How to Write a Novel in One (Not-so-easy) Lesson

By Jacqueline Diamond

An entertaining, readable approach to becoming the best novelist you can be.

Bestselling author and writing teacher Jacqueline Diamond shares her knowledge of the craft of fiction in easy-to-read, short sections filled with tips and examples.

Instead of one-size-fits-all schemes, you’ll find solid information on plotting, using point of view, creating memorable characters, discovering your voice and writing dialogue. It’s designed to help no matter how much or how little writing experience you have.

The USA Today bestselling author of more than a hundred mysteries and romances, Diamond has also created study notes with samples of novels in three genres. These will show you how to start your story right from page one.

A former Associated Press reporter and TV columnist, Diamond has won a Career Achievement Award from Romantic Times magazine, has finaled twice for RWA’s prestigious Rita Award, and has hit bestseller lists including Waldenbooks and USA Today.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jacqueline Diamond
• Release date: Mar 1, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301995752

Jacqueline Diamond

Author of more than 100 novels, USA Today bestselling author Jacqueline Diamond is best known for her Safe Harbor Medical® romances, the spin-off Safe Harbor Medical mystery series, and her half-dozen light Regency romances. A former Associated Press reporter and TV columnist, Jackie has sold books to a range of publishers, including St. Martin's Press, William Morrow and Harlequin. She currently self-publishes her novels and is enjoying the freedom to expand her imaginative scope!A mother and grandmother, Jackie lives in Southern California with her husband of more than 40 years. She belongs to writers' organizations including The Authors Guild, Orange County Romance Writers, and Novelists Inc. Jackie has twice been a finalist for the Rita Award and received a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award. She currently writes the Forgotten Village Magical Mystery series, beginning with A Cat's Garden of Secrets.National Book Award winner Neal Shusterman, author of Challenger Deep, describes her as a "master storyteller." No. 1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber says, “Jacqueline Diamond writes stories from the heart with a wisdom and tenderness that remain long after the final page.”

Book preview

HOW TO WRITE A NOVEL

IN ONE (NOT-SO-EASY) LESSON

by

Jacqueline Diamond

In memory of Jane Jordan Browne, my agent and supporter for nearly 20 years

This digital edition published by

K. Loren Wilson

P.O. Box 1315

Brea, CA 92822

This compilation copyright 2011 by Jackie Diamond Hyman

Licensing statement

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter One: Avoiding Beginner Mistakes

Chapter Two: Building on Your Strengths

Chapter Three: Using Your Brain

Chapter Four: Staying Positive When Everything Hurts

Chapter Five: How to Write a Novel

Chapter Six: Touch Me in the Dark

Chapter Seven: Danger Music

Chapter Eight: A Lady of Letters

An Afternote

About the Author

Books by Jacqueline Diamond

Credits, Copyrights and Other Important Stuff

INTRODUCTION

I began writing seriously with an eye to publication when I was five years old. It took more than twenty-five years before my first novel saw print, and then both the advance and the sales were modest. In case you’re wondering, the title was Lady in Disguise and the genre was romantic comedy set in the English Regency era, the age of Jane Austen.

As of this writing (updated in 2018), I’ve sold more than one hundred novels ranging from mysteries, contemporary romances and romantic comedies to a fantasy and several paranormal thrillers. I currently write the Safe Harbor Medical® mystery series, about a young obstetrician who helps solve puzzling mysteries affecting his patients and colleagues.

Where did I learn my craft? Trial and error was part of it but I also benefited from some brilliant instructors. They included Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Howard Nemerov and playwright William Gibson, who wrote The Miracle Worker.

I’ve also had the good fortune to work with several excellent agents—among them the late Jane Jordan Browne--and wonderful editors at publishing houses that include Harlequin, William Morrow, Berkley, St. Martin’s Press, Walker and Company and DAW. I’ve benefited from outstanding workshops at Romance Writers of America’s national conference and at RWA’s Orange County, California chapter. I owe a large thanks to the critique group Fictionaires, to which I’ve belonged for more than forty-five years.

While I began my writing career brimming with ideas and energy, I had to learn my craft step by step. Each new project brought fresh challenges, not all of which I overcame. In addition to those hundred novels that sold, I completed several that didn’t and wrote a staggering number of partials, ranging from fifty to more than one hundred pages each, that never sold.

Don’t tell me that failure isn’t an option. For most writers, it’s an inevitability. The key to success is to learn from the failures and move on.

As my skills grew, I conducted the occasional workshop, mostly through RWA, but I didn’t begin teaching on a regular basis until my younger son left for college in 2007. As an instructor at Long Ridge Writers Group until I retired in 2015, I had a chance to work with both beginning and advanced writers on short stories, articles and novels. Working with students gave me a better understanding of the patterns and pitfalls that affect a wide range of writers.

These insights led to several articles on the craft of writing for RWA’s monthly magazine, the Romance Writer’s Report. It struck me that these articles might be useful to a broader group of writers. I decided to collect them in this short book, rewriting and refining them along with the draft of a workshop I delivered at an RWA national convention. In addition, I’ve provided first chapters from three of my novels that are quite different in setting, tone and genre, along with study guides that I hope you find helpful.

There’s an emphasis on writing the romance novel, but many of my points apply equally to mysteries, fantasy and thrillers as well as to other genres of commercial fiction and some literary novels.

My hope for this collection is that it will help you on the road to becoming the best writer you can be.

Jackie Diamond Hyman

Writing as Jacqueline Diamond

CHAPTER ONE: Avoiding Beginner Mistakes

Padding barefoot across the room, her heart thundered in her chest she could hardly breathe. The woman was short with long blonde hair. Eagerly, she cast her eyes out the window and swept them across the view.

John hurried toward the structure. Unable to believe he was here at last. Two years ago, when he first met Mary, he smiled and said, Nice to meet you. My name is John.

As a frequent contest judge and a writing teacher, I can identify numerous errors–some rather painful--in this passage. Yet I also see through the awkwardness to the potential underneath.

That’s one of many things I’ve discovered while teaching.

In some ways, being an instructor is like becoming a detective, searching for clues to help a writer whose strengths and weaknesses may be very different from my own. Working this way has taught me a lot about the process of writing.

Among the points that stand out are some that may seem obvious, and others that may surprise you.

POINT ONE: Action begets reaction, which begets pace.

A story is terrible thing to waste, but inexperienced writers do it all the time. The promising elements of a tale lie limp on the page. Why? Because, as in real life, the characters simply decide to do things for no clear reason.

Example: The heroine, Jane, is sitting in her living room when she decides to go visit an old boyfriend. During the visit, she finds Bill happily married and realizes she’s been unduly mistrusting of relationships. She goes home and decides to call the man’s brother, whom she always found appealing. End of story.

Did things happen? Yes. Did Jane change? Yes. Was this interesting? I’m sorry; I’ll answer that when I finish yawning.

Try this sequence instead: Jane is sitting in her living room watching a romantic movie and wondering why real men are such rats, when the phone rings. The man at the other end claims to have a wrong number, but she believes the voice belongs to Bill, an ex-boyfriend she regrets breaking up with. So she goes to visit and finds him happily married, but what about that phone call? She keeps debating whether to confront him. Finally, when his wife is out of the room, she does, but he denies everything. Hurt, mistrusting and cynical that even this blissful union is probably a sham, the heroine returns home to find a recorded message from Bill’s shy brother, who sounds just like him. Not only is her faith restored, but she realizes she really liked the brother