Novels can be 250 or 600 pages long; they can be stories of love, adventure, or horror. They can span a day or a century. A core of elements distinguishes novels from memoirs and from nonfiction. These elements include character, plot, setting, narrative voice, and theme.
Related Articles
Read More Elements of a Novel: An Overview
Writing Your First Novel Sections
- Top 10 Reasons to Write a Novel
- Defining the Novel
- Getting Started
- Elements of a Novel: An Overview
- Creating the Protagonist
- Creating the Supporting Cast and Settings
- Building the Plot
- Research
- Starting the Rough Draft
- Shaping Scenes
- Writing Characters
- Writing Dialogue
- Writing Setting
- Writing Action
- Writing Suspense
- Getting to “The End”
- Rewrites
- Editing and Polishing
- Reviewing Grammar and Punctuation
- Avenues to Publication
- Pitching, Querying, and Presenting the Final Manuscript
- Working with a Literary Agent
- Six Months to a Completed First Draft
- The Novelist's Resources
- Home
- Writing Your First Novel
- Elements of a Novel: An Overview