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Proper formatting in a novel..?

Some people have mentioned that they find my writing hard to read at times, and I think so too...

So.. what are the guidelines when writing a novel/story? (not for manuscript)

Like during conversations, scene breaks, etc. etc.?

4 Answers

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  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    When you start a new line of dialogue, start a new paragraph. For instance:

    WRONG:

    "How are you?" he asked. "I'm fine," she answered. "How are you?" He thought for a moment. "Not too good?" she asked.

    RIGHT:

    "How are you?" he asked.

    "I'm fine," she answered. "How are you?"

    He thought for a moment.

    "Not too good?" she asked.

    Every time someone else talks or someone else is "supposed" to talk, but doesn't, put that dialogue or description in.

  • 1 decade ago

    Um, I don't know what your writing looks like.

    However, heres some advice: write what the character notices.

    When she walks into a room, what does she see first? The room. Describe it in a paragraph, then click enter to begin the next paragraph.

    Now that you've started a new paragraph, you are no longer talking about what you were talking about before, the room, now you are talking about the people.

    And from there, you begin another paragraph and talk about a certain person and your character's relationship with that person and how they make her feel.

    "Your character says something."

    "The person replies..."

    The character has an emotional response.

    "Your character yells!!!" And leaves the room, running.

    Describe what she's feeling about it all.

    And now describe the room she's in now, and so on and so forth.

    I don't know if this helped. It probably didn't, actually, but anyways it was the best I could do.

  • Anonymous
    5 years ago

    Are you speaking about the format of a web page? Why do not you only have a glance at some actual novels? bypass to a book shop and make some notes or inspect some novels from the library.

  • ?
    Lv 4
    1 decade ago

    I would need to read just part of your writing dialog to see wats wrong with it and see were you can make some adds or change

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