write a novel in a month:
the line-by-line method
This November, I’ll attempt once again to write a novel in 30 days, this time using a line-by-line method. Starting at 9 a.m. sharp on Friday, November 1st, I’ll brainstorm story ideas for an hour, likely landing on a mystery in first-person past tense, with a 50,000-word goal.
I’ll begin by laying down each story idea sequentially to form a chronological progression, with each line representing a step forward in the storyline. I’ll figure the story along the way, building in the details and refining transitions between ideas, while keeping sight of the big picture. Each line acts like a thread: insignificant on its own but priceless when woven into a cohesive structure.
The outline and draft will take shape gradually and simultaneously in a single Google document. Each line will become the topic sentence of a paragraph, spanning one sentence or three pages. The length of the paragraph is what will set the pace and rhythm. The outline will remain visible, anchoring each paragraph’s purpose and creating skimmable, structured content, which also simplifies revision.
The line-by-line method allows a systematic, uncluttered approach. There’s no need for subdocuments, side notes, or to-do lists—everything stays together in one document, with regular backups to safeguard progress. Nothing to break your focus or divide your attention. Having everything in one place keeps the ideas connected and the flow evolves naturally.
Groups of ideas will form scenes, each representing a sequence of actions within a set time and place, often involving two people (or the main character and its conscience), and an object—the recipe for conflict.
Once the draft is complete, I’ll add depth by reordering events, layering subtext, and introducing subplots, just enough to make the story interesting without losing readers.
Note to myself:
» I will write each idea in its simplest form, without trying to make my sentence sound poetic or smart. Novels are complex projects; their elements need to be in their rawest form as building blocks.
» Ideas hold no value and are disposable. Everyone has them. I will not hesitate to delete them if they become a nuisance to my narrative flow.
» I’ll save the opening and closing lines for the end, to work them out together, allowing for a mirrored effect. I won’t stress about it during the drafting period.
Using an analogy to fashion design:
First, weave the text, then cut the patterns to shape it into an outfit. Begin by developing the text line by line, then decide where to make cuts to establish the structure, following the natural flow of the story.
PROGRESS LOG
The 5 x 6 Step Process: Divide time into chunks of days rather than by hour or day. You don’t function the same way, nor are you at your best every day, but a 5-day chunk will balance out the highs and lows.
Book cover and project title
Synopsis
[Mystery, Suspense, Paranormal] A misfit team of self-employed and self-proclaimed investigators travels to Paramaribo, drawn by rumors of a mysterious abandoned colonial house said to possess unusual powers.
DAYS 1 TO 5 (Goal 8,400 words)
It works best when I fill up pages with words while in bed at night. I first visualize and talk the story through in my head, then try translating it with my fingers on the keyboard. I don’t get a direct translation, but I guess I’ll keep refining the process–as long as I can reread and understand everything the next day. I write the outline as I go.
Wrote around 8000 words.
DAYS 6 TO 10 (The reflecting phase)
I changed my approach. I will review and clean up the 8,400 words I have written so far so I don’t end up with a 50,000-word mess. I’ll take time to read to draw inspiration from other books. The revision process will help me push forward.
My constants will be my 3 main characters (don’t know their gender yet, just given them generic names for now), and the setting, which shifts between JFK terminal and a tiny, fictionalized South American country based on Suriname. I’ll write everything chronologically at first, then explore different ways to reorder the scenes. In doing so, I’ll experiment with new POV, scene types, and themes.
When writing a novel, the focus should be at the scene level, not on the sentence level, and definitely not on the individual words that make the sentences. The design method scales according to the scope of the work; when designing an entire city, don’t focus on the doorknob of every door.
There are no right decisions. Only decisions that you make right.