The 3 Key
Elements
There are three core skillsets for successful novel writing - what are they?
The 3 Key Elements
What makes a novel work?
1.
Writing Dramatic Prose
Presentation
GPS (Grammar, Punctuation, Spelling)
Sentences & Paragraphs
Dialogue & Exposition
Concision, Overwriting & Repeats
Point of View (POV)
Narrative Position
Narrative (Psychic) Distance
Show Don't Tell
2.
Scene Setting & Writing Chapters
Scene Setting
World Building
Characters & Characterisation
Chapters & Turning Points
Forward Story & Back Story
Dramatic Impetus
Pace, Anticipation, Tension, Surprise
Sorting the Wheat from the Chaff
Dramatise, Summarise, or Delete
3.
The Big Picture
Title
Genre & Vision
Emotion and Effectiveness
Protagonist & Antagonist
3 Cs: Contract, Crucible, Clock
Story Goal, Thread, Cause & Effect
Plotting and Information Release
Plot Mountain, Structure & Shape
Research & Credibility
Length
Great authors,
whether literary or genre writers,
hit their marks on
all 3 Key Elements.
Literary fiction will often focus more
on prose and emotion,
while action thrillers thrive on pace and plot.
Yet a literary manuscript with no story will struggle to find readers, and, no matter how many explosions there are, a badly-written action thriller will not carry the story well enough to convince.
The importance of each key skill varies from genre to genre, but they all must be adequately addressed for the story to succeed.
It can take a long time to get there by trial and error alone.
Many manuscripts struggle to reach their potential, because the vision of the writer is not fully expressed on the page. It is usually due to an incomplete skillset.
If you nail all the steps in the process, and master all of these key skills, you will be able to write a successful novel in any genre you choose.