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How To Write A Novel In 6 Months
A published author's guide to writing a 50,000-word book in 24 weeks.
• Have you always dreamed of writing a novel?
• Are you worried that you can't do it because you're too busy?
• Is it something you really want to do, but you’re not sure how to go about it?
This book will show you how. It will help make your dream a reality. If you follow its guidelines, and stick to the advice it contains, you will finish your novel in six months.
Thomas Emson is a prolific author. Eight of his horror novels have been published by Snowbooks. They include the werewolf thriller Maneater, The Vampire Trinity (Skarlet, Krimson and Kardinal), and Pariah, the Jack the Ripper novel recently published in the USA by Tantor Media.
As part of his agreement with Snowbooks, Thomas wrote two novels a year – one book every six months. He knows what it takes. He knows how to do it. And he’s going to tell you how.
In this 20,000 words guide, you will learn:
• How you can write a novel without letting it take over your life
• Where to get your ideas and how to develop them
• How to structure your novel using scenes and sequences
• Why you don’t have to write every day to finish your novel in just 6 months
• How to make sure you finish your book
• And a whole host of writing advice that will ensure you fulfil your ambition of writing a novel.
The book also includes extracts from the outlines of Thomas’ novels Skarlet and Zombie Britannica that will help you develop your own.
This is an invaluable guide for those of you who want to write a novel, and also for many who may have already been published once, and who are struggling with book two.
• Have you always dreamed of writing a novel?
• Are you worried that you can't do it because you're too busy?
• Is it something you really want to do, but you’re not sure how to go about it?
This book will show you how. It will help make your dream a reality. If you follow its guidelines, and stick to the advice it contains, you will finish your novel in six months.
Thomas Emson is a prolific author. Eight of his horror novels have been published by Snowbooks. They include the werewolf thriller Maneater, The Vampire Trinity (Skarlet, Krimson and Kardinal), and Pariah, the Jack the Ripper novel recently published in the USA by Tantor Media.
As part of his agreement with Snowbooks, Thomas wrote two novels a year – one book every six months. He knows what it takes. He knows how to do it. And he’s going to tell you how.
In this 20,000 words guide, you will learn:
• How you can write a novel without letting it take over your life
• Where to get your ideas and how to develop them
• How to structure your novel using scenes and sequences
• Why you don’t have to write every day to finish your novel in just 6 months
• How to make sure you finish your book
• And a whole host of writing advice that will ensure you fulfil your ambition of writing a novel.
The book also includes extracts from the outlines of Thomas’ novels Skarlet and Zombie Britannica that will help you develop your own.
This is an invaluable guide for those of you who want to write a novel, and also for many who may have already been published once, and who are struggling with book two.
- GenresWritingNonfiction
103 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 20, 2013
66 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
About the author
Thomas Emson
25 books70 followersThomas Emson is a British horror author. He has written eight novels, all published by Snowbooks in the UK. They include Maneater, Skarlet, and Zombie Brittanica. His Jack The Ripper novel Pariah was published by Tantor Media in the U.S.
His collection of stories The Trees And Other Stories was published on Kindle and CreateSpace. He has also written How To Write A Novel In 6 Months, a how-to guide for would-be novelists, which is available on Amazon.
He is represented by Mariam Keen at the Whispering Buffalo Literary Agency.
His collection of stories The Trees And Other Stories was published on Kindle and CreateSpace. He has also written How To Write A Novel In 6 Months, a how-to guide for would-be novelists, which is available on Amazon.
He is represented by Mariam Keen at the Whispering Buffalo Literary Agency.
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Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 3, 2021
It's a good book ideal for those who are looking for a structure for their "first novel" or for the planners. As the author suggests, if you are a pantser... forget it.
While I appreciated the effort of Thomas Emson in giving the reader a schedule, I personally believe there is no magic structure for a perfect novel nor a default scheme to follow (i.e beginning-half way- end).
My advice: read a lot and write a lot. And put attention while you do it.
Doing so you will be able to extract things from other authors' novels and reverse engineer their schemes. You will end up creating YOUR style.
Last but not least, I found the book format less than ideal for the purpose. It might be good for a novel, but definitely not for an "how to" book (I would have aligned everything on the left with a much smaller line height).
