Most English teachers have a variety of ways to help students write about novels they read.
I use this pre-writing activity, along with others, to help students fulfill the writing component in a contract reading unit. Usually the students are on about the 8th or 9th grade level and have fallen into the dismal habit of writing a book review which is an often times confusing re-telling of the entire story. This is an effort to help them identify and describe the bare bones of novel. Write one sentence, using carefully chosen words, which describes the character, plot, setting, and mood of a novel. Use, if they choose, that one sentence as a spring board for additional writing about the novel.