How to write a novel | transatlantic ideas

If you have followed my blog about writing fiction, then you know the story so far. Nick lives in Birmingham, England in his late parents house, near the airport. His parents were killed in a horrible accident while on holiday in America and Nick is now traumatised by those events. He travelled to America to bring his parents home and now hates all things American. He is quite well off, having inherited his parents home and benefited from their insurance. Now he wants to run away and find adventure. He has bought a 30 foot long camper van and has decided to sell everything and drive around the English Countryside and look for adventure.

I have also decided  that Nick will meet Lily, an American from New England and form a love-hate relationship with her. I think this could add a little comedy to the story as Nick makes fun of her and all things American. I think we have a story and it’s different. There is no point in writing a story that has already been told, but it often happens. Man meets women falls for her and then happy ending… It’s a bit boring…

We want something different, something that will excite the reader, involve the reader, fire their imagination, have them  saying to themselves ‘Oh no, Nick; don’t do that,’ or hoping that Nick and Lily’s war of words will finally end, so they can be happy together. What do you think? How can the story develop; how can I make it different. How can I make it fire the imagination and the emotions of the reader? In order to fire the imagination of the reader, we need to be fired up ourselves; inspired even.

I have an idea! A novel is usually about the protagonist, the main character, but could this switch from Nick to Lily and back again, finally combining both of their stories? I could write a chapter about Nick planning his adventure and then switch to Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. I know nothing about Shrewsbury, Massachusetts except that it’s named after Shrewsbury, England and it’s a small town. It would be a good place for Lily to come from though.

If Lily lives in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, then she could have a friend from university from Shrewsbury, England. She could visit her and tour the English countryside a little while she’s here. Then she could meet Nick, probably in chapter five! What do you think? I think Lily is a good name for someone from Massachusetts. Don’t you? I wish I knew a writer in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts who wanted to co-write a novella!

Throwing ideas around like this is a good way to get the initial ideas for a novel. I have a story almost. I need narration, to tell the story. I need dialogue and I need an adventure to motivate Nick to explore the English Countryside. I think I have a vague idea of the ending. I think Nick will go to America to start a new adventure with Lily, that could be the beginning of a sequel!

I don’t have a title for the story. Do you have any ideas? I think I have the ante climax of the story, Nick meets Lily. But what about a climax? Maybe, the ending of their war of words could be the climax? I still have a lot of questions to answer and gaps to fill in. What do you think of it so far? Would you read the finished novella; maybe as a short eBook?

There are more amazing blogs on a Zillion Ideas and there will be another one today about writing fiction over there too. Please comment with your ideas…

Related articles

• How to write a novel | The story so far (mike10613.wordpress.com)
• How to write a novel | English Countryside (mike10613.wordpress.com)
• How to write a novel | The storyline (mike10613.wordpress.com)
• How to write a novel | details and authenticity (mike10613.wordpress.com)
• How to write a novel | Research (mike10613.wordpress.com)
• How to write a novel | Character profile (mike10613.wordpress.com)

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