This is how you Write a Novel

And by you I mean “I”, of course.

1. You carry around a notebook and scribble down anything interesting/funny/strange that people say, as well as weird signs, strange sights and anything else pilferable from real life.

2. You type them up in a nice clean Word document.

3. You spend some time trying to figure out how they could fit into a straight-ish line of story.

4. You spend a lot of time staring off into middle distance thinking about your characters.

5. You write down ideas in big black pen (so that the ideas feel Important).

6. You chain yourself to your desk every morning, before showering and getting ready for the day (but after eating, of course), drink numerous cups of tea and resist the urge to check your email.

7. You follow that line of story like a trail of breadcrumbs, hoping that where it comes out is somewhere better than a witch’s house (unless the witch is somehow involved in the line of story).

8. You write. And then you write some more. You try not to judge what you’re writing.

9. You write till you reach the end of the line of story, a little piece at a time, chunk by chunk. You slice out chunks of your heart for the narrative. You try to be honest.

10. You edit. Seemingly unendingly.