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How to write a book in 30 days

A practical step-by-step method to writing the first draft of your novel in 30 days
  • Polly Courtney

    Live webchat: Polly Courtney

    Post your questions now for the novelist Polly Courtney, who'll be offering advice on Friday 16 November from 1pm

  • Shelley Weiner

    Live webchat: Shelley Weiner advises on researching your novel

    Post your questions now for the novelist Shelley Weiner, who'll be offering advice on researching your novel this Friday from 1pm

  • Emma Donoghue Portrait Session

    Emma Donoghue: How I write

    Room author Emma Donoghue on procrastinating, and the joys of Googling Victorian baby farms

  • Esther Freud

    Esther Freud: How I write

    Lucky Break author Esther Freud on being easily distracted, and why her best work is done in a matter of minutes
  • Tim Lott

    Live webchat: Tim Lott advises on your novels

    Post your questions now for the novelist, who'll be answering questions about creative writing this Friday from 12pm

  • Tim Lott

    Tim Lott: How I write

    Tim Lott, author of Under the Same Stars, on why he swapped a suit for a nice lunch and a nap
  • 30 day method to writing a novel

    How to write the first draft of a novel in 30 days

  • brainstorming your book ideas

    Brainstorming your story ideas

  • preliminary outline intro

    Days 1-6: creating your preliminary outline with characters, setting and plot

  • preliminary outline day one

    Day 1: character sketches

  • Day 2: Setting sketches and research strategies

  • Day 3: plot sketches

  • Days 4 and 5: the summary outline

  • Days 4 and 5: the summary outline

  • Days 7–13: researching your novel

  • Days 14-15: the evolution of your story

  • Days 16-24: Introducing the formatted outline

  • Day 16: How to begin organising your formatted outline

  • Day 17: incorporating story evolution elements

  • Day 18: incorporating character and setting sketches

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