Essential Tips for Writing Your First Novel

Let's Start with an Idea

This step is essential as you take steps to writing your first novel. Some ideas will come and go, but when you find 'the one', the idea that sparks your imagination, then this is where the thrill of writing starts. Passion is required to be a writer—a passion for storytelling, grammar, words, and books. It is the motivator for you to start your writing journey and keep going.

Unfortunately, many authors do not make a living wage from their creative pursuits. This is the case for many creative people, but if writing is your passion, then go for it. To supplement their wage, writers often offer services like editing, mentoring, or manuscript assessment. Many artists enjoy the creative process, which far outweighs how much they might earn. Being passionate about your craft means you will succeed. There is no greater thrill than someone telling you they enjoyed your book or your piece of art.

Steps to Writing Your First Novel Means Planning Your Story

There is a question often asked of authors—"Are you a panster or a plotter?"

A writer who is a panster writes 'by the seat of their pants,' meaning once they have an idea, they begin writing and keep going without planning anything. They write by instinct, allowing the story to be revealed to them as they write. A plotter, on the other hand, plans and structures the story before starting a draft. However, most writers fall somewhere in between and are 'plansters,' using both approaches.

I'm a bit of a planster in that I do an outline of characters and events before I start. It's a rough outline, and I often divert from it, even adding to it as I go. For my first novel, The Decision They Made, I was a panster. This meant it took me longer to write the story, and the editing was extensive. To be fair to myself, I was just starting as an author and could have used these tips at the time.

So, I'm not going to say it's crucial to plan your story, but it does help to organise your idea in your mind. An outline is probably the minimum you should do, and you can keep these following suggestions in mind too:

• Define Your Genre and Target Audience: When I hear this, I do wonder how a fledgling writer would even know where to start. But as well as your idea, knowing your genre (or where your book fits) is important. Whether you write fantasy, romance, or crime thrillers, it doesn't matter what; the genre defines your story's tone and structure. Defining your target audience is not an easy task, though. You can research what is the most popular genre and who reads it, or maybe check out a niche genre like 'gentle sci-fi.' Ultimately, finding your audience will come down to how you market your story. Here's an extra tip: doing face-to-face author and book events is a good way to find your audience, but this happens after you publish.

  
  

• Create a Story Premise: My ideas usually come as a question. For my debut novel, a question came to my mind after hearing a family story about a baby adopted by her aunt. She grew up with two mothers—her birth mother and her adopted one—so she knew she was adopted. The question that came to me was, "What if she wasn't told she was adopted and the secret caused havoc?" It was a good premise for a family saga. Finding the main conflict and the 'hook' is a good start. The hook is what keeps readers turning pages, a topic for another article.

  
  

• Develop Your Main Characters: This is where your outline will help. Write down who your characters are, how they interact with each other, what their personalities are, and do they have flaws? Essentially, plan out your characters to help you navigate the story. Fitting the characters into the story is necessary, and don't forget secondary characters; they help move the story along too.

  
  

• Outline the Plot: There are two models to help you with this part. The Three-Act Structure (Setup, Confrontation, Resolution) is a model used for plots, giving you three separate acts in which to fit your character arcs. The Hero’s Journey (Departure, Initiation, Return) focuses on these arcs in a more detailed, character-focused plan that is a lengthier version of the three acts. Both models have a beginning, middle, and end, but the latter provides stages like adventure, confrontations, and a return (heroic or otherwise).

  
  

• Set a Writing Schedule: This is something I don't do, and it works for me. I try to publish one book per year, which will be easier now that I am retired (I gave up paid work in August 2026) and now write full-time. The fact that I am essentially a planster means I don't stick to a writing schedule; my life doesn't work like that. I write when I can and when I feel like it. If I only have an hour to spare, I prefer to do admin work rather than write. I like a window of a minimum of three hours to write. This is my way; you will find what works for you, and if setting a schedule does work, then this is what you will do.

  
  

My debut novel, which is historical fiction, has reached No.1 on Amazon several times. I have learned a lot more about writing since I published this in 2019.

Your Writing Routine

Following on from setting up a writing schedule, you may like to have a consistent routine. Maybe you will write every day from Monday to Friday for four hours, or you're a morning writer, or you write in the evening. Some authors write as early as 4 AM when their house is quiet. This isn't for me; the earliest I will write is 9 AM after I have done some admin. For first-time writers, you may want to start with a routine to help you stay motivated. There is no hard and fast rule; every writer is different.

