How to Write a Novel? - Episode 6: Mastering the Art of Crafting

Welcome back to our online novel-writing workshop series! We’ve made it to Episode 6, where we’re diving into the heart of novel writing: crafting. Crafting is not just about putting words on the page; it’s the very soul of your storytelling. It’s where your talent, creativity, and skills as a writer truly shine. This stage is where your story’s structure, characters, and themes take shape, and your unique voice becomes unmistakable.

In this episode, we'll be covering key elements of crafting, including drafting your novel, narrating events, and presenting your story in a compelling way. Crafting can be challenging, especially since it’s such a nuanced process. But don’t worry! We’ll break it down into practical steps to help you make the most of your writing talent and guide you in refining your craft.

Let’s begin by discussing what crafting really is and why it’s such a crucial part of your journey as a novelist.

The Art of Crafting: Where Your Story Comes to Life

Crafting is the process where all the planning, brainstorming, and outlining you’ve done so far turn into an actual narrative. It’s in this phase that your characters become more than ideas, your plot starts to unfold, and your setting comes alive. It’s where the writer’s voice—your voice—starts to resonate. If you’ve been following the previous episodes, you should now have a solid foundation for your novel. You’ve structured your story, developed engaging characters, and perhaps even started thinking about your themes and motifs.

Now, it’s time to weave all those elements together.

The Importance of Language in Crafting

Language is the primary tool through which your story is conveyed. It’s not just about being grammatically correct or writing coherent sentences; it’s about choosing words that evoke emotions, build tension, and create vivid images in the reader’s mind.

Let’s break this down:

• If your novel is exploring deeply human experiences, such as love, loss, guilt, or redemption, then your language needs to reflect that. Your prose should be thoughtful, evocative, and full of literary beauty. Every sentence should have a purpose, whether it’s to deepen the reader’s emotional connection to your characters or to create a mood that supports the story’s themes.

• On the other hand, if your novel falls into action-heavy genres such as thriller, crime, or horror, you’ll need to adopt a different tone. Here, you want your language to be sharp, precise, and fast-paced. Every description should serve to heighten the tension and keep the reader on the edge of their seat.

Finding the right balance between detailed descriptions and forward-moving action is critical. Overwriting—especially in high-stakes scenes—can bog down the pacing, while under-describing can leave readers feeling disconnected. The secret is in creating vivid imagery without losing the momentum of the plot.

Practical Training: Crafting Through Feedback

Crafting a novel requires constant honing of your skills. In an ideal world, I’d sit with you and review what you’ve written, offering direct feedback on how to rephrase sentences, enhance your descriptions, or clarify ideas. This kind of hands-on training is invaluable in becoming a better writer. However, you can still refine your craft through self-editing and peer feedback.

Here are some steps you can take to improve your writing craft:

1. Rewrite and Refine: After writing your initial draft, go back and revise. Look for sentences that could be reworded for clarity or impact.
2. Seek Feedback: Share your work with trusted beta readers, critique groups, or writing mentors who can offer constructive criticism.
3. Study Your Favorite Authors: Look closely at how they use language, structure their stories, and craft their prose. What techniques can you incorporate into your own work?

The Balance of Structure and Creativity

While crafting is a highly creative process, it also requires discipline. As a writer, you’re responsible for maintaining the structure of your story and ensuring that every scene, character, and plot point serves the greater purpose of the novel. A well-crafted novel is not only engaging but also cohesive. The structure you’ve developed—whether it’s a traditional three-act plot or a more experimental form—needs to be expressed through your language and storytelling techniques.

Let’s discuss the importance of balancing description and emotion.

Balancing Description and Emotion

One of the greatest challenges in novel crafting is finding the right balance between describing actions and expressing emotions. For your readers to connect with your story, you must bring both the physical world and the internal emotional world of your characters to life.

For example, imagine you’re writing a scene where a man approaches a woman to start a conversation. On the surface, this might seem like a simple interaction. However, what’s going on inside the characters’ minds? What are their emotional states? Is the man nervous, or is he confident? Is the woman intrigued, or is she anxious because of a past trauma?

