Writing a novel will change your life.
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It might not be in the way that you expect, but when you hold your book in your hand and say, “I made this,” something will shift.
The process of getting to that point will light a spark in your creative soul and help you discover unexpected aspects of yourself. It will be one of the things you are most proud of in your life.
I’m Joanna (J.F.) Penn, award-nominated, New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of 18 novels and novellas with nearly a million books sold in over one hundred countries.
This book will help you write your first novel, or improve your creative process so you can write more books and reach more readers. It covers mindset, ideas and research, aspects of craft, how to write a first draft, and work through an editing process to a finished book.
If you want to (finally) write your novel, then buy How to Write a Novel today.
Ebook edition, delivered by Bookfunnel, read on any device.
Buy on other stores.
Who is this book for?
This book is for aspiring novelists working on their first novel, and for established authors who want a clear framework to plan and structure subsequent novels. It works for plotters, discovery writers, and everyone in between.
What you'll learn
- How to find and develop ideas worth writing a whole novel about
- How to plan a novel without killing the joy of writing it (or how to discovery-write without getting lost)
- The core elements of story: character, plot, setting, theme, point of view
- How to write a strong first draft and how to revise it into something publishable
- How to deal with the inner critic, writer's block, and the messy middle
- How to know when your novel is finished
How is this different from other novel-writing guides?
It is written by a New York Times and USA Today bestselling novelist (J.F. Penn, Joanna Penn's fiction pen name) who has published 18+ novels and novellas across thrillers, dark fantasy, crime, and horror. It is craft-focused but practical, with a working author's perspective on how to actually finish a book — not just how it should theoretically work.
What format options are available?
Available as ebook (delivered via BookFunnel), paperback, audiobook narrated by Joanna Penn, and a companion workbook with questions and exercises.
Read sample chapters from this book
The complete book has been published as free chapter excerpts on this site. Read all 38 chapters →
Sample chapters to start with:
See the full chapter list →