Essential Skills for Novel Writers
By Mary Kole
Mary Kole is a former literary agent, freelance editor, writing teacher, author of Writing Irresistible Kidlit, and IP developer for major publishers, with over a decade in the publishing industry.
Aspiring novel writers are facing one of the most difficult—yet rewarding—tasks in the world: telling a story out of whole cloth from their imagination, and sustaining it for hundreds of pages. To become a successful novelist, you need to have a range of skills and knowledge. This article will provide aspiring novel writers with some suggestions and tips to develop their writing craft, and embark on this incredible journey with confidence.
What Skills Do Novel Writers Need?
The first skill that all novel writers must possess is the ability to communicate effectively. Good communication skills are essential for conveying your story to readers in a clear and concise way.
You certainly don’t want to stick to “just the facts” when novel writing—part of the fun is using figurative language and doing worldbuilding. But you don’t want to slip into overwriting or purple prose, either. You should also be able to express yourself in a variety of ways, such as through dialogue, description, and narration. And all the while, you should be working on your writing voice, which is your original way of expressing yourself.
Adaptability is another important skill for novel writers. Writing a novel requires you to be able to adjust to different situations and characters. Plots are like puzzles, and you will need to bring your logic to your storytelling craft, maybe even with a novel outline. You must be able to think on your feet and come up with creative solutions to problems that arise during the writing process.
Discipline is also key when it comes to writing a novel, and is one of the most important writer tools you can add to your mental and emotional toolbox. You must be able to stay focused and motivated throughout the entire process, whether you develop a daily writing practice or have less time to devote to your novel project. This means setting goals and sticking to them, even when things get tough and life interferes with your creativity.
Other Skills for Novel Writers
Organization skills are also useful for novel writers. You must be able to keep track of all the details of your story, from characters and settings to plot points and timelines. Finally, research skills come in handy, even if you’re writing fiction. (Some novel writers think that research is only for nonfiction, but they’re missing out an essential tool of the writing trade.) You must be able to find reliable sources of information and use them to create a believable and engaging story (especially if you are writing outside your own lived experience, which is a crucial consideration in today’s competitive publishing market).
Finally, editing is another important skill for novelists, whether you do self-editing or plan to revise based on writing notes. You must be able to identify and correct errors in your work, as well as make sure that your story flows smoothly and logically with a sense of cause and effect.
These are just some of the essential skills that all novel writers need to develop in order to make their dreams of writing a book come true. The good news is, novel writing is a journey, not just a destination, and you have a lot of discovery and creativity in your future as you refine your craft.
Click here to purchase Writing Interiority: Crafting Irresistible Characters, my book on interiority and character creation. Explore your protagonist’s thoughts, feelings, reactions and interpretations, expectations, and inner struggles to create a rich, immersive experience. This guide will empower you to create characters who live and breathe on the page, fostering an unbreakable bond with your audience.