Writing 101: Using Novel Writing Software
       By: John T Jones, Ph.D.
Posted: 2007-03-15 08:11:20
A beginning writer can use novel writing software as a guide to his first novel. An experienced writer can use novel writing software to keep track of his characters, places, and objects. Research can be done on the Internet as the novel comes forth and the results can be stored using the software.The most powerful feature of such software is the chapter guides. A genre is chosen (action, western, detective, romance, history, etc.). Once that is accomplished the chapter guides will show you what needs to be written in each chapter.There are a number of software programs for novel writers. They come in a variety of styles and price but their main functions are as described above.I came upon a low-cost British version of novel-writing software for new authors. The novel software uses the Harry Potter books as an example.I used the British software to write a novelette of 17,000 words to demonstrate how the software works. You can read the novelette at my website. My demonstration novelette is a detective western set in the late 1890s.By definition, a novel has over 50,000 words and most genre novels have over 150,000 words. A historical romance may have 400,000 words or more.Some writers like to use a set number of chapters, perhaps 20, and that is how they start out. The software I tested has 12 chapters but the number of chapters can easily be expanded by repeating a set of two chapters over and over again as I show later in this article.At the start of a novel, many writers alternate chapters, one for the hero (protagonist) then one for the villain (antagonist). This process can be repeated until the two come together mid- or late-novel.Writing a novelette like I did, lets a writer know what the story is all about, who the characters are, and the plot. My novelette which took less than a week part-time to write could be expanded into a full-length novel in six weeks or less. In other words, using the software, you should be able to crank out four genre novels or one historical romance each year.The way I would expand a novelette would be what I call "fleshing out". That would be to add the nitty gritty details that novel readers love. I would not necessarily have to add chapters.CHARACTERIZATIONSome writers like to start with a picture from a magazine that they can use for a particular character. If that helps you, start cutting up your magazines or newspapers.If your are an artist, or can at least sketch a character, the visualization may help you. I can draw after a sort but I never use pictures or sketches. I always see my characters in my mind so I don't need to do that.Speaking of characters, in my mind, one character or another is always trying to dominate the script.When I wrote Bull: A Western Saga, a character named Peter Ott tried to take over the novel. I had to relegate him to a character who wouldn't do Bull's dirty work so that Bull would have to perform all main actions, not Peter Ott.But Peter Ott was still a dominant character and he forced me to write Revenge on the Mogollon Rim: A Peter Ott Western where Peter Ott is the main character and Bull Davis becomes a secondary character.When I say "forced," I mean that characters do get into your head. If you have to trim a number of characters from your novel you may hear them scream at you.OK! So I'm crazy.In the British software, the first thing you do is click on "new character" in the resource box. The software will ask you for a name and the sex of the character. Then it will suggest a new name for you if you don't like the one you chose.Next you click on a box that defines the character as the protagonist, the antagonist, a helper of the protagonist, a helper of the antagonist, or "other."Once you know the role the character will be playing, you enter your answers as the program asks you questions:
How tall is your character?
Hair type and color? Body shape?
How do they move?
How do they smell?
What sort of clothing?
How do they talk?
Special features or identifying marks?
I suggest that when you answer the questions you don't just put one word answers. For example: Peter Ott stood up, but as tall as he was, Bull Davis still towered over him. Her hair was not quite red or brown. I think they call that "auburn" now days. Wavy auburn I would say. When she walked her shoulders didn't move but her hips swayed like a feather in a breeze. She said, "Peter Ott, you need a bath. You smell like a horse." He said, "Now you've offended Trigger. You'll have to apologize by giving him a carrot." His hat was mashed down and his britches were torn. He spoke slowly but with a Canadian accent, "EH?" When he joined the circus he saw that both the men and women had tattoos. In fact you could get tattooed at the circus for a dollar. He had a male lion tattooed on his chest. The tattoo had faded over the years but he was still proud to show it to anyone who asked to see it.Next you are asked about the personality of the character as to mood, strength of personality, sense of humor, and other personality traits. I suggest again that you write more single word answers. For example:It was not like Mary Bedford to be sad. The fact is that she was always cheerful, giving a "jolly good morning" to all she met on the street whether she knew them or not. Drag said, "I'm a not cowin' down to you bastards. You may have me tied down to this ant bed but as soon as my friends-these big red critters-chew these ropes away, I'll a be a comin' after ya."All you had to say was "chickens" and Henriette would break out laughing. Well, she never forgot a joke and her favorite was the one about the fast-running, three-legged chickens. Billy loved girls more than boys even when he was just a kid, the opposite of most boys. That was because of the gangs in Brooklyn, the boys always beating up on him. Well, that is still true today but now they call him a womanizer.Next you will be asked about the likes and dislikes of the character and