The 3 basic things you need to write a novel

The world always needs more books, and everyone has a story to tell. The problem is that it's hard to find concrete advice from people who have been in the writing trenches (and made it out the other side!) without getting a lot of conflicting opinions.

Novel-writing can be complicated, and it takes a lot of work and background thought to take an idea and turn it into something great that you can share with others.

This blog breaks down the three biggest aspects of creative writing: plot, characters, and worldbuilding, and provides tips and prompts to get you started on your path to writing the world's next great novel.

Plot

Plot is arguably the most important part of a novel. Plot is everything that happens in your novel, the means by which your characters grow and change, what gives your world its meaning. Your plot is your story.

There are as many ways to go about plot as there are writers in the world. Whether you outline every scene before jumping in or just sit down in front of your draft and start writing, it's important to make sure you have a strong plot to move your story forward.

In this blog, we'll explore some of the most popular plot structures, such as Save the Cat!, Dan Harmon's Story Circle, and the Hero's Journey. We'll look at why they work, what they have in common, and what sort of story they best lend themselves to. We'll also discuss different ways to look at plotting as a whole, so you can experiment and learn what works best for you and your novel.

Characters

Well-written characters are essential to a good novel. Characters' actions drive the plot, and it's through their eyes that readers view your world.

"Round" characters (as opposed to flat characters) with deep flaws, strong motivations, and complex personalities are vital to creating an interesting story that both hooks and resonates with readers. Even the most intriguing plots fall flat without characters to relate to and care about.

In this blog, we'll look at character archetypes and things to either consider or avoid as we develop our characters. I'll also share prompts and worksheets to help us get to know our characters better in fun (and sometimes surprising!) ways.

Worldbuilding

Even the most based-in-reality novels need worldbuilding. Worldbuilding isn't just magic systems and terraforming; it's everything that makes a world feel real, from the clothing worn by fantasy religious cults to what types of birds perch on suburban fences.

Most of the worldbuilding you do won't make it onto the pages of your finished novel, but that doesn't mean it's not important. Think of it like an iceberg: even though you can only see the very tip, all the substance under the surface is what keeps it afloat.

In this blog, I'll find and provide prompts and ideas to get you thinking about the inner workings of your world, as well as discover the ways in which your world influences the plot and characters, and vice versa.

(Note: as of the time of this writing -- fall 2025 -- I'm taking a worldbuilding class in university. We don't gatekeep here so I'll be sharing all the cool things I learn and fun prompts I do as homework! ;] )

Conclusion

Plot, characters, and worldbuilding all respond to each other and work together to create great novels. This blog cuts through line-level writing advice and instead goes to the core of story, breaking down the three basic aspects of plot, characters, and worldbuilding to help you write your next great novel the way you want to write it.

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