While I appreciated the effort of Thomas Emson in giving the reader a schedule, I personally believe there is no magic structure for a perfect novel nor a default scheme to follow (i.e beginning-half way- end).
My advice: read a lot and write a lot. And put attention while you do it.
Doing so you will be able to extract things from other authors' novels and reverse engineer their schemes. You will end up creating YOUR style.
Last but not least, I found the book format less than ideal for the purpose. It might be good for a novel, but definitely not for an "how to" book (I would have aligned everything on the left with a much smaller line height).
October 9, 2014
Thomas Emson is one of my favourite authors, especially for paranormal/horror so when he offered this non-fiction writing advice book for me to review I wasn't sure what to expect, but I knew it would be sharp and to the point. I wasn't wrong. It's a really informative and simply laid out book and the advice is everything I either aspire to, or pass on to others in my blog – he just explains it much better than me!
He has an uncanny likeness to my mindset when creating a novel. The idea of writing stand alone scenes that you develop later, making them like movie scenes, is exactly how I write. He also talks about the need to make a novel realistic within the world that has been created and using newspapers to get ideas for stories but making sure you change the names and details of events/crimes; all are things that I have written about when giving advice, and have used myself. Oddly enough I save newspaper clippings when I see a potential novel in an article.
His writing technique is simple, sharp, informative and very entertaining. His use of examples are clever and funny while at the same time painting a clear picture of what he is talking about. Such as the Star Wars storyline examples throughout. Even if you don't know the film/book he's talking about, he still makes the explanation clear, which is very important. He never fails to forget that not everyone is the same, thinks the same or writes the same and he makes a point of this several times. He always says that his advice is what he knows and what works for him, so you can take it or leave it. It is never written in a pompous, 'I know better' sort of way. He's just like a friend giving friendly advice and that's what I like about it. You can relate to it but also learn a great deal from it.
Another very good point he made (which is creepy because I made a similar point on a blog post a week ago) was that he said people say to 'write what you know' and they're wrong. And he's right. They're right in a sense too, but their meaning of it is wrong. I wrote in my blog post that as long as you research it and get advice from people who are experts or at least know a lot in that particular field, lived in that environment or been in that situation at some point in their life, you can write whatever you want. He says he's never met zombies, vampire or werewolves (which actually surprised me haha) and yet he's written books about them. And that's a very good point. We write about things we don't know all the time. It's called imagination. And everything else you research is just to keep the story grounded within that world; such as geographical facts. Emson talks about when he set his novels in London and made sure he got the places right, the names and where abouts they are, how he can't go from this point to this point in five seconds because they're in completely different areas of London: that makes sense. Learn these facts because they make the story and the world you've created believable, and as long as you do that, you can play around in the world you've created. He wrote, “Research is good, but don't let it clutter your story. I have done reams of research on some books but when it came to the actual writing, I used very little.” My point exactly. Well done that man. And to sum it up he adds, “The most important thing is the story. So instead of 'write what you know', I say write what you like. Write what you enjoy writing.”
The weekly word count goal is more realistic and makes perfect sense. I tend to write at weekends as that is my 'writing time' and I write by chapter count: so anywhere between 2-5 chapters is what I aim for, depending on the length. I've never done word count goals before but I wouldn't count it out next time. Especially if I have a six month deadline.
The only issue I have with this book is the fact that for me, writing is the easiest in terms of the time it takes to get from beginning to end. It's the editing and perfecting after which is hard. And he does say this very clearly. But then I think that his idea of how long it would take to edit and proofread it myself isn't realistic. I could be wrong if I stuck to his rules religiously, but he also only gives two weeks to do your research for your book, and I think that includes the outline of it -if you do that. For some that's pretty easy to achieve, for others, not so. It depends on the book you're writing I guess, so if you do the six month goal, I'd make sure you've researched a bit before that if your book requires it. If not, I think two weeks is just about do-able, unless some life issue means you don't get more than a few hours in those two weeks to do all your research.
Some of the things he says, I loved and I made a collection:
Speaking about characters and how to keep the reader entertained: “They should also want something in every scene. Kurt Vonnegut said 'make your characters want someone on every page, even if it is a glass of water.'” A very clear, decent piece of advice.
