"I have a great idea for a novel, but I'm just not sure how to start..."Sound familiar? The dream of virtually every hopeful fiction writer is to take that idea and turn it into a salable novel. In You Can Write a Novel, veteran author James Smith breaks down this complex process into simple, logical steps. His approach will guide you in a practical sequence designed to keep you focused, organized and moving forward while skillfully addressing the essentials, such as plot, character, setting, dialogue and action. Smith also shows how to generate a salable idea, develop that idea into a framework, and build that framework into a finished manuscript. What's more, he sets You Can Write a Novel apart from other how-to-write books by providing these unique features:The Writer's Tool Kit: an indispensable invention for even the most seasoned writer. Using index cards, a file folder, a pocket folder, a legal pad and some tape, you will create a management system for building and keeping track of characters, constructing a main story line, adding subplots, revising on the fly and more!Lifesaving Rules for the Writer: a variety of short technique advisories designed to keep you from wasting time or making fatal errors.These include:The 40 Cardinal Rules of Writing10 blunders that identify you as an amateur8 places to mine or not mine ideasand many moreAn Idea Scoring System: a method used to quantify your story idea's potential for successSmith's upbeat, accessible style will encourage you from start to finish, so don't waste another moment wondering if you have what it takes you succeed! You Can Write a Novel! Read Less