The Marshall Plan for Novel Writing, by Evan Marshall.
In this book is a chronological guide to constructing your first novel. Published in 1998, it’s billed as “a 16-step program guaranteed to take you from idea to completed manuscript.” The guide is meant to help the prospective author finish one story at a time, but it can be re-used.
In addition to chapters about writing advice, there are tables inside to fill in as you progress. These tables leave structured space for everything from character information (motivation, fears, eye color, etc.), plot structure, and workshopping. Moving from an idea to actual execution is daunting, and it can even be prohibitively overwhelming. Having a concrete plan will drastically increase your chances of success – this is a must-have.
Tips:
– It would be unwise to only look at the book chronologically, even if that’s how it is constructed. It contains many useful tools for all stages of the writing process, and many of them can be used in isolation (character charts, plot tips, etc.).
– Do not treat the guide as the only correct way to write a novel. If there is something omitted from it you would like to include, don’t omit it purely on those grounds.