Why write a novel?

Writing a novel is an endeavour that aims to translate a sincere reaction to the human situation into language that will both amuse & educate readers.

Since it derives from the Italian word novella, the heartfelt response must be new or at least presented in a creatively original way.

By writing a novel, a writer can convey their innermost thoughts & perceptions and these will generally be on the things they have encountered, experienced, discovered, learned, or witnessed.

The human mind is naturally inclined to study, investigate, contrast, and compare so a writer will enjoy expressing, putting into words, the thoughts & perceptions learned through investigation and experience. By putting thoughts into text, the writer provides a place where a reader might draw conclusions by comparing what is written with their own life experiences.

By writing a novel, a writer can convey their innermost thoughts & perceptions…

Neil Mach

Novelists frequently explore themes like disappointment, regret, success, loss, and wickedness. These ‘dramatic’ themes provide readers with a safe place to explore feelings, experiences, and circumstances that are new to them, while also giving the writer a safe place to experiment with uncomfortable or unfamiliar events & situations.

Examples of common topics include:

• seeking identity in an unaccommodating world

• striving for greatness or goodness in a tainted world.

• dealing with retaliation or revenge

• the search for and discovery (or loss) of love

Have you written a novel? Did your novel include one (or more) of the above?

Picture credit Leslie Lopez Holder (CC)

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When an infant washes up on the south coast of England, what does an elderly man do with the foundling? When a young, unmarried woman barges into his life, how does he handle her blarney? The young woman and the baby’s intrusion throws his strict everyday routine symmetry into disarray. The elderly man starts to feel disoriented in a world he no longer understands and that seems to be made up of irate individuals who are unable to disguise their prejudices. Meanwhile, he has a baby to care for… why won’t society help him find this child’s parents?