How to Write a Novel in a Year

Most resources that look to answer the question of how to write a novel in a year focus on methodology. In them, you’ll find tips for creating characters and developing plots, usually with a step-by-step process to guide you to the finish line. I love resources like these, but for many writers, they don’t work.

Consider this hypothetical:

Jane wants to write a novel, but she’s never been able to finish a draft. She decides that enough is enough, and she sets a goal for herself to write a complete draft of a novel in the next year. She takes to Google to find some tips for doing that. After reading a few resources, she finds a method that sounds promising. Excited, she dives in with both feet, letting her creativity run wild. Things are great, until she hits her first plot hole. Her first roadblock. Her first wave of self doubt. She manages to overcome it, but her enthusiasm never matches where it started. Eventually, life gets in the way and the project fizzles out completely.

While failing to meet her goal is disappointing enough, there’s something worse at play here. Jane begins to doubt that she even can. If this method didn’t work for her, why would any other method? She must not want it enough, she tells herself. She must not be good enough.

First, it’s important to note that no one method will work for everyone. In fact, most writers who use a popular method of writing a novel make their own personal tweaks to it. And you’ll never learn what tweaks you need to make until you experiment with several. You’ll also never achieve success with any method until you tackle the fundamental challenges standing in your way.

That’s what Jane was missing. Let’s take a closer look at the three boxes you need to check before you can start writing your first novel.

1. inspiration

Most writers who set the goal to write a book in a year are doing so with “square-one” energy. They want a fresh start, a novel idea, a blank slate. Sure, there might be old ideas that are worth a revisit, but the “square-one” writer will have a deep desire to redo those ideas in a brand new way.

Why?

Because when you start something new, you haven’t messed it up yet. It’s not the healthiest mindset to have, but it’s natural to feel that way. And it’s okay to feel that way. Square-one energy—I’m here for it. I’ve lived it. I’m with you friend.

If we’re going to start over, though, let’s make sure we’re starting with ideas that excite us. If you have an idea that “sounds interesting,” that’s not enough. An interesting idea cannot sustain you through a 50,000+ word novel. You need to love it.

To find story ideas you love, inspiration is key. But it’s not just about finding inspiration. Once you catch the spark, you need to know how to guide it in the right direction. And the “right direction” will be different for everyone.

No plotting step-by-step will get you anywhere if you’re not eager enough to write the story you’ve conceptualized. And if you are resurrecting an old idea or continuing an incomplete draft, now might be the time to think about whether those ideas meet this criteria.

2. consistency

The key to writing a novel in a year is to…well, write a novel. In a year. Which means, you’ll need to spend quite a bit of time actually writing.

For anyone who has tried unsuccessfully to create a consistent writing routine, this can seem like an impossible ask. But if you don’t have a writing habit you can depend on, you won’t make it very far out of the gate.

The mistake that most aspiring writers make is trying to jump too high too soon. National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo) popularized the idea of writing 50,000 words in a month. That’s about 1600 words a day. Due to its popularity, many writers tend to take that as the default goal. “I should be writing at least 1000 words a day, if not more!”

There’s a reason that marathon runners train for months. You can’t go from sitting on your couch to running 26 miles overnight. You need to train for it. Here I outline my five-step process on how to make writing a daily habit.

3. motivation

Remember Jane? Our writer who abandoned ship when things started to get a little choppy? Guess what—writing a novel in a year will not be smooth sailing. You will need to have some strategies in place for dealing with rough waters.

When you’re in the middle of a bout of writer’s block, there are some strategies you can use to get yourself out. I go through some of these in Part 3 of this series: How to Keep Writing When You’re Stuck, but let’s start with something preemptive you can do before you even start writing.

Create an “if-then” plan. Consider the inevitable issues you’re going to face, and plan how you are going to deal with them.

Here’s an example:

• If I can’t figure out what to do next in my story, then I’m going to take a few days off to let my brain rest.

• If I’m still stuck after a week, then I’m going to try back tracking in the plot to go in a new direction.

• If that doesn’t work for me, then I’m going to talk to a trusted friend, critique partner, writing coach, or editor to get a fresh perspective.

You will get stuck. Even if you have an outline, an issue may pop up that you didn’t foresee until you’re in the middle of it. Having a plan reminds you that this is all part of the process. There’s no need to panic. Take the steps you outlined and do your best to work through it.

so, how do you write a book in a year?

If you came here looking for a step-by-step process for writing a novel, I will at least leave you with this recommendation: Save the Cat!® Writes a Novel: The Last Book On Novel Writing You’ll Ever Need.

This method is popular for a reason. It breaks story structure down in a way that’s easy to digest and understand. It gives you a to-do list of beats to plot out and even offers tips for where to start. The book also includes several examples with real works of fiction to help you see it in practice. But my personal favorite takeaway is how the author approaches character design.

Give the book above a read, master the fundamentals discussed in the post, and you’re on your way to more success in the next year. Need some extra help? Check out my coaching service for writers and I’ll work with you every step of the way.