How to Write an Awesome Novel: From First Draft to Final Word

by Rick Wood

Have you always wanted to write a book, but not sure how?

Have you got an idea, but you just don’t know what to do with it?

Have you tried writing your first draft, but are never happy with what you write?

Amazon US & UK bestselling horror and thriller author, Rick Wood, takes you through the process that has seen him publish over thirty books and grew a loyal fanbase to his work.

In this book, you will

- How to use the tropes of genre to create book that will sell

- How to develop your ideas

- How to develop your characters

- How to structure your story

- How to redraft your novel

- How to develop your writing skills

- How to go about getting your work published

Want to write an awesome novel? Download this book now and become the writer you know you can be…

Genres: Writing, Nonfiction

114 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 28, 2020

About the author

Horror Author

Reviews

[Rose Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nothing bad to say.
First non fiction I’ve ever read, entertaining and informative start to finish!
Given me a real sense of direction💘

[Connor+Lindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Concise and filled with useful advice

I read a lot of books on writing because, like most authors, I am always looking to improve. Every book, every story, should better than the last.

Rick had condensed years of that learning into this one book. No wordy examples, repetitions or anecdotes to pad it out. If it can be said in 4 paragraphs, he did it, rather than using a 30 page chapter like some others I could mention.

If you want to improve your writing, read it slowly, apply the advice and learn.

[Miguel Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful!

Pros:

1. It's short.
2. The book cover is noticeable.
3. I found this enjoyable, even for nonfiction.
4. It has useful information, such as when to use single-line paragraphs.
5. There are pictures, even in the eBook version.
6. I highlighted a lot of things while going through this.
7. I would re-read it.

Cons:

1. Some photos weren't necessary.

I recommend this to aspiring, new, and veteran wordsmiths.

[Frannie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this! Short and succinct, which is great for my overthinking brain. I wouldn’t say the advice was anything new or profound, but I liked how simply he presented the basis of a good book.

[Feather Chelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Valuable wisdom from a pro

I picked up this book because I am working on my first actual novel. I took so many notes and learned so much. It touches on every conceivable aspect of writing and publishing, and I highly recommend it to beginners and those interested in writing a novel. I have published 7 books myself and still found tons of amazing advice.I will definitely be checking out other books by this author.

[Miss M A Mulligan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really insightful

Brilliant short eBook on the basics of writing a book with some really helpful guidelines and examples. Rick adds his own photos of ideas from board to book and has some interesting concepts that will work regardless of your book's genre. Really helpful. Recommend, definitely worth a read.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

When you haven't done something before, you don't know what you don't know. I appreciated Rick Woods' book for its brevity, its cohesivenessness, and its instructions.

Clear, concise approaches to each phase of novel writing moved me through what I need to know and do without bogging me down with too many details. He satisfied my need to know and kicked me through the 132-page book so I could continue writing.

Part 1 - The Idea - includes his list of "What ifs." He provoked me into writing and generating ideas for future scenes. The same applies to his "And/So What" section. No belaboring his points. No hard, fast rules. Just write the worst first draft you can. Your perfectionism will be one of your worst enemies in this phase, he warns.

For new and seasoned writers, the list of classic tropes for each genre and subgenre may be one of the more valuable assets of this book. In reading more than 20 craft books, I've not found such a thorough list.

Execution of your ideas matters. "There are plenty of books and movies out there that had great ideas, but the stories stank. It is up to you to craft brilliant characters, not spend ages coming up with an impossible idea you think no one has ever thought of before."

Part 2 - Planning - begins with two types of research you'll do as a writer: factual and inspirational. Wisdom and experience vibrate here. The same applies to his chapter on developing characters. "Without decent characters, your story is nothing. Your idea is worthless."

Part 3: The Writing Process.
Gems: "All first drafts are awful. Your first draft is the hardest part of writing. Your first draft should be written for yourself, and should be written without editing. The first draft is about getting it done. That is all." Wood recommends to set a reasonable word count and stick to it. Never, ever show your first draft to anyone.

Possibly my favorite chapter is about Woods' process for redrafting, how he goes from the novel as a whole (how he scrutinizes it, what questions he asks himself) to drafts on each chapter and the order of shaping and editing the work.

On first drafts: "If you wish to change something as you go along, don’t. Keep momentum."

He covers general writing topics including dialogue, theme, use of rhetoric, choice of POV, and whether to write a series.

Part 4 covers editors and gives helpful glimpses of his personal developmental editor notes on his earlier books. The kinds of editors you might need, their fees, how to respond to editors, and resources to find some.

Part 5 covers what to do after you've finished writing, including traditional vs. self-publishing and reputable resources like BookBub for marketing.

Overall, an excellent craft book on novel writing and one I'd recommend to those asking help in getting started as a fiction writer.

[Weeb Weaver Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read with a lot of success to back up the information within. Personally, the first half of the book was the most useful because of where I am in my writing journey, but the second half is something I can see myself coming back to in the future. It does seem to have a lot of useful information for the writing process but personally, I needed other sources to work on the middle of my story to supplement this. Overall, it was very useful and easy to follow.

[William Beck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short but interesting, this is the kind of read that although wasn’t quite a game changer to my writing, certainly offered a couple of interesting ideas that certainly sat with me for a little while after reading.

[Laurie Buchanan · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're seeking a comprehensive writing guide, look no further than Rick Wood’s How to Write an Awesome Novel. This essential read covers all the key points and more, making it a must-read for aspiring authors.

[Mackenzie Dickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

very useful tool

I really enjoyed using the guides and tools included in this book and wrote out my ideas as I read about the exercises. Very easy to follow with lots of well known examples

[Chelsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much information and a bit overwhelming, but very beneficial. I love the concept of the gingerbread person and writing out each character’s intrinsic and extrinsic qualities.

[Valen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was everything it needed to be. It was short, concise and easily digestible. 4/5 Stars - Well written writing advice.

[Letti Ramos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed. Very easy to understand.

[Mel Hartman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great advice!

This short book gives a lot of great advice on novel writing! I look forward to using the advice to write my first novel!

[Thomas Or Felicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good advice

Found this book and Wood's suggestions very helpful. He never talks down to the reader and offers plenty of advice and writing exercises.

[Tricia Shaffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just right

This book has a Goldilocks aspect to it. Not too much info, not too little. Just when I thought okay I understand, he was on the next topic. Thats why the 5 stars.

[Sophie Bowns · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful!

I found this to be a really helpful ‘how to’ help book. I really love the creative front cover too!