How to Plan Your Novel

So you have this idea for a story. One that’s been floating around on your head for years- or possibly even minutes- and now you’re wondering how you can turn that idea into a story. Well, you’ve come to the right place. Chances are if you are reading this, then you want to know how to start planning your novel.

This method is one that I’ve used for the initial planning of ALL my novels and short stories. However, it is not an original method to use. I learned about it many years ago when I was in school and I’ve simply modified it to suit my needs. This method involves asking yourself The 5 W’s: Who, What, When, Where, and Why. Now, I won’t get into the details of how this method came about, but let’s just say that this is a very old philosophical way of solving problems that has been modified over thousands of years (mind you, that is what came from a quick search on Wikipedia, so take that with a grain of salt).

Asking these five questions of your story really helps build the framework of your book. It helps flesh out the idea so you can mold it into something more tangible. The more you develop the idea in this stage, the easier it will be as you move through the other stages of the writing process.

Who

• What are your character’s names?– You can answer this by just sharing first and last names of characters. Some writers will spend time researching the meanings behind different names so that they can be an added piece of symbolism to their stories. Try to also think beyond the name of your protagonist. If you know who your antagonist is or that your main character will have friends, family, and mentors to aid them along the way, then add those names as well.
• What do they look like?– Stating hair and eye color is fine, but try to add more detail than that. Do they have tattoos? Perhaps your character prefers to dress a certain way? If you were to describe your appearance to someone, would only tell them your hair and eye color? Or would you share more? Keep that in mind as you think of the appearance of your characters.
• What do you know about their personality?– You can list a few character traits for this step, but don’t forget to add some flaws for your character too. No reader will ever believe that a character is totally good or totally evil. Maybe that goody two-shoes has a tendency to get jealous. Perhaps that villain has a soft spot for chonky cats. Whatever the case, a character who has both good and bad qualities is one that readers will be more likely to relate with.

What

• What is your story about?– This is the basic idea of your story. The plot. It will most likely change as you move through the writing process, but this is something to ground your idea and get you started.
• Have you thought of any subplots?– Subplots are the little things that go on in a story that semi-relate to the main plot. I classify character relationships and development in this category, but it can also include other things. This is something that may come about later in your draft, but if you have an idea for a subplot, then adding it at this stage would help you later on.

When

• What time of year is your story taking place?– There are many ways to answer this. You can share the season it’s in or whether or not it takes place sometime in the past, present, or future.
• Do you have an exact date in mind? Or a rough guess?– This kind of relates to the first only with more details if you have them. If you have an exact date of when your novel is taking place or even if it is taking place during some sort of holiday or war. Maybe it is taking place over a long span of time?

Where

• What is the setting of the story?– Are we thinking of an urban or a rural setting? Are you taking your readers to outer space? Even sharing the name of important places that your character goes to would help for this step.
• What does it look like?– If you know, then share describe this place that your character is at. Using as many sensory details when envisioning a setting will help flesh out your setting.
• What is the world your character lives in like?– This may not apply to all kinds of stories, but some might need an extra form of development. Writers of fantasy and sci-fi will sometimes completely displace readers entirely from the world as we know it by creating a new one. Since this is the first step in the process, adding a few details here about this new world, maybe some quirks or flaws, will help get you started for later on in the process.

Why

• Why is this happening to your character?– Is it because they are “the chosen one” or is it because of something more? Were your characters spurred into action by some outside event like a murder? Is simply a job for them that went awry? 
• What is the theme of your story?– This is to help remind you as to what the story is all about. You might not know the answer at this stage, but if you find out along the way, then feel free to add it in later. Knowing the theme will also help set the tone for your novel and, potentially, how the ending and character relationships will end up.

Asking these questions is one of many ways to begin writing your novel. If you find that you cannot answer all these questions during your planning stage, then don’t fret! This is merely a guide to help you get started and you only have to answer what is relevant to your story. This article is the first in an 8 part series about the writing process that I follow to get my book from an idea to publication. You might’ve noticed that I didn’t talk about the “how?” question and that is because I will in another article that I will be posting soon. 

Feel free to download the attached flyer to aid with your writing. Also, feel free to check out the accompanied Youtube video for this article. Some of the things that I talk about in it might be slightly different than what you read here, but the two together should provide you with enough information to get you started. I wish you luck on all your writing endeavors!