© 2018 Laura L. Drumb
Each aspect of a novel fits together as 
the bones of a skeleton to allow the whole to function properly. If any piece is missing or out of place, its absence will be felt even if not visible to a reader’s eyes.
We will explore some of the basics of a novel’s structure using various bones as examples, though obviously in this format we cannot include every one of them.
- Spine – Research. This is the foundation of a novel to which all else attaches and upon which the success of a story depends. It has many tiny parts and aids the plot in moving smoothly and believably.
- Skull – Story Line. Plot ideas and an orderly outline guide the direction of the book and are essential to its becoming a cohesive whole. Even if the author chooses to allow it to develop on its own, he still must have a general concept of where the novel is going.
- Sternum/Ribs – Shape of the Story. These protect the heart of the message and include such details as the POV, setting, time period, characters and their backstories, theme, and genre.
- Hips/Legs – Plot Twists. As these bones enable the body to move in one direction and then quickly change back and forth repeatedly if necessary, so the plot must have more than one layer, or it is a short story rather than a novel.
- Feet/Toes – Balance. These help maintain pacing between action, dialogue, and narration. If one or more is missing, the story will be out of whack and not ring true. All writers, both experienced and newbies, must also keep their balance by continually growing in their knowledge of the craft of writing through critique groups, conferences, or reading books on the subject, if not all three.
- Arms/Hands – Sources. Gathering facts throughout the process from first person accounts, museum exhibits, art galleries, and visits on location adds richness to the depth of research done at the beginning.
- Fingers – Writing. First drafts are important; it is impossible to edit a blank page! But most of writing a novel is revision and rewriting—many times, in fact. And if words remain in the mind but never appear on paper, there is no novel.
The flow of all these bones working together as designed will produce a solid structure for your novel to allow it to become the next best seller!
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Laura L. Drumb released her debut novel 
From Now Until Forever in May, 2017, as an e-book and the paperback will be available this Spring. Currently, she is writing the sequel to this powerful story of God’s love and forgiveness. She writes Christian historical fiction rooted in her beloved Oklahoma and resides there with her husband and close to her two married daughters, their husbands, and seven grandchildren, while sharing better health and wellness with others.
