How to write a novel

The Question "What If?" is a writer's best friend. You can ask yourself this question at any stage of your novel. If your stuck, if you can't think of a book to write, if the ending isn't to your satisfaction; "What if...?"

Starting a novel: "What if a boy receives a letter telling him he's a wizard?"

Moving the plot along: "What if he defeated an evil wizard as a baby?'
"What if a troll goes into the girl's bathroom?"

"What if he becomes a seeker?"

"What if he gets past the three-headed dog?" (Hopefully this is starting to sound familiar to you.)

Ending: "What if he defeats the evil wizard? What are the consequences?"

Look at your book. Are there some plot points you could improve? ("What if my hero does_________instead?")

Are you stuck? ("What if the hero does ________?")

Another good question to ask yourself after "what if" is "What are the consequences?"

How does your character's actions affect what happens next?