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Sample chapter excerpt from How to Write a Novel by Joanna Penn (1)
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How to Write a Novel Ebook

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Writing a novel will change your life.

Ebook edition, delivered by Bookfunnel, read on any device. Buy on other stores.

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 →

Print books shipped from my independent printer in the UK. Paperbacks and some hardbacks are also shipped from the US, Canada and Australia. Shipping times may vary.

Ebooks and audiobooks are delivered by email through Bookfunnel. Check your email and then download or read/listen on your favorite device.

Reviews

★★★★★

This book provides an easy-to-follow blueprint for writing your own book. There is just enough explanation to help the reader organized their own thoughts and ideas without overwhelming them. You can read the book in any order you feel is necessary to pull your own book together in the way that your mind works best. Amazing!

Amazon Customer
5 star Amazon review
★★★★★

Joanna Penn shares so much of her experience while maintaining a tone of positive motivational energy that keeps you focused on pursuing your passion as a writer. I re-read her books often to stay motivated and informed.

kuhl
5 star Amazon review
★★★★★

Really enjoyed this book. I'm currently in the process of writing my first book and I learned plenty of information to help better myself as a writer from this book.

She talks through so much information that works for her and gives links to various writing tools that could help. If you're new to writing, like myself and need help, I highly recommend this book.

Stacie
5 star Amazon review
★★★★★

Joanna Penn shares her substantial breadth of experience and knowledge to help walk authors through writing a novel, from the approach to the planning to the nitty-gritty of drafting and editing. A practical, straightforward, eminently useful guide.

Tiffany Martin
5 star Goodreads review
★★★★★

Extraordinarily well put together. Joanna combines a decade+ of real-world indie author experience & all the advice she's heard from speaking with hundreds of other novelists. If your looking to enhance your writing craft look no further, this book's so incredible that I'm going back now to take notes :)

L.G. Curtis
5 star Goodreads review
  • 5 stars: 14 (100%)
  • 4 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 3 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 2 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 1 star: 0 (0%)
J
J
One of Her Most Helpful

I voraciously read through this book. There is so much good and applicable information and good solid advice that is doable and broken down. If you are lost on how a novel is supposed to come together, this is an invaluable book. Even after reading it cover to cover, I still reference it as I write my own book. It gets you excited to write!

J
J Wilson
Helped me immensely

I've read quite of few in this genre as I've tried to get my first novel finished and this is the best, most complete, and informative of all of them. Add in the plethora of information that she provides on her podcast and you can't go wrong following Joanna Penn wherever she goes!

S
Stacie
Gives plenty of information to help better your writing

Really enjoyed this book. I'm currently in the process of writing my first book and I learned plenty of information to help better myself as a writer from this book. She talks through so much information that works for her and gives links to various writing tools that could help. If you're new to writing, like myself and need help, I highly recommend this book.

A
Avid reader
Informative and fun to read too

Fantastic book for those dipping a toe into writing. This is written in an engaging way - self-deprecating and relatable.

m
mramerica
very nice book

A very well written book from a very honest lady. She provided what was necessary . Thanks a lot .

T
T.J.
I liked this book.

Joanna Penn always organized her book content, so it is easily read and understood. Thanks!

C
Char
Looks promising

This book will assist you on your creative journey

N
Noelle Snow
Great alternative to mainstream guidebooks

I’ve read many books on how to write a novel and gleaned lots of good stuff from all of them. But I have a hard time outlining or writing the way many writers teach. Ms. Penn was an excellent alternative. She refers to herself as a “discovery writer” mostly because she’s British, and she does not like the word “pantser” which is distinctly American! Regardless of terminologies, she gave wonderful encouragement in how to write when your creative process is very different from the majority of main stream writers. I found her book encouraging, helpful, insightful, and downright enjoyable to read. She made me want to sit down and write!

a
allthetruth
Helpful and Practical

Very helpful and full of practical advice, busting with insights, wisdom, and her own personal experience and recommendations. I have never written a book, but now have the tools. Thank you.

M
Maggie Miller
Every New Author Needs to Read this Book!

Joann Penn writes this book from her own experience. One thing I like about it is she does NOT say what everyone else is saying. For instance, the new fad is “there is no such thing as writer’s block.” YES there is, they just try to call it something else. In this book she goes from your idea to the publishing of your book and everything in between. There are 5 parts: First Principles - Ideas, Research, Plotting, and Discovery Writing - Aspects of a Novel - Writing the First Draft - The Editing Process. She gives you links to all the tools you will need. The advice given to new authors is just keep writing and fix up whatever mess you made during the editing process. I did that YUK! She offers three solutions - one being doing light editing during the writing process, which I am trying the second time around. Love Joanna Penn. Her books are easy to read and full of valuable information. GET THIS BOOK!

k
kuhl
highly recommend

Joanna Penn shares so much of her experience while maintaining a tone of positive motivational energy that keeps you focused on pursuing your passion as a writer. I re-read her books often to stay motivated and informed.

L
Lisa Mcknett
Well written

So far I am really getting a lot of great information from her book.

A
Amanda Brown
Essential reading for aspiring and experienced writers

If you want to write a novel, learn from the best. Joanna Penn, the author of 18 novels, presenter of the Creative Penn podcast, public speaker and teacher on the topic, shares her knowledge in this comprehensive guide. Whether you are thinking of writing a novel, have started your first draft or are a seasoned story teller, this book is full of practical advice.

Peppered with her personal experiences throughout, Joanne takes you through the mindset required to completing your novel, the elements which make up a successful story, different methods for planning and writing your novel and the selection of your support team - editors, beta readers, proofreaders, and more.

Having read Joanna's book, I discovered that I am more of a discovery writer than I thought. This has freed my imagination to take my characters on a journey while keeping the book's premise intact. Thank you for all your non-fiction books - they are all worth reading.

L
Liz
The least prescriptive how-to book I've read.

I loved this book. Plenty of information to be able to get started, without being an overly-long read. There's also a wealth of reading recommendations for further study, and I've added quite a few new books to my reading list.

The chapter on discovery writing was especially helpful. I've got so many folders where I stash odds and ends that might one day add up to a story. This section showed me that this chaotic process is okay. I haven't found that validation in other writing books.

Also, this is the first time I've bought direct from an author in many years. I'm very impressed by how smooth the process was. My previous experiences with other authors were of books that didn't quite work properly in terms of formatting for my Kindle, or of a complicated process for getting the files. Ordering direct from Joanna was a dream, such a smooth and easy experience. I'll definitely be buying direct again.

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