“The character's fortune will change as the scene develops- so from good to bad, from bad to good. This change doesn't need to be massive. It can be small. Maybe your main character comes home happy from a party. He's pulled a great looking girl. Things are looking up. They go upstairs, ready for action. But when they enter the bedroom, the dog's taken a shit on the bed. That's a scene.” - I was giggling for a minute after reading this. So immature.
“Psychology is more interesting than biography, to be honest. What drives the character. What do they want in life. What are they scared of. Who their friends are. Who their enemies are.” - I like his take on identifying characters through distinguishing marks, when that character is a minor character and you want them to be memorable for the small part they play. It really put it in perspective for me as I tend to worry my minor characters, even some of my more major characters are not really individuals but passing voices in a breeze.
And the last major lesson I learned from reading his book was his one important rule: KEEP WRITING. Basically don't write a chapter then go back and edit it, keep going, finish the book and then go back and edit it. “You have to discipline yourself to not stop writing. It will be tough. Making an error is like having an itch. You are desperate to scratch it. But don't. Do not. Scratching it makes it worse. If you don't scratch it, the urge will go away and soon you will be finishing the first draft. After that, go back and scratch all you like.” - And he is right. It's like he's right there in my mind. I hate leaving errors. I have to go back, but since reading his book and writing my own, I've not gone back to correct my errors and it really does work.
I don't know that if I followed his guidelines to a T, I would have a completed, ready for publishing novel. I would have to put it into practice, but the one thing that comforts me is the fact that this guy has done it. He's put it into practice and done it several times. Perhaps for every book he has ever written. And he's done it while working with a publisher too. I trust his judgement and believe it is possible and that's the most important thing about this book. You believe what he says can be done. He doesn't scare you with extreme deadlines and ridiculously high standards. He's laid back, he takes each person and their own quirks into consideration. He's aware you have lives, families and jobs. Not everyone is a full-time author. And he knows this. He says this. And this down-to-earth, friendly, informative mindset that you can relate to makes this short little writing advice of a gem great for anyone.
I recommend it to anyone. Especially those who self-publish but to be honest, anyone can learn something from it, even if it just confirms everything you believed in the first place.
So thank you Mr Emson for the opportunity to read this book. I really hope it does well.
Reviewed for Bit'N Book Promoters
web | facebook | twitter | book tours
He has an uncanny likeness to my mindset when creating a novel. The idea of writing stand alone scenes that you develop later, making them like movie scenes, is exactly how I write. He also talks about the need to make a novel realistic within the world that has been created and using newspapers to get ideas for stories but making sure you change the names and details of events/crimes; all are things that I have written about when giving advice, and have used myself. Oddly enough I save newspaper clippings when I see a potential novel in an article.
His writing technique is simple, sharp, informative and very entertaining. His use of examples are clever and funny while at the same time painting a clear picture of what he is talking about. Such as the Star Wars storyline examples throughout. Even if you don't know the film/book he's talking about, he still makes the explanation clear, which is very important. He never fails to forget that not everyone is the same, thinks the same or writes the same and he makes a point of this several times. He always says that his advice is what he knows and what works for him, so you can take it or leave it. It is never written in a pompous, 'I know better' sort of way. He's just like a friend giving friendly advice and that's what I like about it. You can relate to it but also learn a great deal from it.
Another very good point he made (which is creepy because I made a similar point on a blog post a week ago) was that he said people say to 'write what you know' and they're wrong. And he's right. They're right in a sense too, but their meaning of it is wrong. I wrote in my blog post that as long as you research it and get advice from people who are experts or at least know a lot in that particular field, lived in that environment or been in that situation at some point in their life, you can write whatever you want. He says he's never met zombies, vampire or werewolves (which actually surprised me haha) and yet he's written books about them. And that's a very good point. We write about things we don't know all the time. It's called imagination. And everything else you research is just to keep the story grounded within that world; such as geographical facts. Emson talks about when he set his novels in London and made sure he got the places right, the names and where abouts they are, how he can't go from this point to this point in five seconds because they're in completely different areas of London: that makes sense. Learn these facts because they make the story and the world you've created believable, and as long as you do that, you can play around in the world you've created. He wrote, “Research is good, but don't let it clutter your story. I have done reams of research on some books but when it came to the actual writing, I used very little.” My point exactly. Well done that man. And to sum it up he adds, “The most important thing is the story. So instead of 'write what you know', I say write what you like. Write what you enjoy writing.”