then any other personality traits that are important. You can describe his or her birth date and place. The environment he grew up in. Anything that has formed his or her character. Example: The wind blew down off the plateau and sent Maria's hat blowing in the wind. Though she was born in the town of Big Blow Bluff, she never got used to the wind gust that could come so quickly that the wind always won. She raced after the hat, but the hat rolled along on its edge faster than the ten-year-old could run. Finally it rolled amongst the sheep and a big ram stepped on it. She retrieved her hat and said, "Thank you, Natty. I never would have caught it without you."After you have described your character, you will be asked if you want to add a picture. You can do this by using the browse function and you can retrieve it from your computer. If you made a sketch, you could scan it and enter it.Like I said, I don't use pictures. Well, I guess I have used pictures. I used them when writing my detective novels. It's hell to be old and senile.The key to characterization is to know each character to the degree needed for the story. Your protagonist (hero) must be very well know and his or her traits will be revealed by dialog throughout the story. The same is true of the antagonist (villain). The traits of these two characters should be updated in the character profiles as you write along.The more powerful the role of the character, the more you need to know about his or her character.Other than to know that the newsboy on the corner had a shoe that was untied, you don't need anything else on him unless he is featured every morning. Even then, you just dribble out that his nose was running and he wiped it on his sleeve. (This is called "UGH" in writing and is frowned upon. You can describe the results of a murder rape but not a kid wiping his nose on his shirt sleeve.)I suggest that you don't even think about a big list of characters before you start writing the chapters. Writers write right, right?So start your first chapter and add the character descriptions as the characters appear. If Mildred show up, click on "new character" and add her traits as the program dictates.Finally, after you have entered a character and a new trait shows up in your writing, just click on the character and add the new trait. That way you will always be able to check if it was Nancy that didn't like liver or was it Fran?PLACENext you describe the place or location of your action. There may be only one place in your novel, the Nickolay Mansion.Often there are two diverse places, Dorothy in Kansas and Dorothy in Oz.Just answer the software questions to describe a place or places. Use your Internet search function to add details as needed. Use your memory of people and activities if you live or once lived in the place you are describing.If you have an imaginary place in your novel. you will have to use your creativity to describe it. Those of you who read my UFO articles know what I'm talking about.OBJECTYou can describe objects with the British software. That could be a ship on which the action takes place, a jewel that the hero is trying to recover, a gun used by the antagonist, any object with special significance in your story.You don't have to describe Ruth's hat. Do that on the run as you write the novel.RESEARCHOne feature I liked in the British software (but did not use in the novelette) is the Research feature. It allows you to put the results of your research right in front of you. You can keep track of historical facts including dates, etc. If I were to write a new novel, I certainly would use that feature.WRITING THE CHAPTERSThis is the meat of the program. It creates the plot in an organized manner. For example, genre novels follow a pattern. If you follow the pattern, you will easily write the novel. For example:
Chapter: Hero at home.
Chapter: Hero presented a puzzle to solve.
Chapter: Hero meets helpful mentor.
Chapter: Hero prepares for investigation.
Chapter: Hero in place where puzzle began.
Chapter: Hero makes progress but is tested.
Chapter: Leaning process and tests continue.
Chapter: Set-back for the hero.
Chapter: Hero discovers truth but can not reveal it.
Chapter: Hero prepares to face antagonist (villain).
Chapter: Hero confronts antagonist.
Chapter: Hero explains all.
Like I said, some authors like to alternate chapters between the hero and the villain. There is something to be said for that, especially for new authors. It keeps everything clean and neat.I found that the descriptions of the chapter contents were very good using the British software. After describing what to write, the software uses Harry Potter books as examples.Having only 12 chapters in a novelette was about right but a minimum of 20 chapters would be better for a genre novel, but that is just my opinion. Long chapters are OK. I just don't like them. I'm always asking, "Will this chapter ever end?"Alternating "hero" chapters with "villain" chapters brings the villain in at Chapter Two. That means that you have already inserted extra chapters.
Chapter: Hero at home.
Chapter: Villain at home (or somewhere else) doing his dirty work.
Chapter: Hero presented a puzzle to solve.
Chapter: Villain is creating more havoc or running.
Chapter: Hero meets helpful mentor.
Chapter: Villain finds associates.
Chapter: Hero prepares for investigation.
Chapter: Villain plans another hideous crime.
Chapter: Hero in place where puzzle began.
Chapter: Villain strikes again.
Chapter: Hero makes progress but is tested.
Chapter: Villain on the lamb.
Chapter: Leaning process and tests continue.
Chapter: Villain finds hiding place.
Chapter: Set-back for the hero.
Chapter: Villain holds person or loot.
Chapter: Hero discovers truth but can not reveal it.
Chapter: Villain discovers hero is on his trail.
Chapter: Hero prepares to face antagonist (villain).
Chapter: Villain gears up to fight or run again.
Chapter: Hero confronts antagonist (villain).
Chapter: Hero explains all.
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