How do you start a novel?
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- Elizabeth Gipson
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How do you start a novel?
- Harley-Panda
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It's quite a long process but basically what I do is get everything down onto paper so it isn't forgotten, and then I sort and organise all the ideas after.
As for the copyrights - I believe if a story is using elements of stories which are in the public domain then there shouldn't be an issue. Usually, once I have my idea set out, I'll try searching online for keywords of the plotline, character names, or places, just to see what sort of thing comes up. If it's out there then hopefully it should pop up! Also, you can try speaking to friends/family about your idea to see if they've read or seen anything similar.
Another commenter may (hopefully) be able to clarify about copyrights better as I am not an expert on this subject
Good luck with your novel!
- Emmanuel ufom
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Firstly:knowing the main topic or stories
Secondly:observing the character to know how and when he or she can be place
Thirdly:A proper prepare caution in beginning the first topic
Fourthly: the first chapter should be properly arranged with paragraph and full stop
Finally:make sure it end well
- KS Crooks
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- FLAMENCO
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- jjmainor
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- ElizaPeaks
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1) There is nothing new under the sun - every idea has already been taken, but that's okay because there's never been a you before. While there are repeat ideas, there is no such thing as a repeat person! What's amazing about this is that you get to take a story that's been told over and over again and add elements to it that no one else could because they simply aren't you!
2) Start plotting your story off with a simple statement, as follows: This story is about ______ who _______, but _____. Identify your main protagonist and what they want. For instance, "This story is about a generally confused detective who wants to find a lifetime partner, but his mom isn't ready to let him move out of her house and start his own life." If you can't boil your story down to this simple statement, then you don't have a plot!
3) Figure out your ending! As soon as you have the above statement filled out, decide on your ending so that you can fill in the between space while having a destination in mind. You can decide your ending based off of who you want your protagonist to be by the end of the story or based off of what you want to teach the audience. For instance, following the above example, the ending could be, "The confused detective realizes that he only wanted a lifetime partner because he was too afraid to grow up and live life on his own, so he dumps the obsessive girlfriend, repairs his relationship with his mom, and moves out to start his own life!" Or alternatively, it might look like, "The confused detective marries his girlfriend, moves into a new house, and continues living life exactly as he did at his mom's house which ends up destroying his marriage because he married for personal gain rather than out of mutual respect and love!"
- Kyrenora
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When it comes to copyright, anything in the public domain is fair game. A quick Google search will be able to tell you if copyrights are owned by a particular party. You'll need to be careful to avoid details that have been added later (for example, if you used something specific to Once Upon a Time's telling of the stories that doesn't appear in the originals).
If you're finding that what you want to write is already owned by someone, then I would suggest that you consider writing it anyway as fan fiction. I often do it just as a practice exercise. It can be a lot of fun, you get to hone your skills, and you may even attract regular readers who enjoy your writing enough to seek out your original works as well.
- amal_786
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- DD129
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Of course, writing comes easy to some people. For others, it may take a little more training.
Just something to consider. I encourage you to write if that would make you happy. Don't let your fears stop you from doing what you want. Like the others said, every work stems from something.
- Erin Painter Baker
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As for copyright, as @ElizaPeaks said, there are no new story ideas. Every idea is a retelling of Romeo & Juliet (which itself was a retelling of older stories) or Rip Van Winkle or something. Ideas cannot be copyrighted. Characters and settings can, so if you want to use characters we are all already familiar with, you have to make sure those are in the public domain. Fairy tale, Shakespearean, or Jane Austen characters - you're good. Star Wars, Harry Potter, or Downton Abbey characters - you're not good. The same kind of goes with settings. You can put anything you want in London (or your version of London), but you can't use the Harry Potter version of London or Hogwarts.
As for how do you start, everyone has a different method. Some people outline. Some people figure out the ending first. Some people only know their characters. A lot will depend on your style of writing and the focus of your writing. Are you focused on the plot? Write out a sketch of the plot, including possible twists and red herrings and where in the novel you think they'll go. Do you have a character in your head that just needs to get on paper? Start by writing a letter from the character, to you, where the character tells you what it is they want you as the author to know about their story. Do you have a cool concept that you want to write about? Start by writing the details of the concept - is it a setting, a piece of technology, a narrative device - and then make notes about what you would need to go with that idea or concept to make a full story.
For me, the hardest part is actually finding the time and space to write. I now get up early on a weekend, before anyone else in the house, and close myself in our office to write for an hour or two before everyone else is up and moving around. Sometimes I get 1000 words written. Sometimes I barely get 100. But I have a dedicated time, because that is what works for me.
- Dan_Wellock
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“Wisdom begins in wonder.” Socrates
- Florence Nalianya
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- Inkroverts
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That way I can easily track my process without feeling the writing task is never-ending.