{"id":374,"date":"2026-04-02T21:56:59","date_gmt":"2026-04-02T21:56:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.calbaptist.edu\/dazed-starling\/?p=374"},"modified":"2026-04-02T21:56:59","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T21:56:59","slug":"how-to-write-a-novel-crash-course","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.calbaptist.edu\/dazed-starling\/2026\/04\/02\/how-to-write-a-novel-crash-course\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Write a\u00a0Novel: Crash Course"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Jessica Minert<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

So,\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0here because you want to\u00a0write\u00a0a book\u2026 but you might not be an English or creative writing major (maybe you\u2019re a STEM or business major), or\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0a serious\u00a0rookie. Well, either way, you have an idea that you think\u00a0would make\u00a0a great book, and here are some tips on how to finally start writing it.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understand That You Can Write a Book Just for You<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Your book\u00a0doesn\u2019t\u00a0have to be for anyone else. You can write something just because you love writing. (Even if you think\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0bad at it.) Writing is a great coping mechanism and a way to unwind from the stress of college life.\u00a0Don\u2019t\u00a0worry about it being \u201cgood.\u201d Have fun and write because you love it.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Start with a Thought Dump <\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When\u00a0writing\u00a0my book, I spent years (I cannot emphasize how many years\u2026 it was a lot) writing\u00a0all of\u00a0my ideas, random bursts of dialogue, character arcs, and scenes in a large Google Doc. The thought dump phase is great for when you are starting out with a small idea that you need to flesh out more.\u00a0Don\u2019t\u00a0worry about writing in chronological order; just \u201cdump\u201d\u00a0all of\u00a0your creativity into a space that you can easily navigate later.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watch YouTube Videos on Writing<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n
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For years, when I was in the thought dump process, I would watch YouTube videos on how to develop characters, how to avoid clich\u00e9s in writing, how to write an outline,\u00a0basically anything\u00a0and everything I wanted to know about how to write. Degrees in\u00a0writing are valuable (I should know,\u00a0I\u2019m\u00a0spending a fortune on one), but if\u00a0that\u2019s\u00a0not your major and you still want to write, know that you still can. You can watch these videos during study breaks, or while getting ready for school, or listen to them when driving. My\u00a0favorite writing\u00a0YouTuber is author Abbie Emmons. She also has a podcast on Spotify called The Kate and Abbie Show that is fantastic.\u00a0(Link down below).\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Making Time for Writing<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

People make time for things that are important to them, so if writing is important to you,\u00a0making time\u00a0for it will start to happen naturally with a little bit of effort. Once you are finished with your homework for the day or after you’re off work, put on some music (you can create a playlist specifically for your book) and dedicate some time to writing, even if it\u2019s as small as ten minutes for yourself.\u00a0\u00a0Once you start to fall in love with your book, your problem won\u2019t be making time for it, but having the willpower to stop writing and make time for homework.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Creating an Outline<\/strong> <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

For creating an outline for my book, I have personally chosen the Three-Act Story Structure that Abbie Emmons suggested. She has a form on her website that you can fill out according to your story, and a video explaining it in depth on her YouTube channel, but you can use any outline that works for you. (Or not use an outline at all and be a rebel). If there are a couple of things you\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0know about your story yet,\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0stress about it so much and give yourself permission to just start writing. I like to personally create an outline where I write one line about what is going to happen for each chapter. That\u2019s right, one line only. An example would be \u201cCharacter A and B meet.\u201d Then, if there are multiple points of view in the book, I assign each character who has a point of view a color and color-code my outline. Meaning, if I gave Character A the color blue, and it was her perspective, I\u2019d write \u201cCharacter A and B meet\u201d for that chapter. The short lines then make it super easy to reorganize while I\u2019m figuring out what happens when.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starting the First Rough Draft<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The first draft is you telling yourself the story, so\u00a0don\u2019t\u00a0worry about whether the first words you put on the page are perfect; their existence is enough.\u00a0The first step I would suggest is organizing your thought dump in chronological order, seeing how it lines up with the outline, and starting at the beginning, filling in the necessary gaps, using the thought dump and outline as a guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Editing\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Editing is re-reading your writing and making it better. I would start by re-reading your first draft and taking notes on what you want to change or plot holes you notice. Then, start implementing the changes one by one. This is when you can return to your thought dump page to brainstorm how to implement changes. YouTube and Abbie Emmons are also your best friends when it comes to any questions you have about doing a second, third, or fourth draft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Publishing<\/strong>\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you want to self-publish, Abbie Emmons also has great videos and articles on the topic, so you can check them out if you\u2019re interested. There are also various YouTube videos on marketing your book you can look into if you want. Also, remember that writing is for you before it is for anyone else. You don\u2019t have to publish if you don\u2019t want to. Your writing is important, no matter the audience it reaches. The one thing you have to remember about publishing is how important marketing your book is, even if you go the traditional route.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Remember to Have Fun<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Writing is about enjoying the process, so if it\u2019s too stressful or you don\u2019t finish, that\u2019s perfectly okay. You can take a break and come back later. You make your own rules. Try not to put too much pressure on yourself to write the perfect novel. If it starts to feel like a chore or something you\u2019re not enjoying, don\u2019t be afraid to take a step back.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Works Cited <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Emmons, Abbie. \u201cAbbie Emmons\u00a0\u2013\u00a0YouTube.\u201d\u00a0,\u00a0www.youtube.com\/@AbbieEmmons<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

—. \u201cHow to Professionally Self-Publish a Novel in 7 Months.\u201d Abbie Emmons<\/em>, 10 July 2019, www.abbiee.com\/2019\/07\/indie-pub-at-a-glance\/.  <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

—. \u201cStructure My Novel with Me (+ 3-Act Story Structure Template).\u201d Abbie Emmons<\/em>, 16 Oct. 2019, www.abbiee.com\/2019\/10\/structure-my-novel-with-me\/.  <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abbie Emmons Links <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

YouTube Channel: https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@AbbieEmmons<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Podcast: https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/22dXp4IL4MYut743GQlCie<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Publishing: https:\/\/www.abbiee.com\/2019\/07\/indie-pub-at-a-glance\/<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Outline: https:\/\/www.abbiee.com\/2019\/10\/structure-my-novel-with-me\/<\/a> <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Jessica Minert So,\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0here because you want to\u00a0write\u00a0a book\u2026 but you might not be an English or creative writing major (maybe you\u2019re a STEM or business major), or\u00a0you\u2019re\u00a0a serious\u00a0rookie. Well, either way, you have an idea that you think\u00a0would make\u00a0a great book, and here are some tips on how to finally start writing it.\u00a0\u00a0 Understand That You Can Write a Book Just for You  […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":41,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":"yes","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[5,15],"class_list":["post-374","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-fiction","tag-writing-tips"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.calbaptist.edu\/dazed-starling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/374","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.calbaptist.edu\/dazed-starling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.calbaptist.edu\/dazed-starling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.calbaptist.edu\/dazed-starling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/41"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.calbaptist.edu\/dazed-starling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=374"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.calbaptist.edu\/dazed-starling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/374\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":376,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.calbaptist.edu\/dazed-starling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/374\/revisions\/376"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.calbaptist.edu\/dazed-starling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=374"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.calbaptist.edu\/dazed-starling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=374"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.calbaptist.edu\/dazed-starling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=374"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}