Novel Writing: Four Ways to Get an Idea for a Novel

After studying English Literature for four years, with double concentrations in European and Russian Literature and Poetics, focusing on Spenser and Chaucer, I know something about constructing literary works and novels. After writing two novels and two children's novels of my own, I know a little more about constructing novels. Four time-tested and true methods to get an idea for a novel have been used from Chaucer's time (i.e.; Romaunt de la Rose, Boccaccio) to the present day.

Interpretation of a classic novel or myth

The first idea is to develop a modern day interpretation of an immortal classic, beloved for generations. Dickens was known to use this method himself from time to time, such as in the writing of The Pickwick Papers. Bridget Jones's Diary is a contemporary example of this approach.

Bridget Jones's Diary is an interpretation of Jane Austen's beloved Pride and Prejudice. In Austen's book, as you may recall, Elizabeth Bennett immediately forms an bad opinion of Mr. Darcy based on circumstantial incidents, and he reciprocates by forming an equally poor opinion of her. They are perfectly happy disliking each other until...

Enter an ex-friend of Mr. Darcy's. Elizabeth is enraptured with the new Mr. Wickham and Mr. Darcy blanches white. While Elizabeth is busily throwing herself into Wickham's slightly avaricious arms, Darcy is examining her "fine eyes." Then comes the revelation and corroboration of the dastardly deed.

Elizabeth rightly changes her allegiance. There is a meeting of minds. Elizabeth and Darcy find it is not too late to form better opinions of each other. And there is a meeting of hearts.

While reading the above, you can picture Pride and Prejudice or Bridget Jones's Diary, for the description perfectly fits both. This is, of course, because the latter interprets the former into a modern day setting.

The first advantage of this approach is that you already have a sure-fire hit story that is well loved. The second advantage is that your plot is already laid out in skeletal form for you. No sitting over your interlocking stitch the way Jane Austen did pondering, "What comes next?" You already know what comes next. You just have to work out HOW it comes next in whatever era and situation you've chosen.

The third is that classical characters have the advantage over some contemporary characters in that the works that live through the ages do so in part because the characters are written as real individuals. Sadly, so many works today only offer pasteboard- or cardboard-cut-out-type characters who just don't vibrate with the same sense of flesh and blood immediacy and authenticity. Using a classic as your template gives you characters to work with who are already vibrant and seem as though they breath with life.

The disadvantage? Well, you don't have to scratch your head so often, that may reduce some of the acupressure benefit of constant acupoint stimulation. Any other disadvantage? -- Nope. Can't think of any. Be sure to let me know what disadvantages you think of.

A famous or interesting person mentioned in a non-fiction work

This idea is to develop a story around someone you read about primarily or incidentally in a work of nonfiction. For example, say you're reading a bit of economics and the life of one of the principles behind a particular theory catches your attention. You could quite easily build a story around that person's loves, loses and achievements. This method requires some first-rate biographical research on your part. No problem: You already like the gal or guy. This approach would produce a result similar to the movie A Beautiful Mind, which is a biographical story of the mathematician John Forbes Nash, Jr.

As another example, say you're reading the autobiography of a famous publisher and you're struck by an anecdote about one of the authors he discusses. You could easily use the mentioned author as the basis of a novel, proceeding after detailed biographical research. Or say you read incidentally about the sister of a famous poet, say for example, Dorothy, sister of Wordsworth. You are intrigued with Dorothy. So you build your novel around her.

An extension of the same idea is to build your story around someone who receives wholly insignificant mention in a nonfiction work. For instance, the butler or valet in an autobiography who brought in a glass of water or laid out a suit, or the attendant who parked a car, the waitress who took an order, the security guard talked about in a news story about a G8 summit. Anyone who catches your eye and imagination while reading nonfiction is fair game for being the model for a heroine or hero in a novel. Hemingway often featured commonplace and unimportant people.

Fictionalize an historic event

Akin to the above is the idea that you fictionalize a specific event in history. Gore Vidal made his success in his later career out of this idea. After having tried almost every known genre, form children's stories to plays, Vidal settled on fictionalizing historical events.

To follow through with this idea, you need a solid grasp of the history concerned. In addition, you need a sound understanding or the personalities involved. For example, if you wanted to focus on Abraham Lincoln's presidential election, you'd need a thorough understanding of the events, of Lincoln, and of the other leading figures who played significant roles, like Stephen A. Douglas.

This approach has advantages similar to writing a modern day interpretation of a classic in that the storyline and plot are arranged for you. That is an advantage for the beginning writer who may not yet be able to imagine events that are as compelling or characters that are as dynamic as real ones.

Chronicle some event you know about

This last idea is that the writer take the role of the chronicler. Balzac and Turgenev were two famous writers who were chroniclers. They saw living stories around them and made enthralling fiction out of them.

Perhaps you knew someone years ago who had a personal story that moved you to sympathy or rage or jealousy. Perhaps the event of that person's life story had an ending that you've always thought was unjust or too good for them. If you carefully fictionalize the people and events (please avoid liable and slander), a poignant life story form your past acquaintance is fair game for a fictional novel (Did I say "fictional?" Yes, I did: FICTIONAL.) Past experiences, events and acquaintance can provide the template and model for your novel, in the same way as an interpreted classic novel or a fictionalized historical event can.

These ideas take some of the head-scratching out of building a novel and ensure that your building blocks are interesting and emotionally gripping. They also ensure that your storyline and plot progress logically through series of events and situations that will move your readers and provide some life insight along with entertainment.