Example of Balanced Crafting:

You wouldn’t just describe the man walking toward the woman and starting a conversation. Instead, you’d delve into the nuances of both the physical and emotional experiences of the characters. The woman’s heart might start racing as the man approaches. Maybe her palms are sweating because this interaction reminds her of a painful memory.

By combining external descriptions with internal emotions, you create a rich, immersive scene that feels authentic and engaging to the reader.

Common Pitfalls: Over-Describing vs. Under-Describing

Many writers fall into one of two traps:

1. Over-Describing: When you focus too much on external details—such as what a character is wearing, the setting, or the actions they take—without diving into the emotional core, your story can feel like a screenplay. The reader gets a clear visual but may not connect on an emotional level.

2. Under-Describing: On the flip side, some writers get caught up in their characters’ internal monologues without providing enough description of the physical world. This can slow down the pacing and make the story feel stagnant.

Balancing both action and emotion is essential for crafting scenes that keep your readers invested.

Understanding Word Count and Structuring Your Novel

While crafting your novel, one practical consideration to keep in mind is word count. This might seem like a minor detail compared to the artistry of storytelling, but word count plays an important role in the publishing process. Many publishers and agents have genre-specific word count preferences, and exceeding or falling short of these expectations can impact your chances of getting published.

General Guidelines for Word Count:

• Novels: A typical novel is between 70,000 to 90,000 words.
• Thrillers/Crime Fiction: Often range from 80,000 to 100,000 words.
• Fantasy/Sci-Fi: Can go up to 120,000 words or more, depending on the complexity of the world-building.
• Novellas: Usually range between 20,000 to 50,000 words.

By having a clear word count goal in mind, you can better structure your novel, ensuring that each chapter serves a purpose without dragging or rushing.

Structuring Your Chapters

As you draft your novel, think about how your story will be divided into chapters. Each chapter should move the plot forward, reveal important character development, or build tension. Avoid filler chapters that don’t add value to the overall story.

Consider outlining

your novel's major scenes and breaking them into manageable sections. This approach ensures that each chapter serves a distinct purpose while maintaining flow and cohesion across the broader narrative. Having a chapter outline also helps prevent writer’s block because you know what needs to happen next, even if the details haven’t been fully fleshed out yet.

Building Pacing and Momentum

Your pacing is another critical aspect of crafting. Readers won’t stay engaged if the story drags, nor will they appreciate being rushed through important moments. Here are some tips to help you find the right rhythm for your novel:

1. Vary Chapter Length: Shorter chapters are great for high-intensity scenes, creating a sense of urgency, while longer chapters allow for deeper character development and reflection.

2. Balance Quiet and Action-Packed Scenes: After a particularly intense or emotional chapter, give your readers a breather by inserting a slower, more introspective scene. Conversely, if things have been too slow for a while, inject some action or tension to re-energize the narrative.

3. Avoid Info Dumps: Be careful not to bog down your readers with large chunks of background information or world-building details in a single chapter. Instead, weave these elements into the story naturally as needed.

By consciously managing your pacing, you ensure that your story never feels stagnant or overwhelming, keeping readers fully engaged from start to finish.

Refining Your Craft: The Power of Editing

Now that you’ve written your first draft, you’re not done yet—far from it! Crafting a novel involves constant refinement. Editing is where good writing becomes great, as you tweak, polish, and elevate your prose to the next level.

Simplify and Strengthen Your Language

A key aspect of editing is tightening your language. This means cutting unnecessary words, phrases, or even entire paragraphs that don’t serve the story. Don’t be afraid to let go of sections you love if they detract from the flow or clarity of the novel.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind while editing:

1. Cut Unnecessary Words: Phrases like "in order to," "very," or "really" often weaken sentences. For example, change “We only need to admit” to “We need to admit” or simplify it further to “Admitting.”

2. Eliminate Repetition: Look out for repetitive descriptions or phrases. If you’ve already established that a character is nervous, you don’t need to keep showing them biting their nails on every page.

3. Avoid Overused Verbs: Verbs like “was” and “were” can make your writing feel flat. Instead of “He was walking,” opt for “He strode” or “He shuffled”—verbs that convey action and emotion more vividly.

