How to Write a Novel A Practical Guide to the Art of Fiction

How to Write a Novel A Practical Guide to the Art of Fiction by Grant Richards
 
PREFACE
This little book is one which so well explains itself that no introductory word is needed; and I only venture to intrude a sentence or two here with a view to explain the style in which I have conveyed my ideas. I desired to be plain and practical, and therefore chose the direct and epistolary form as being most suitable for the purpose in hand.

CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1. THE OBJECT IN VIEW
An Inevitable Comparison
A Model Lesson in Novel-Writing
The Teachable and the Unteachable
CHAPTER 2. A GOOD STORY TO TELL
Where do Novelists get their Stories from?
Is there a Deeper Question?
What about the Newspapers?
Here is the paragraph:
CHAPTER 3. HOW TO BEGIN
Formation of the Plot
The Agonies and Joys of “Plot-Construction”
Care in the Use of Actual Events
The Natural History of a Plot
Sir Walter Besant on the Evolution of a Plot
Plot-Formation in Earnest
Characters first: Plot afterwards
The Natural Background
CHAPTER 4. CHARACTERS AND CHARACTERISATION
The Chief Character
How to Portray Character
Methods of Characterisation
The Trick of “Idiosyncrasies”
CHAPTER 5. STUDIES IN LITERARY TECHNIQUE
Narrative Art
Movement
Aids to Description
THE POINT OF VIEW
SELECTING THE MAIN FEATURES
DESCRIPTION BY SUGGESTION
FACTS TO REMEMBER
CHAPTER 6. STUDIES IN LITERARY TECHNIQUE
Colour: Local and Otherwise
What About Dialect?
On Dialogue
CHAPTER 7. PITFALLS
Items of General Knowledge
Specific Subjects
Topography and Geography
Scientific Facts
Grammar
CHAPTER 8. THE SECRET OF STYLE
Communicable Elements
Incommunicable Elements
CHAPTER 9. HOW AUTHORS WORK
Quick and Slow
How many Words a Day?
Charles Reade and Anthony Trollope
The Mission of Fancy
Fancies of another Type
Some of our Younger Writers
Curious Methods
CHAPTER 10. IS THE SUBJECT-MATTER OF NOVELS EXHAUSTED?
The Question Stated
“Change” not “Exhaustion”
Why we talk about Exhaustion
CHAPTER 11. THE NOVEL _v._ THE SHORT STORY
Practise the Short Story
Short Story Writers on their Art
CHAPTER 12. SUCCESS: AND SOME OF ITS MINOR CONDITIONS
The Truth about Success
Minor Conditions of Success
APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1. THE PHILOSOPHY OF COMPOSITION[175:1]
APPENDIX 2. BOOKS WORTH READING
APPENDIX 3. MAGAZINE ARTICLES ON WRITING FICTION