Article: Start with action and scene so your reader is grabbed right away. Focus on a scene involving your narrator or your main character. Begin with a scene that will give the reader a sense of the narrative voice and the style of the rest of the novel. For example, you may begin with a scene involving the main character and their mother. The relationship between the main character and the mother character may then be carried on throughout the rest of the novel. A short novel should only focus on one conflict or situation involving your main character. This will prevent the novel from growing into a longer narrative and make it easier for you to stay focused while you write. Have one central conflict in the novel and go from there. Try to summarize the central conflict or plot of the novel in one sentence. If you can do this, the conflict or plot is likely clear enough for the short novel. For example, you may have a central conflict like, "Teenager Mary Heti struggles to come out to her religious mother and deal with being a social outcast in a small Southern town." Keep your number of characters within one to four maximum in the short novel. This will help you avoid getting overwhelmed by too many characters in such a short work. You may focus on one or two main characters and one or two secondary characters. You should also limit your settings so the reader can be immersed in the novel. For example, you may have one main setting, like the small American town where the narrator lives. You may then have one secondary setting, like the summer camp in the woods she goes to for one month. A short novel should move fast to keep the reader engaged. Repeat key themes and ideas throughout the novel. Have recurring scenes or moments so the novel feels well paced. For example, you may have the narrator go see a doctor on a recurring basis as part of the novel's structure. Or you may have a main character who charts the movement of a star in the sky throughout the novel to tie it all together. A short novel lends itself to an ending that packs an emotional punch. Surprise your reader with a good twist at the end. Set up the reader's expectations and then knock them down. Make the ending surprising and unexpected, as this will leave the reader satisfied when they put the novel down. For example, you may have a satisfying ending where the mother character accepts the main character for who they are, despite her religious beliefs.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Begin in scene. Have one central conflict. Include a limited number of characters and settings. Use repetition and pacing. Have a strong ending.