How to write a novel: advice from John Steinbeck and others

  John Steinbeck once gave this advice to would-be novelists. It can hardly be bettered, but I would like to add a few thoughts from other writers, and from my own experience. 

Steinbeck's early points are vitally important. You must write something every day, without fail; even if you know it's rubbish. If you stop, there's no reason why you should ever start again.

    I was once given the following excellent advice: You don't have to start with chapter one: start by writing the scene that you think you can do best.

   Raymond Chandler once gave this advice to thriller-writers: If you think things are going a bit slow, have two armed men force their way through the door. You can work out later why they're there!

   Steinbeck's fifth point is important. You may find that a scene you particularly like does not fit easily into the overall story. Should you abandon it? It's an awkward decision. Tolkien said, with regard to "The Lord of the Rings", "I always thought talking trees would come into it somewhere."

   Some advice from me. The easiest people to describe are people you know. It is, of course, perfectly possible to give one of your characters the physical appearance of an aquaintance, but an entirely different personality. When describing scenery or buildings: these also may be based on places you know. You should be able to see them in your mind's eye, but there's no necessity to describe them in detail. 

   If your story involves a picarseque hero, who meets a variety of different people in different situations, his adventures are more credible if he's young, good-looking and friendly, but also rather naive and over-trusting, thereby often getting himself into trouble.

   Incidentally, do not be surprised if your characters appear to develop minds of their own, and start to behave in an unexpected fahion. This often happens!

Steinbeck's last point, about the need to read dialogue out loud, is very important. It also applies to poetry; but I'll discuss writing poetry on another occasion.

Finally: a note of encouragement. If you do manage to write and publish a novel, all your friends and neighbours will be amazed and full of congratulations. I speak from personal experience!