Books Rule

26 Jun 2009

pete tarslaw's 16 rules of novel writing

janewilkins:

ragbag:

  • rule 1: abandon truth.
  • rule 2: write a popular book. do not waste energy making it a good book.
  • rule 3: include nothing from [one’s] own life.
  • rule 4: must include a murder.
  • rule 5: must include a club, secrets / mysterious missions, shy characters, characters whose lives are changed suddenly, surprising love affairs, women who’ve given up on love but turn out to be beautiful.
  • rule 6: evoke confusing sadness at the end.
  • rule 7: prose should be lyrical.
  • rule 8: novel must have scenes on highways, making driving seem poetic and magical.
  • rule 9: at dull points include descriptions of delicious meals.
  • rule 10: main character is miraculously liberated from a lousy job.
  • rule 11: include scenes in as many reader-filled towns as possible.
  • rule 12: give readers versions of themselves, infused with extra awesomeness.
  • rule 13: target key demographics.
  • rule 14: involve music.
  • rule 15: must have obscure, exotic locations.
  • rule 16: include plant names.
from how i became a famous novelist, by steve hely (2009).

Reblogged: janewilkins

  1. dianlovesit reblogged this from ragbag
  2. loquaciouscatastrophe reblogged this from ragbag
  3. betterthanyou reblogged this from ragbag and added:
    i’ll be writing my future novel.
  4. indefinitearticle reblogged this from ragbag and added:
    Brian Jacques: Zealot for Rule #9
  5. troisenator reblogged this from ragbag
  6. mmmcnvbvb reblogged this from ragbag
  7. reading-is-fun reblogged this from booktumbling
  8. medonner reblogged this from eccentricleartiste
  9. acomedyofhorrors reblogged this from unsustainable and added:
    My books ‘literally’ have almost none of these things. HA! Fuck it; I do what is WRITE.
  10. unsustainable reblogged this from tarts
  11. fortunaforme reblogged this from eccentricleartiste
  12. tarts reblogged this from anquex
  13. marieelizabetholiver reblogged this from booktumbling
  14. thedecisivemoment reblogged this from booktumbling
  15. marissaisgod reblogged this from booktumbling
  16. eccentricleartiste reblogged this from booktumbling and added:
    I will seriously take note of these.
  17. steampoweredmedia reblogged this from csessums and added:
    I should have done so much more in my first failed novel.
  18. foreversshorter reblogged this from booktumbling
  19. writinggirl2writingwoman reblogged this from booktumbling
  20. staa reblogged this from booktumbling
  21. tjpytheas reblogged this from reimer
  22. anquex reblogged this from booktumbling
  23. robotlove reblogged this from booktumbling and added:
    …i automatically thought of twilight…
  24. sa-rah-rah-rah reblogged this from ragbag
  25. thesewordsoflove reblogged this from booktumbling
  26. nerdgasms reblogged this from booktumbling and added:
    janewilkins:ragbag:...rule 1: abandon truth. rule 2: write a popular book. do not waste...
  27. smokesandcaffeine reblogged this from booktumbling
  28. wendybird reblogged this from booktumbling
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  31. wildgica reblogged this from booktumbling
  32. booktumbling reblogged this from janewilkins
  33. janewilkins reblogged this from ragbag
  34. csessums reblogged this from ragbag
  35. reimer reblogged this from ragbag
  36. osmium reblogged this from ragbag and added:
    Shouldn’t drugs...rule? My first novel had drugs. I still threw it away.
  37. zsg reblogged this from ragbag
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  39. ragbag posted this