The Writer's Craft: Modern Insights | The Novel | Chapter 14

 

The Writer's Craft: Modern Insights

(The Novel)

By Olivia Salter

CHAPTER 14

Fiction Writing: The Novel

The novel is a broad and flexible form of fiction that allows for a wide range of expression, themes, and complexity. Unlike short stories, which must compress meaning and focus on a singular effect, the novel offers space for the full exploration of characters, events, and ideas. Over time, the novel has evolved into a rich medium for storytelling, allowing writers to delve deeply into the human experience, society, and the world at large.

Novel and Romance

The distinction between the novel and the romance has been debated for centuries. In general, a novel is seen as a work of fiction grounded in realism, portraying life as it is, while a romance emphasizes imaginative, fantastic, or heroic elements, often setting the story in an idealized or extraordinary world. Novels focus on the everyday, the ordinary, and the complex psychological and social realities of their characters. Romances, on the other hand, transport readers to realms of heightened experience, where emotions, events, and characters are larger than life.

Romanticism and Realism

The Romanticism movement in literature is marked by an emphasis on emotion, individualism, and the sublime. It often focuses on the extraordinary, highlighting heroic figures, intense emotions, and the beauty or terror of nature. Realism, conversely, aims to depict the world and human life in a way that is true to everyday experience, with a focus on common people, social issues, and the detailed examination of the ordinary. In the novel, these two approaches frequently coexist or clash, with some novels leaning more heavily toward the imaginative elements of Romanticism and others adhering strictly to the grounded, observational style of Realism.

Techniques of Novel and Romance

Romanticism in novels often employs poetic language, symbolic imagery, and grand, sweeping narratives that highlight the emotions of characters in dramatic ways. Realism, on the other hand, uses precise, often plain language to focus on the details of everyday life, character psychology, and social issues. In both forms, techniques such as character development, plot structure, and narrative perspective are used to engage readers. However, the romance tends to favor archetypes and extraordinary events, while the realist novel focuses on intricate, well-rounded characters, mundane yet significant events, and a closer examination of the world’s imperfections.

Incoherence of Novel Relative to Short Story

Compared to the short story, the novel is often more sprawling and less unified. Incoherence here refers to the novel’s greater tolerance for digressions, subplots, and multiple perspectives. While a short story relies on tight coherence and singleness of effect, the novel can accommodate a more complex structure, where different elements—characters, events, themes—interweave in a way that mimics the messiness of real life. Novels can be looser and more episodic, reflecting the ongoing, multifaceted nature of human experience.

Novel as Medium of Self-Expression

The novel allows authors a broader canvas for self-expression. Writers can explore their own philosophical, political, or social views through the thoughts and actions of their characters or through direct commentary. The length and scope of the novel permit a deeper engagement with the author’s personal perspective, enabling more intricate reflections on the human condition, society, or the self.

Interpolation of Personal Comment

Many novels feature the author’s personal commentary interwoven into the narrative. This can be done through the narrator’s voice, as in Henry Fielding’s Tom Jones, where the narrator often steps in to comment on the actions or moral state of the characters. Alternatively, characters themselves may express the author's views. In realist novels especially, such as those by George Eliot or Leo Tolstoy, personal and philosophical reflections are integrated into the storyline, offering insights into broader social, ethical, or existential questions.

Significant Simplicity

In the novel, significant simplicity refers to the idea that even the most straightforward narrative or characters can carry deep meaning. A simple plot or setting can provide the framework for a complex examination of themes like morality, human nature, or societal structure. Authors like Jane Austen excel at significant simplicity, where seemingly ordinary events (courtship, family life) become the stage for profound insights into class, gender, and personal growth.

Permissible Inclusiveness of the Novel

One of the novel’s greatest strengths is its permissible inclusiveness—its capacity to include a wide variety of themes, characters, and subplots. Unlike the short story, which must focus narrowly, the novel can encompass diverse elements, ranging from personal introspection to broad social commentary. This inclusiveness allows the novel to reflect the full spectrum of human experience, often combining different narrative threads and perspectives. Writers like Charles Dickens are known for this inclusiveness, as seen in novels like Bleak House, where a large cast of characters and multiple storylines come together to create a rich portrait of society.