The weekly word count goal is more realistic and makes perfect sense. I tend to write at weekends as that is my 'writing time' and I write by chapter count: so anywhere between 2-5 chapters is what I aim for, depending on the length. I've never done word count goals before but I wouldn't count it out next time. Especially if I have a six month deadline.
The only issue I have with this book is the fact that for me, writing is the easiest in terms of the time it takes to get from beginning to end. It's the editing and perfecting after which is hard. And he does say this very clearly. But then I think that his idea of how long it would take to edit and proofread it myself isn't realistic. I could be wrong if I stuck to his rules religiously, but he also only gives two weeks to do your research for your book, and I think that includes the outline of it -if you do that. For some that's pretty easy to achieve, for others, not so. It depends on the book you're writing I guess, so if you do the six month goal, I'd make sure you've researched a bit before that if your book requires it. If not, I think two weeks is just about do-able, unless some life issue means you don't get more than a few hours in those two weeks to do all your research.
Some of the things he says, I loved and I made a collection:
Speaking about characters and how to keep the reader entertained: “They should also want something in every scene. Kurt Vonnegut said 'make your characters want someone on every page, even if it is a glass of water.'” A very clear, decent piece of advice.
“The character's fortune will change as the scene develops- so from good to bad, from bad to good. This change doesn't need to be massive. It can be small. Maybe your main character comes home happy from a party. He's pulled a great looking girl. Things are looking up. They go upstairs, ready for action. But when they enter the bedroom, the dog's taken a shit on the bed. That's a scene.” - I was giggling for a minute after reading this. So immature.
“Psychology is more interesting than biography, to be honest. What drives the character. What do they want in life. What are they scared of. Who their friends are. Who their enemies are.” - I like his take on identifying characters through distinguishing marks, when that character is a minor character and you want them to be memorable for the small part they play. It really put it in perspective for me as I tend to worry my minor characters, even some of my more major characters are not really individuals but passing voices in a breeze.
And the last major lesson I learned from reading his book was his one important rule: KEEP WRITING. Basically don't write a chapter then go back and edit it, keep going, finish the book and then go back and edit it. “You have to discipline yourself to not stop writing. It will be tough. Making an error is like having an itch. You are desperate to scratch it. But don't. Do not. Scratching it makes it worse. If you don't scratch it, the urge will go away and soon you will be finishing the first draft. After that, go back and scratch all you like.” - And he is right. It's like he's right there in my mind. I hate leaving errors. I have to go back, but since reading his book and writing my own, I've not gone back to correct my errors and it really does work.
I don't know that if I followed his guidelines to a T, I would have a completed, ready for publishing novel. I would have to put it into practice, but the one thing that comforts me is the fact that this guy has done it. He's put it into practice and done it several times. Perhaps for every book he has ever written. And he's done it while working with a publisher too. I trust his judgement and believe it is possible and that's the most important thing about this book. You believe what he says can be done. He doesn't scare you with extreme deadlines and ridiculously high standards. He's laid back, he takes each person and their own quirks into consideration. He's aware you have lives, families and jobs. Not everyone is a full-time author. And he knows this. He says this. And this down-to-earth, friendly, informative mindset that you can relate to makes this short little writing advice of a gem great for anyone.
I recommend it to anyone. Especially those who self-publish but to be honest, anyone can learn something from it, even if it just confirms everything you believed in the first place.
So thank you Mr Emson for the opportunity to read this book. I really hope it does well.
Reviewed for Bit'N Book Promoters
web | facebook | twitter | book tours
April 3, 2018
I've recently started reading a few books on authoring, a.o. Stephen King's On Writing. In the end, these books can only give you a few pointers, because everyone has a different approach to the topic. I've once heard the expressions that some are plotters, while others are pantsers (according to King, he is the latter).
This book details Emson's approach to writing a novel. For first offenders, he suggests starting with a 50,000-word novel, but it can be used for larger ones as well. He starts by explaining a variety of structures, such as the classical three-act or the 8 steps adapted from screenwriting and then elaborates from there. Peppered in between are lists from famous authors on dos and donts, though sometimes he only refers to them and advises you to use Google.
