Top Novel Writing Techniques Rejected By The Masses

Writing novels is hard! There’s no denying that. But writing a novel is also one of the most rewarding things you can do as a writer. 

It’s such an amazing feeling when you finish your first draft, and even more so when someone else reads it and says, “Wow, this is really good!” 

While there are plenty of techniques out there for becoming better at writing novels (and I’ll be talking about some of them later), these are techniques you should avoid doing if you want to see your book get published:

Takeaways
1. Embrace Unconventional Approaches
2. Experiment with Narrative Structures
3. Develop Antiheroes and Complex Characters
4. Challenge Traditional Genre Boundaries
5. Play with Nonlinear Timelines
6. Explore Symbolism and Metaphor
7. Combine Multiple Perspectives
8. Use Stream of Consciousness Writing
9. Don’t Fear Ambiguity
10. Push Creative Boundaries

Write What You Want, Not What You Think Will Sell

The most important thing to know about writing is that nobody cares about your novel except you. Nobody cares if it’s well-written, or if it does something new with the form. 

Nobody will care who your publisher is, or how many pages your book has. If anyone else does care about these things, they’re probably wrong and maybe a little confused as to why they’re reading a novel in the first place anyway.

The best way to ensure that your book finds its target audience is by writing something specifically for them, not everybody in general, but instead a select group of people who share similar interests and worldviews with yours. 

The more specific those interests are (for example: soccer fans rather than sports fans), the more likely you’ll reach an audience that will enjoy reading your work!

Crafting compelling characters is essential for a captivating novel. Learn how to create characters that readers will remember in our guide to designing the characters in your novel.

Write Chapters That Are The Right Length

Most chapters are too long. They should be no longer than five to ten pages at most. The best chapters have a clear beginning, middle and end; 

They begin with a hook or teaser that keeps you reading until the end; they don’t meander around aimlessly; and they’re written in a way that makes them easy to read.

This is especially important if you want your novel to sell well because it will help readers see how your story is unfolding on the page as well as make it easier for publishers who might want to print them in anthologies or magazines (which may pay more).

But there’s another reason why shorter chapters are better: writing shorter chapters makes them easier for you as an author because longer ones can be challenging!

Writing dialogue that feels natural and engaging is an art. Check out our comprehensive tips on writing great dialogue to make your characters’ conversations come alive.

Read Other Authors

Read books that are similar to the one you want to write, and read books that are different from the one you want to write. Read novels in your genre, and read poetry or nonfiction or whatever else is on your bookshelf. 

Read as much as possible, especially things you don’t like (or hate) so that your mind can become accustomed to different styles of writing. 

The more varied writing styles you can think about while in the process of creating your own work, the better chance it has at being unique and successful!

Get Drunk On Occasion

One of the most common excuses for not writing is that writers don’t have time. If you’re one of these people, I’m sure you’ve heard this one: “I can’t write because I’m too busy.”

Well, here’s a novel technique that might help you relieve some stress and get your creative juices flowing: Drink alcohol on occasion.

It’s true! Drinking alcohol has been shown to help people loosen up and be more creative by getting in touch with their true feelings, like when they’re scared or sad. 

Drinking also makes people more honest with themselves and others which is exactly what novelists need in order to write an honest story!

Take Notes When Ideas Come To You

One of the best ways to build a successful novel is to capture your thoughts and ideas as they come to you. I don’t mean that you should stop often in the middle of a conversation and pull out your phone to write down an idea. 

Instead, one of the most effective ways to take notes on what’s going on in your head is through stream-of-consciousness writing.

As long as there isn’t something better coming along shortly after this thought has occurred, write it down! Don’t worry if it sounds stupid or silly; just write it down! This method may help jog another good idea into being later on when you’re trying not to get stuck with writer’s block.

Plot holes can undermine the credibility of your story. Discover how to avoid common pitfalls in storytelling with our insights into preventing common plot holes to keep your narrative seamless.

Use Writing Software For Your First Draft

No matter how much you might want to, you can’t write a novel in one sitting. You’ll need breaks to go for walks and eat meals and sleep, but even if you’re on a roll, there will come a time when your brain just runs out of steam. 

When this happens, don’t fight it take notes while your creative juices are flowing so that later on (or possibly the next day) when they’ve dried up again, you’ll have some material to work with.

Writing software can help keep track of all those little bits of writing genius so that you don’t lose them forever when your computer crashes or the power goes out or whatever other calamity strikes before you get around to printing out the document from which all our earthly hopes depend.

Create A Detailed Outline Of Your Novel Before Writing It

You should create a detailed outline of your novel before writing it. An outline will help you stay on track as you write, give your story direction by keeping it on a single track, and prevent plot holes from forming in the middle of your book.

It will also help keep all of your characters consistent and interesting throughout the book, and avoid unnecessary scenes that don’t add anything to the story.

Or make things more complicated (which is always a good thing), and ensure that no additional characters are added to the mix if they’re not necessary for the plot.

Take Rest Periods Between Drafts And Don’t Feel Too Guilty About It

You may be tempted to think that you have to write every day, but that’s not true. In fact, taking rest periods between drafts can help your creativity and mental health.

There are no rules about how long these rest periods should last, or when they should occur. The important thing is to take them when you need them in order to let yourself regenerate as a person and writer. If this means taking a week off between drafts one and two, then so be it! 

