Just a refresher about the Novel I’m writing, which is titled A Year Without You. It’s a story about two couple breaking up and understanding and rediscovering their love. The story seem like your cliché romance story. But I’ve recreated a new way of retelling the scenario. Before that, I need the basics first.

Now that I’ve already written the plot and summary of my story, I need to write down 3 main things to make this novel work. If not, I pray by the end of this month the novel I’m writing still makes sense.

Plot lines

Every writer knows plot lines is the bone, muscle and veins of a story. If the plot is brittle, or lump, or lacks blood that flows and connect one chapter to another, then the story is poorly written or have no soul at all. Plot lines is basically the guidelines that helps you from point a to be. Without it, I’m sure you’ll start getting confused halfway through writing the novel why you’re character suddenly started a journey to wonderland, it’s set in modern day, and is categorised as horror. So yes, you have to plot those chapters ahead before writing them.

Setting and Timeline

I’m putting this two together because they are like bread and butter, and cupcakes and tea (because to me I always paired them). These two can’t go without the other. Setting help you know the where the story is located, while Timeline would show the span of your story. You can’t write a book of endless time, or located in an entire country. You have to narrow it down. Or else you’ll be making the biography of the world and a book that never ends. Sure you’ll like that from a known author, but even us human have our limit in life.

Characters

Ah, yes, let’s not forget the pawns of the story. There won’t be any story without the character. Try imagining a book with only description of the wind, the smell of food, the sound of crickets in the background – which what the book will be without your hero and heroine. They are the main attraction of your novel. Without them, you have a lifeless novel.

So these three are my main necessity in making writing a novel in a month work. Sure there should be more in that list, but if you like hassle-free and focus on developing characters are you go along, these three will be enough to make your novel stand.

To my fellow writers there, good luck and happy writing!

P.S. This is just my opinion and my basic writing process. Please don’t judge me too much. We are different in our own way. I’m no Stephen King or J.K. Rowling. And those who are gods on their own right in this generation.