Novella Writing Project -- The Writing Begins

Start in the Middle of the Action.  

• You want an opening that grabs the readers attention. 

• Grab your reader's attention.

• Don't give too much detail all at once.

• Ask yourself -- would I keep reading this book?

Show Your Story -- Don't Tell It.

• Your novel will show, rather than tell, if your sentences contain action, action, action.  Plus, they must have sensory detail, dialogue and feelings.

• Make your words come alive.

• Ask yourself -- does reading my novel make a movie form in my mind?

Include Enough Detail -- But Not Too Much.

• Make sure you cover the who? what? when? where? and why?

• Don't writing the sections you skip over as a reader.  Come on, we all do it, skip the long paragraphs for the dialogue.

• Ask yourself -- would I skip over this section?

End With a Bang

• Build to a victorious moment or accomplishment, get the bad guy or find true love -- or NOT.  Just end leaving your reader thinking.

• Make sure the reader understand the ending.

• Ask yourself -- are all of my reader's questions answered?