From First Draft To Finished Novel: A Writer's Guide to Cohesive Story Building

Build a fully developed, multi-layered story from the ground up!

Writing a story is not that much different than building a house. Both require some brainstorming (to provide a clear vision), a blueprint or outline (to lay a solid foundation upon which that vision can be built), building or drafting (to make the vision a reality), and decorating or revising (to polish the masterpiece and make it presentable to the public).

In From First Draft to Finished Novel, novelist Karen S. Wiesner carefully explores each of these stages, showing you how to:

• Create a quick outline to help organize and expand your original idea
• Develop a detailed Story Plan Checklist to solidify your story's details
• Combine and effectively use tools like your outline and story checklist to weave together a cohesive draft
• Put together a strong query letter and submission package

• Improve your outlining techniques through the use of character, plot, and setting sketches
• Write a strong Story Plan Checklist that ensures your characters evolve and your plot progresses
• Develop your editing skills using revision and "punch" checklists