Or maybe you want to go without writing for two months after finishing draft two so that you can recharge before starting on draft three? 

That’s fine too! Whatever works best for your process is what matters most here and don’t feel guilty about taking time off if it helps make your novel better (and makes life more enjoyable).

Embarking on a journey of novel writing requires dedication and persistence. Find inspiration and practical advice in our guide on writing a novel in six months to achieve your literary goals.

Write 5-10 Minutes A Day Without Stopping, Even If You Hate What You’re Writing

The truth is, no one wants to read what you have written. But, if you write every day without stopping and ignore everything else in your life for the time being, then eventually something will happen. Something magical, something amazing that makes writing worthwhile. 

And when it does happen and people finally read what you’ve created – even if it’s just one person.

Then that’s all that matters because you know how hard it was for this person to get through all of those words without dying from boredom or annoyance or even disgust at some point along their journey through your novel (or short story/play/etc.).

Keep A Journal Of Your Feelings And Thoughts, Not Just Ideas For Stories Or Characters

It’s time to get real. Journaling is not just for poets, artists and people who have too much time on their hands. It’s a tool that all writers need to utilize in order to develop as an author. 

Why? Because this simple act will help you uncover hidden gems of inspiration, character development and plot twists that may never surface otherwise.

So get out your journal you don’t need anything fancy (though if you want it’ll be there when you need it) and start writing down your feelings, thoughts and ideas however they come to mind. 

Don’t worry about spelling or grammar; just write! And don’t worry about the length of your entries either; just keep going until those words pour out like water from a fountain until there’s nothing left but silence…or maybe even more words (if so: congratulations).

Ask Yourself Why You Want To Write This Book In The First Place, And Whether You Care About It Enough To See It Through To The End

It’s important to ask yourself why you want to write this book in the first place, and whether you really care about it enough to see it through to the end. 

If your answer is “I’ve always wanted to be a writer,” then great! You’re on your way. But if your response is something like: “I just need some extra spending money,” or “My wife wants me to get a job,” then maybe writing isn’t for you just yet.

This is also where we need to talk about commitment! Can you see yourself finishing this book? Do you want more than one book under your belt? Are there other things going on in your life that might get in the way of finishing this novel (or any future novels)? 

Remember that once something goes into print, it’s there forever and though readers will forgive many things (crappy punctuation, bad grammar), they won’t forgive an unfinished story. So don’t do anything else until this novel is finished!

Crafting a novel that resonates with readers involves more than just words. Explore unconventional writing techniques in our article on novel writing techniques rejected by the masses to challenge conventions and elevate your storytelling.

Write Character Bios For Each Of Your Characters, Even If They’re Only Two-Dimensional Stereotypes

A character bio should be at least a few paragraphs long, not a few sentences. You can write the bio in the first person (“My name is Johnny and I am an organized person who always remembers to wear my hat because it’s cold in here”).

But it’s more effective if you write it in third person (“Johnny was an organized person, always remembered to wear his hat because he had a cold and didn’t want anyone else to get sick.”).

Your character’s bio should include physical details, personality traits, and a list of their goals and motivations. 

You should also include information on how they react when they don’t get what they want or when things go wrong for them this helps you figure out how your characters would act as well as giving them depth so that people will care about what happens to them!

Finally, make sure that your character bios are written in the present tense don’t use past tense at all! 

When writing stories with multiple points-of-view (POVs) or limited POVs (where only one character knows certain things), this is especially important because past tense would suggest which parts were told from one particular POV over another.”

Conclusion

We hope that the tips in this article have helped you see how easy it is to get started as a novelist. Writing is a great hobby; it’s also a great way to make money if you can get published. 

There are hundreds of thousands of books on Amazon right now, so there’s no shortage of material out there! Don’t be afraid to keep trying until you find something that works for you and who knows? Maybe one day your book will be among them

Further Reading

Expand your knowledge with these additional resources:

Dealing with Rejections in Writing: Learn how to handle rejection as a writer and use it to improve your craft. Explore valuable insights in this article on dealing with rejections.

The Most Rejected Books in History: Discover the stories behind some of the most rejected books of all time and find inspiration in their eventual success. Read more on the most rejected books of all time.

Stephen King’s Writing Tips: Gain valuable advice from renowned author Stephen King with his top 13 writing tips. Explore his insights on writing success.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions related to writing and literature:

How do I handle rejection as a writer?

Rejection is a natural part of a writer’s journey. It’s essential to remember that even successful authors faced rejection before achieving their goals. Use rejections as opportunities for growth and improvement.

What are some common reasons books get rejected by publishers?

Books can be rejected for various reasons, including lack of marketability, weak writing, or not fitting the publisher’s current needs. Each rejection can provide valuable feedback to help you enhance your work.

How can I overcome writer’s block?

Writer’s block is a common challenge. One approach is to take a break and engage in activities that inspire creativity, like reading, going for a walk, or trying a different writing exercise.

What can I learn from Stephen King’s writing tips?

Stephen King’s writing tips cover aspects such as crafting engaging characters, developing plots, and maintaining consistency. Learning from his experience can provide valuable insights into successful storytelling.

How can I improve my writing skills?

Improving writing skills involves consistent practice, reading widely, seeking feedback, and studying various writing techniques. Joining writing communities and workshops can also help you grow as a writer.