4. Be Aware of Clichés: Phrases like “as white as snow” or “burning with rage” can feel stale. Aim to find fresher ways to express familiar emotions or visuals.

The Importance of Multiple Drafts

Most novels go through several drafts before they’re considered “finished.” In your first draft, focus on getting the story down on paper without worrying too much about perfection. The second draft is where you can begin refining the structure and language. By the third draft, you’ll want to start fine-tuning individual scenes, dialogue, and pacing.

Each draft should bring your novel one step closer to being the best version of itself.

Refining Your Language

A well-crafted novel isn’t just about telling a story; it’s about how that story is told. Crafting your novel involves refining your language to make your writing as effective and engaging as possible.

One way to refine your language is by condensing sentences and eliminating unnecessary words. For example, instead of writing “We only need to admit,” you could simplify it to “We need to admit,” or further to “Admitting.” This kind of streamlining makes your writing more concise and impactful.

Be mindful of overusing common verbs like “was” or “were.” While necessary at times, relying on these verbs too much can make your prose feel flat. Instead, look for more dynamic verbs that can bring your scenes to life. Additionally, avoid redundant phrases like “in order to” when “to” will suffice. Small changes like these may seem insignificant, but they add up, improving the readability and overall quality of your writing.

Genre-Specific Language Crafting

Different genres call for different approaches to crafting language. A literary novel or a character-driven story might require rich, layered prose that delves into emotional or philosophical territory. You want the language to feel reflective, with an emphasis on the inner world of the characters. In these types of novels, it’s common to slow down the pacing to allow readers to absorb the depth of the emotions being portrayed.

On the other hand, thrillers or action-packed novels require more economical prose. In these genres, the goal is to keep the reader engaged with sharp, fast-paced writing. Descriptions should be vivid but not overwhelming, providing enough detail to create a clear picture while keeping the momentum of the story going. The challenge here lies in giving the reader just enough to stay on edge without bogging them down with unnecessary details.

Reading as Inspiration for Crafting

Every writer knows that one of the most important tools for improving your own writing is reading. Exposure to different writing styles, structures, and voices not only helps you develop your own unique style but also offers insight into what works and what doesn’t in storytelling.

Make it a habit to read widely within and outside your genre. This will give you a broader perspective and help you avoid clichés that are common in specific types of novels. Consider keeping a writer’s journal where you jot down passages from books that inspire you. Record techniques that you’d like to try in your own writing. This can be an invaluable resource when you’re feeling stuck or looking for new ways to approach a scene.

Planning and Crafting Your Chapters

As you start drafting, think about how you’ll divide your novel into chapters. Each chapter should serve a distinct purpose—whether it’s advancing the plot, revealing something new about a character, or building tension. Having a mental roadmap of your novel helps you maintain focus, ensuring that each chapter flows smoothly into the next.

That said, your plan doesn’t have to be set in stone. Novel writing is an iterative process, and you may find yourself restructuring or reordering chapters as your story evolves. The key is to remain flexible while keeping the overarching structure in mind.

Crafting Dialogue and Character Voice

Crafting isn’t just about the plot or descriptions—it’s also about how your characters speak. Dialogue is a powerful tool for revealing character traits, advancing the plot, and building relationships between characters.

Pay close attention to how your characters speak. Their dialogue should reflect their personalities, backgrounds, and emotions. A well-crafted dialogue can reveal just as much about a character as a detailed description or an internal monologue. Ensure that each character has a unique voice, so they don’t all sound the same when they speak.

Avoiding Clichés and Stale Writing

One of the biggest challenges in novel crafting is avoiding clichés and overused phrases. While some genres have familiar tropes that readers enjoy, leaning too heavily on these can make your writing feel stale or uninspired.

Instead, strive for originality in how you describe characters, settings, and actions. Find new ways to convey familiar emotions or situations. This doesn’t mean avoiding all tropes, but rather approaching them from a fresh angle that brings new life to your story.

The Importance of Revision in Crafting

It’s important to remember that crafting doesn’t end when you finish your first draft. In fact, the revision process is a crucial part of crafting a novel. This is where you can take the raw material of your first draft and shape it into a polished, cohesive story.

During revision, focus on refining the structure, tightening the language, and ensuring that each scene serves a purpose.