A novel is a fictional prose, portraying characters and events that are also fictitious, but may be inspired from real life. The history of novel writing has been described as 'continuous and comprehensive' with roots in Classical Greece and Rome dating back to about two thousand years ago.

Writing a novel requires establishing the narrative, plot construction, settings and characterization and connecting the plot with the characters and events. While writing novels can be hard work, it is important to keep a few things in mind.

Writing is a creative process and in order to be creative, you need to be inspired. Do not sit around waiting for inspiration to strike you. Write anything at first and ideas will automatically start pouring in. Choose genres that you love reading yourself and that inspire you. If you love murder mysteries, do not try writing contemporary novels or classical romance. Breathe life into your characters and make them believable. Avoid creating characters that are perfect to a bone. The best way to hold the attention of your readers is to keep surprising them and to create characters that are flawed yet humane. Let the characters grow through conflict and challenge them to push forward.

Keep things interesting by creating exciting twists and making things happen as the plot progresses. A compelling storyline is created only when the characters are faced with challenges and the story keeps moving forward with the right amount of unpredictability. When writing your novel, do not think about the future. Focus on giving it your best shot and accept the rest that happens.

Write a book that you would want to read. A lot of writers write stories focusing on what the book is meant to achieve. It is important to avoid that approach and let your words do all the talking. And no matter how tempted you are to give up, don't. Finish what you began and do not let rejection discourage you. Quality is a significant parameter and re-draft the novel as many times as necessary until you are satisfied with what you read. Keep writing to improve upon your style and one day, you might eventually get your book published.

Hobbylancer and You

So what are you waiting for? If writing a novel is all that you ever wanted to do, begin right now. Connect with authors at Hobbylancer and draw inspiration from their stories. Launch your novels, interact with readers and attend other book events to keep the creative juices flowing. Arrange give-aways and have bloggers review your books. Keep inspiring all those writers out there only at Hobbylancer.