The Third Step – Create the Big Idea and Summary


  • Select a theme that you find particularly intriguing - create the big idea for the story - it can come by chance while day-dreaming, walking or relaxing in a bath
  • The big idea is the theme – the concept – the point you are making
  • Choose a topic that has shades of grey, not black and white, no clear right and wrong, no definite good and evil, and a great debate is born
  • The basic formula for nearly all novels is to give the central character a goal, put barriers in his or her way, and then work out credible solutions to the barriers. Keep the biggest barrier to the end
  • Create sub-plots – they must be knitted into the main story – they must affect the main characters
  • The main climax must be at the end of the story
  • Draw up a timetable of the events in the story
  • Do some selective basic reading from all your sources of information
  • Your story should take the reader out of time into another world
  • Create opportunities for bravado, love and humour
  • Create suspense and excitement
  • Write the story summary
  • Do not be in a hurry to write the story itself – write the summary – leave it for a while – don’t think about it – get new ideas – some will come freely when relaxing – then go back to the summary and insert the new idea