Judith Said:

How can I go about writing a novel?

We Answered:

Denmark, before you write word one, create a master plan of this story you've been mulling over for two years. Make it quite detailed, down to the chapter or even the scene.

Any planning method is fine. I like spread sheets or detailed synopses, but outlines, flow charts, index cards, and other methods are good for other people.

Things to know about every scene or chapter: Who's in it. Where it's set, and what time of day, of season, etc. What has to happen. How it stems from the previous scene. How it leads to the next scene.

A plan that detailed may take you weeks or months, but it's so worth it. You will never sit down unable to write, not when you know what to write at that level of detail.

As you write, you will come up with better ideas. Great--but adjust your master plan completely before pursuing them.

Give yourself permission to write badly. A finished draft which is awful is way, way ahead of a much better incomplete manuscript.

Accept the reality that you will be rewriting the whole thing, perhaps many times.

Make time to write, even if you have to give up pleasures to do it.

Create or find an environment where you can write. As a student, you probably have access to many.

Back up your files to something other than the computer you write on. Email to yourself is fast and free.

When you have a completed first draft, come on back and ask what to do with it.