How to write a novel:

Invent a person you want to spend three years with then spend three years with them in language.

In this scenario of the novel, the invented persona better be interesting. They must hold your attention. They have to have a few things:

1. Memory (history: history is just numerous kinds of memory)
2. A place to move around in, a place to go
3. Friends or what may pass for them
4. Drama
5. Something to want and want bad enough to hurt themselves for
6. Life.

I don’t think the writer has to worry about anything but the fear of invention and time. They should fear those numbers running up and down the long-hand version of the novel–the writer will need about a twelve pack of legal pads for a first draft and lots of pens. The writer shouldn;t write in pencil because the medium will smudge.

The writer should burn the first set of pads because that was just a warm up. The writer should purchase a cheap laptop (about $1,400.00) if they intend on following this last bit of advice.