• Set Achievable Daily Word Count Goals: Again, this is something I don't do. Maybe I'm not a conventional writer; who knows? If you want to start by setting a word count per day, then go ahead. Do what works for you and keeps you in writing mode.

  
  

• Choose a Dedicated Writing Space: A quiet space is a good idea. Having a dedicated space like your own desk, a home office, or even a favourite café to write can help keep you focused. This will help you stick to a routine too. I have a home office and write at my desk, or I move my laptop to my dining table when I feel like it. There is more light and space in our dining room; for some reason, it helps me focus even if someone else is around. But this doesn't happen often; my husband usually does his own thing around the house, leaving me to my writing.

  
  

• Use Writing Prompts or Exercises: I have used these in the past, especially as a new author, but I don't need them as much now. Ten years into my writing journey, I have enough ideas and am confident as a writer. I am doing a writing course with Writing NSW this year; this is my gift to myself to brush up on my writing skills. I'm sure there will be many writing exercises in this one-year course.

  
  

Your goal is to sit down and write. How and when you do this will depend on the routine you establish. Writing is a craft; the more you do it, the better you will be.

Ready? Time to Start Your First Draft

It's time to start writing. You have your idea, maybe an outline, your writing space, and your computer, so start writing your first draft. Put those words down, let them flow, and stay focused on having your story written; it doesn't have to be perfect yet.

• Write Without Editing: Focus on writing the story, getting it down. I have to admit, I do a bit of editing along the way. Not a lot, but some. As mentioned before, I don't write to a routine, so once I sit down to write after a day or two off, I refresh my memory by reading maybe the last chapter. A full edit comes when I type 'the end.' So, focus on writing a few hundred words when you first start; leave the editing for later. When you are more confident as a writer, then maybe you can do some edits as you go.

  
  

• Allow Your Plot to Evolve: Characters have a way of surprising you. As you write, different ideas may surface, which might take a character in an unexpected direction. Allow this to happen; it's the story telling you what it wants to do. This may sound a bit strange, but it's a common occurrence.

  
  

• Ignore Self-Doubt: There will be times when you don't like what is happening to the story, and this is okay. Delete anything that's not working, or copy it to another document to reassess when you finish writing for the day. I have found I will use some of what I have discarded in a different spot or maybe expand on it. Keeping all your writing edits gives you more scope if needed.

  
  

• Set a Deadline to Finish Draft One: Set a date you know is achievable. I mentioned before it takes me a year to write and publish a novel. This wasn't the case with my debut. Once I found the manuscript I wrote in my late 20s, it took me five years before I published it. I have learned so much in the past ten years of being an author, and you will too.

  
  

Crafting Compelling Characters and Settings

The characters in your story will breathe life into it, and readers like to connect with great characters, immersive worlds, drama, and even comedy. Here are a few quick tips on where to start, but this is a topic where you need to do more research. You will learn more as you keep writing and developing characters.

• Character Development: Show your readers what your characters want, especially the main character. Put obstacles in front of your characters—things that will challenge them and drive your story forward. Also, show their decision-making, what consequences occur, and be sure to use dialogue and actions that suit their personality to fit with your story. Listen to your character; hear their voice in your head. Imagine you're listening to an audiobook as you write dialogue.

  
  

• Choose a Setting: The setting you choose for your story is an important part of your story too. Make your reader a part of the world you create by using sensory terms and explaining what the surroundings look like. Fit this setting in with your plot and characters. An example of this is:

  
  

  Your character enjoys exercising outdoors; maybe they are a runner or jogger. They like running along the beach but never enter the sea because they fear it. Running at a secluded beach one day, they see a person struggling and possibly drowning. What do they do? Create tension by playing on this fear.

  
  

The characters in my contemporary novel, Fame & Other Disasters, were brought to life in the audiobook version. It was such a thrill to hear my characters' voices.

Your Novel Writing Journey Has Begun

These tips will help you start writing your first novel, poem, or short story. You choose what you want to start with. I started with two short stories—one historical, the other a science fantasy. I found it easier to start small. Use these tips to help you by breaking your writing into achievable steps, and most of all, enjoy the process.

Continue improving your skills and learn more about writing novels by exploring resources and courses that offer advice on how to navigate the publishing industry. Remember, no one is a bestselling author on their first try (well, not many), so find your passion and start writing. You never know where this passion will take you.

Happy reading (and writing)!

Maria P Frino