Full Development of Personality

Novels provide ample room for the full development of personality. Characters in novels can undergo significant growth and change over the course of the narrative, as the extended length allows for deep psychological exploration. In contrast to short stories, where characters are often defined by a few key traits or actions, novelistic characters can evolve, reveal complexities, and engage with multifaceted motivations, reflecting the intricacies of real human beings. Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina or Flaubert’s Emma Bovary are prime examples of characters whose inner lives are richly explored.

Variety of Action

The novel’s length allows for a greater variety of action. Multiple events, spanning different locations or times, can be incorporated, and characters can experience a wide range of situations. This variety not only keeps the reader engaged but also mirrors the complexity of life, where different moments—dramatic or mundane—shape the characters’ journeys. In epic novels, like War and Peace, the action ranges from personal relationships to national conflicts, creating a grand, varied narrative landscape.

Length

Novels are generally longer than short stories, often spanning tens of thousands of words. This length enables the development of more intricate plots and deeper explorations of character and theme. While there are no strict rules regarding length, novels typically offer the space for expansive storytelling, allowing the writer to explore subplots, secondary characters, and the broader context surrounding the main narrative.

Initial Idea

The initial idea for a novel can be anything from a character concept, a moral dilemma, a social critique, or even a philosophical question. Novels often begin with a central idea that the writer wishes to explore in detail, whether it’s the clash between individual desire and societal expectation, as seen in Madame Bovary, or the tension between good and evil, as in Crime and Punishment. This idea serves as the seed from which the narrative and characters grow.

Story

At its core, a novel tells a story—an extended narrative involving characters, conflicts, and resolutions. However, the story in a novel is not just a sequence of events; it often explores deeper themes such as identity, morality, love, or power. The novel’s length allows for the development of a plot with more intricacies, including twists, delays, and resolutions that add to the reader's emotional or intellectual engagement.

Life

The novel is often seen as a reflection of life itself. Through the detailed portrayal of characters, settings, and events, the novel captures the diversity, complexity, and unpredictability of the human experience. Realist novels, in particular, aim to present life in its fullness, complete with its contradictions, joys, and sorrows. Even in more fantastic or romanticized novels, the depiction of human emotions, relationships, and challenges resonates with readers because it reflects universal aspects of life.

Society

Many novels also engage with society as a key theme, examining the social structures, class dynamics, and cultural forces that shape individual lives. From Dickens’ exploration of industrial-era England to Toni Morrison’s portrayal of race and history in America, novels often serve as a mirror to society, critiquing or illuminating its values, injustices, and changes.

Singleness of Story

While a novel can contain subplots and multiple threads, it typically maintains a singleness of story—a central narrative that ties everything together. This main storyline acts as the backbone of the novel, providing structure and direction. Even in complex novels with multiple perspectives or shifting timelines, there is usually one dominant narrative that drives the reader’s investment in the characters and the outcome of the plot.

Social Emphasis

In many novels, there is a clear social emphasis, focusing on the interaction between individuals and the larger social world. Novels often explore how societal forces—such as class, gender, race, or economics—shape the lives of characters. This emphasis on society allows the novel to engage with broad cultural and political issues, making it a powerful tool for social critique or reflection.

In summary, the novel’s strength lies in its capacity to encompass a wide range of human experience. It can focus on personal growth, explore societal issues, or dive deeply into philosophical questions. With its expansive length and scope, the novel allows for the full exploration of characters, ideas, and events, offering a rich, multifaceted reading experience.

CONTENT

Preface & Introduction

1. Chapter 1:   Writers and Life
2. Chapter 2:    Storytelling 1
3. Chapter 3:    Storytelling 2
4. Chapter 4:    Plotting
5. Chapter 5:    Narrative 1
6. Chapter 6:    Narrative 2
7. Chapter 7:    Narrative 3
8. Chapter 8:    Description
9. Chapter 9:    Dialogue
10. Chapter 10:  Characters
11. Chapter 11:  Atmosphere
12. Chapter 12:  Settings 
13. Chapter 13:  Short Story
14. Chapter 14:  The Novel
15. Chapter 15:  Conclusion