning creative techniques practiced by professional writers, you can cultivate the ability to turn ideas in your head into compelling stories.
What It Means to Write a Novel
While many people wish to write novels, those who can actually start writing are limited. This is because novel writing requires not just writing ability but composite skills including story construction, character creation, and descriptive ability.
However, these techniques don't depend solely on talent. As many professional writers point out, the basics of novel writing can be learned, and you definitely improve through repeated writing.
The Significance of Learning Creative Techniques
Reading novel writing technique books provides more than just techniques. By learning how professional writers generate ideas, develop structure, and refine drafts, your creative perspective broadens. Also, you become able to objectively analyze problems in your own writing, clarifying directions for improvement.
Recommended Books
The books introduced here all contain practical content by active writers and literary critics. They're packed with knowledge useful for everyone engaged in creative activities, from beginners to intermediate writers.
Novel Course: Complete Techniques of Bestselling Authors
This book is a practical creative writing guide compiled from records of bestselling author Arimasa Osawa instructing students in actual courses. It comprehensively covers specific techniques for writing entertainment novels, including how to write in first person, character creation, dialogue techniques, and plot construction. The fact that 5 of the 12 students made their debut proves the practicality of this book.
- To survive as a writer, not only skill but also the resolve and attitude to keep writing is essential
- To create strong characters, it is important to first know yourself deeply and have attachment to them
- Novels need thorns; you must plant something that catches the reader's heart
- To continue growing after debut, you must constantly push yourself and keep challenging
This is All You Need to Know to Easily Write a Novel
This book is a creative writing introduction by novelist Wataru Nakamura, who has a science background, summarizing insights gained from his own trial and error. It systematically explains the entire process of novel writing, from creating personas and idea development methods to story structure, plot, character, writing technique, and from opening to ending. The effectiveness of the methodology is proven by the fact that new writer award winners have emerged from the author's workshop.
- The structure of novels is surprisingly simple; anyone can start writing by grasping the basics
- Setting a persona (target reader) first determines the direction of the story
- The basic way to make a story interesting is to give the protagonist difficulties and have them overcome them
- There are standard techniques for openings and endings, and knowing them greatly improves completeness
How Pros Write Novels
This book is a practical guide where bestselling novelist Akio Morisawa answers questions from readers in a Q&A format. He generously reveals techniques actually used by professionals, including story composition, character setting, plot creation using W theory, and written expression. Having sold over 40,000 copies and highly praised by bookstore staff, it is the definitive creative writing guide.
- The foundation of an interesting story is to make attractive characters unhappy and depict their growth as they recover
- The ability to write descriptions that create images in readers' minds is the most important skill in novel writing
- Writing that resonates with readers comes from expressing emotions through actions and situations rather than directly
- The attitude of not cutting corners even a millimeter is the fundamental stance required of professional novelists
Write a Novel in 2 Weeks!
This book is an introductory guide to novel writing that helps readers develop the aptitude for writing fiction through a 14-day practical program devised by literary critic Yoshinori Shimizu. It shows methods to gradually improve writing ability, imagination, and conceptual power, focusing on training descriptive skills to reproduce specific characters, actions, and landscapes as if they were before your eyes. It also frankly discusses the reality of being a novelist, serving as honest guidance for aspiring writers.
- The most important skill for writing novels is the descriptive ability to recreate specific scenes before the reader's eyes
- Talent means continuing to write; if you keep writing for ten or twenty years, you can reach professional level
- It is important to know the reality of living as a novelist and still want to write
- By accumulating daily practice, writing ability will definitely improve
Summary
Novel writing cannot be mastered overnight, but by acquiring correct knowledge and methodology, the path to improvement definitely opens. Most important is picking up a guidebook first and actually starting to write. Continuing to write is what leads to growth as a writer.