Personally, I found his approach relatable. The lists that weren't copied into the book, were truly easy to find and as there is the possibility that this was a copyright issue, I didn't deduct points for them. I found this one of the more helpful How To books.
This book details Emson's approach to writing a novel. For first offenders, he suggests starting with a 50,000-word novel, but it can be used for larger ones as well. He starts by explaining a variety of structures, such as the classical three-act or the 8 steps adapted from screenwriting and then elaborates from there. Peppered in between are lists from famous authors on dos and donts, though sometimes he only refers to them and advises you to use Google.
Personally, I found his approach relatable. The lists that weren't copied into the book, were truly easy to find and as there is the possibility that this was a copyright issue, I didn't deduct points for them. I found this one of the more helpful How To books.
October 9, 2024
To-the-point and (no joke) inspiring. Looking forward to implementing these strategies towards writing a book.
May 29, 2020
Simple, to the point and informative.
Like many would be Writers - I have read almost every self help writing manual out there. To be honest, I added this book to my basket (kindle format - which I don't usually read as I prefer actual books!) However, once I commenced reading, I was hooked.
The book isn't wordy, it isn't lengthy, it is to the point without the jargon. The only other author on the craft of writing I have found similar is James Scott Bell.
I have enjoyed this book, I have learnt a lot but taught in a way that has lit the lightbulb - you know when you have one of those?! Well, this book has lit the fuse in me to write my novel. Thank you.
Like many would be Writers - I have read almost every self help writing manual out there. To be honest, I added this book to my basket (kindle format - which I don't usually read as I prefer actual books!) However, once I commenced reading, I was hooked.
The book isn't wordy, it isn't lengthy, it is to the point without the jargon. The only other author on the craft of writing I have found similar is James Scott Bell.
I have enjoyed this book, I have learnt a lot but taught in a way that has lit the lightbulb - you know when you have one of those?! Well, this book has lit the fuse in me to write my novel. Thank you.
May 17, 2024
Love the length. He says in short order what others take way longer to say. The gist for me is outline some then write write write.
I like the advice for the first draft of not editing at all - literally blab onto page and keep going. And the idea to print out your edited book to read it aloud to give it a really good pass through to catch inconsistencies and errors.
He gives some sample outlines and timelines and such, if you need that. I do like his approach of not needing to write every day like your life depends on it.
It makes me think of how you would learn to play the piano. You don’t read a 300 page book and never play -- then voila, you can play the piano. You need to write to be a writer.
I like the advice for the first draft of not editing at all - literally blab onto page and keep going. And the idea to print out your edited book to read it aloud to give it a really good pass through to catch inconsistencies and errors.
He gives some sample outlines and timelines and such, if you need that. I do like his approach of not needing to write every day like your life depends on it.
It makes me think of how you would learn to play the piano. You don’t read a 300 page book and never play -- then voila, you can play the piano. You need to write to be a writer.
January 28, 2021
This is a very short and to the point “how to”, currently available on Kindle Unlimited. The method proposed is tried and tested as the author can genuinely demonstrate he has been contracted to write two books a year for a publisher, and succeeded. However, it’s not rocket science. There’s nothing here I haven’t read elsewhere, or not done myself. It all comes down to “just write and don’t look back”. That’s where I endlessly fall down. There are some nuggets of wisdom here, some good references to other “how to” books by genuine prolific writers, but not enough to make this a working reference. It may serve as an occasional kick up the arse, sorry a motivational, but not much more.
February 20, 2022
Lots of tips collated, both ones I've found during my own research which helped validate them, and some I hadn't found yet. Great structure points and a nice breakdown of the steps you need to go through and how to go through them to get your book written. Good motivational tone. It doesn't kid you into thinking you're gonna be the next Stephen King off the bat. It's empathetic to the fact you have a life and a 9-5 to fit in. But if you want to write a book, and I mean actually write a book not just say you do, this is a helpful tool to give you the kick up the arse you need. Or hopefully it is. I'll let you know in 6 months. Time to start writing!
