WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO WRITE A GOOD NOVEL?

Dear Friends,

 This is a speech I gave recently at a book launch in Wanstead London.

 It's the launch for a book titled 'V' THE OLYMPIC MAN. I have decided to put this speech on here because there are useful tips in it that will help aspiring authors, and those who are writing veterans but want to improve their craft.

 Enjoy it:

                                   'V' THE OLYMPIC MAN

I'll like to start by congratulating the Author of the book we have been  here to launch- Mr 'Dele Akinrin on the successful publishing of 'V' The Olympic man.

As an author of two books, I know and understand the challenge and also the excitement involved in the process of turning what was once an idea into a tangible finished product.

I also thank Mr Akinrin for the opportunity to review his book which is a novel.

  WHAT MAKES A GOOD NOVEL?

Any writer worth her keyboard will tell you there is no single, carved-in-stone Right Way to write a novel. If you want to create a book worthy of being published , you need to study the craft  and the market, then choose the techniques that make the most sense to you.

Discover your own right way.

But here are some tips:

1) START YOUR NOVEL WITH A SURPRISING HOOK

In the book 'V' THE OLYMPIC MAN, the author starts the first five pages with opening lines that surprises, intrigues, startles and makes the reader want to know more.

The protagonist in 'V' THE OLYMPIC MAN is presented as a dark character, who is full of conflict and has an enormous problem to solve. It makes the book compelling.

2) DON'T OVERLOAD THE BEGINNING WITH BACKGROUND

Don't meander around setting up your story. Don't tell us everything about the main characters history at a go.

A reader is only interested in knowing background after he already has sufficient information about the protagonist

In 'V' The Olympic man this mistake is not made.

3) GIVE YOUR CHARACTERS STRONG GOALS

Your characters must have motivation for what they do. Specific, detailed motivation. When writing a novel, 'the personal pot of gold' of the protagonist must be obvious.

Victor, the protagonist in 'V' THE OLYMPIC MAN has clear goals.

4) GIVE YOUR CHARACTERS WEAKNESSES AND FLAWS

A good novel is a story of transformation. You're showing your readers how your characters grow and change, how they overcome (or are overcome by) their problems and flaws. The protagonist in Mr Dele Akinrin's new novel has problems and flaws right from the beginning. He is a diamond in the rough at the beginning. It's later on we see glints of his true heroism. He seems to tumble throughout the book until he truly shines as the book goes on.

5) CREATE POWERFUL CONFLICTS.

Conflict is what keeps a reader turning pages, it's what keeps a reader wondering, "What's going to happen next?

In 'V' THE OLYMPIC MAN, there is conflict, real plot, coincidences and misunderstandings. It makes the book worth reading.

6) GIVE EMOTIONAL IMPACT.

What readers want most is to feel the novel they are reading.

Readers want to laugh, cry, hope and worry when they read a novel. In Mr Dele Akinrin's book 'V' THE OLYMPIC MAN, there are lots of emotional scenes that will cause goose bumps for the reader.

7) STRIVE FOR MORE DIALOGUE THAN NARRATIVE

Novels that show scenes with action and dialogue creates vivid characters and a fast pace. Novels where the characters words are written compared to narrated is preferable. In 'V' THE OLYMPIC MAN' the author has done a good job creating dialogue not just narrating. To read it is to know it.

8) POLISH YOUR WRITING SKILLS

Passive voice, run-on sentences, grammatical errors/spelling mistakes can affect the sales of a book and a writers writing profession.

'V' THE OLYMPIC MAN, is a well edited and written work with a moral lesson in it.