How to Become a Novelist

What do you think about someone that had been writing a novel? They must be genius hence they could narrative their mind and describe their imagination as well put on to their written. The Novelist like JK Rowling, J.R.R Tolkien, Stephanie Meyer, Andrea Hirata, Dewi Lestari seem only a few fine novelist that had written popular novels. According to The Oxford Companion to the English Language, ”The Novel refers to a work of prose fiction, usually 30,000 to 100,000 words in length” (qtd. Tom McArtur 711). The Novel is longer than a short story and usually written in narrative style. What types of novels that really attracted you? A few most common types of novels are romance, history, bibliography, horor, comedy, gothic, and etc. How many novel that you have been reading? Love to reading the novels is the asset if you want to write your own novel and become the novelist. These stages bellow, will guide you how to write your own novel and how to publish it.  

First of all, start writing. Before you start writing, you might be stuck what the first things that you need to write. The ideas may come from your own experiences, someone’s experiences, journey, and etc. You can find the plot from your ideas. The plot is a literary term defined as the main story line. For the amateur writer, making the outline from the plot is the essential tips. Hence the outline can direct you in the writing process and lead your written more structured.  Second, find some characters for your story. Occasionally there is protagonist (a main good guy) and antagonist (a main bad guy). You allowed apply the characters based on people that you have been met. Third, create the setting; weather it’s time and places. The setting time means set your time of story, is happen in the present time or past.  The setting of places consist the roads, home, buildings, rooms, parks and etc. Finally, decide the point of view. Point of view is the perspective of narrative. There are two kinds of point of view, the first person and the third person.  

Writing process is only the beginning. The next stages, is edit and rewrite your story. Try to become personal editor for your work because editing and rewriting is what makes your story, good. Do not pre judge your written and do not forget to save your first draft in a save place. You allowed to adding or replacing words and also sentences on your first draft.  Editing process consist substantive editing and content editing. The substantive editing includes punctuation, spelling, grammar, and word choice. Quality of written, completeness, and organization are included in the content editing.

 The last stage is how to publish your book.  Before you send your book to the publisher, you need to do research on presses.  What kind of publisher that appropriate with your written and make a list on them. The publisher is parable a home for your novel.  Do not be afraid if the publisher reject you book.  This process is also takes time until you book get published. Many popular novels were rejected in the beginning. Do not give up for only one or two publishers that unlike your story. Do not quit and keep moving submit your book to the next publisher on your list.

In conclusion, to write a novel and to publish it often takes time, effort, and also money. Both process weather it is writing process or editing process need a lot of trial and error. You might be a novelist and your novel become popular. However, you must take practice and hard discipline in process of writing, editing, and submit into publisher.

Mengejar Matahari Tengah Malam - Gravitasi

Kemana aku harus berjalan untuk pengampunan? Sedang aku seperti dekat dengan kematianku sediri. Aku yakin setiap orang pasti memiliki masalah dan jantung dosa yang tak pernah berhenti. Tuhan..aku bahkan tidak punya ruang untuk itu. Aku butuh psikiater tapi bukan untuk seseorang yang dengan mudah menjejaliku dengan obat-obatan penenang. Aku butuh bicara tapi aku tidak tahu apa lagi yang tersisa untuk dibicarakan. Aku ingin seseorang yang memelukku mengatakan segalanya akan baik-baik saja dengan tenang kepadaku. Kehilangan segala sesuatu yang penting dalam hidupmu dalam satu waktu, aku bertanya bagaimana itu terjadi pada seseorang dan dia masih bisa bangun seperti karang. Tak peduli betapa besarnya ombak yang menghantam dia masih dengan kokoh menantang matahari. 

Hujan..masih saja hujan. Suara tetesan, guyuran gerimis, dan hembusan angin yang mengiringi itu semua seakan terpantul bersamaan menurut pada gravitasi bumi malam ini. Berputar-putar lalu udara menjadi dingin, namun tetap saja tidak sedingin hati ini. Seingatku ini adalah bukan musim dingin yang dapat kapan saja hujan. Hangat..aku ingat seharusnya ini musim panas dengan pagi yang hangat. Kenapa aku berada di sini?

Aku seperti tersesat di dunia yang berbeda. Semua dan segala sesuatu yang pernah aku tahu, hilang. Begitu juga dengan kekuatanku. Dan dengan semua eksistensiku, aku mati rasa. Kemudian aku berjalan mencari dunia yang aku tahu tapi aku tetap tidak menemukan siapapun. Terkadang aku dapat melihat orang-orang yang aku kenal dan orang-orang dengan wajah tanpa nama tetapi tetap saja aku tidak bisa menyentuh mereka. Aku berusaha bicara tapi kata-kata seakan tidak bisa keluar dari kerongkonganku. Aku merasakan sebuah bahaya. Aku tahu ini sebuah bahaya karena aku melihat semua orang menatapku seperti aku adalah seorang yang asing. 


[Arman's Confession (P. 26). Diambil dari Novel "Mengejar Matahari Tengah Malam" By: Mei Aulia]