November 12, 2022
From an author who has already produced several genre books comes advice to show you how to write without getting bogged down by the work, where you can get ideas, how to use structure and sequence to move along, and why it’s not really necessary to count your words per day if you work towards weekly tallies to reach your goal. Emson offers plenty of examples from his novels to help in developing your own outline. The book is especially helpful to writers who have already published once and are now experiencing difficulty in getting going on their second project. Another brief one that assumes you basically know where you’re going as a writer and need help staying on course. Recommended for the conversational tone.
August 8, 2023
For a short book, one of its plus points, this is pretty useful. Thomas gives clear and relevant guidance; all of which makes sense.
This doesn't pretend to be the definitive guide to getting started on a novel: for that, many contenders can be found (e.g. Lisa Cron, Larry Brooks); but it's all grist to the mill.
Highly recommended for anyone who's toying with starting to write, but wants a short intro without having to wade through 200 pages or more of guidance. Readers will see in this text where they may go for more detailed help.
This doesn't pretend to be the definitive guide to getting started on a novel: for that, many contenders can be found (e.g. Lisa Cron, Larry Brooks); but it's all grist to the mill.
Highly recommended for anyone who's toying with starting to write, but wants a short intro without having to wade through 200 pages or more of guidance. Readers will see in this text where they may go for more detailed help.
November 13, 2022
If I don’t finish a 50,000-word novel in six months, it will be my failure and not because of this book. The plan is realistic while acknowledging the fact that most people have lives beyond writing. The book is also very short, meaning you won’t spend all your time reading about writing when you should be doing it. That said, it’s not a one-stop shop. Some topics discussed will likely need further investigation. Additional resources are suggested throughout.
November 28, 2024
This concise yet highly practical book offers a solid framework for writing a novel. While the content is valuable, I found the examples a bit limiting. Using vampires and werewolves felt somewhat cliché, as these themes can evoke notions of formulaic or "cheap" writing for some readers. Incorporating a wider range of examples might make the book more inclusive and relatable, appealing to those who don’t connect with traditional fiction stereotypes.
August 28, 2019
A useful guide that looks at the big picture
This guide was every useful in understanding how to fit writing into a busy life and how to structure this alongside commitments you may have. While I occasionally found the tone slightly off, this was highly informative particularly about the editing and proofreading stages.
This guide was every useful in understanding how to fit writing into a busy life and how to structure this alongside commitments you may have. While I occasionally found the tone slightly off, this was highly informative particularly about the editing and proofreading stages.
October 23, 2023
I enjoy reading how other authors write, edit, and publish their novels. Emson's voice is straight-forward and the book contains useful nuggets for writing in general. His request for reviews and suggestions for hiring his services, I found a wee bit off-putting, but I understand that authors need to self-market in a myriad of ways.
February 9, 2020
Glad i found this book
Very easy read, straight to the point. Everyone can write if they really want too. Definitely i will recommend the book to my friends. Thank you for sharing your experience
Very easy read, straight to the point. Everyone can write if they really want too. Definitely i will recommend the book to my friends. Thank you for sharing your experience
July 26, 2018
Clear and concise
Well written overview which gets straight to the point. Lots of great ideas on how to structure and plan a novel. Now I’m off to write my first book...
Well written overview which gets straight to the point. Lots of great ideas on how to structure and plan a novel. Now I’m off to write my first book...
May 2, 2023
It would be a decent but forgettable guide book if it weren’t for how the author uses examples of his own works – especially since those works have the plots of straight to TV horror films of the 1980s, updated to include more female survivors. Adding Maneater to my TBR list…
December 27, 2013
I'm really looking forward to trying some of this author's writing tips in my own first novel "Trail Mongers". This book offers unintimidating and knowledgeable advice for first time novelists. I'll be back with a more in depth review after I finish my book in like 5 months or so. Thank you Thomas Emson for this unexpected Xmas Gift.
June 5, 2016
This was interesting in that it brought some useful methods to the table. A good guide to start with, quite motivational. Was disappointed to find it end, as I was quite enjoying taking notes and adding sticky notes to the side.
January 9, 2016
A good read...now to just put it into practice !
In the meantime reading Krimson by Thomas Emson!
In the meantime reading Krimson by Thomas Emson!
May 30, 2022
Great introduction to planning a novel. Straight talking and unpretentious. It really helped me get through a work in progress that had been on the back burner for years.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews