Many of us dream of writing the next Great American Novel, myself included. But for a beginning novelist it can be an overwhelming task. That is where You Can Write A Novel by James V. Smith, Jr. can help.

Starting with how to identify a salable idea and ending with marketing and submitting You Can Write A Novel takes the beginner step by step through the writing process.

Instructions on creating a writer’s toolkit of 3x5 and 5x8 index cards are included as well as template ideas for master, major, and minor characters. Scenes get their own cards also and file folders are used to keep it all together in one place.

Along the way Smith discusses choosing names for our characters, creating scenes with a purpose and putting those scenes in order. Pivotal complications are exposed as well as subplots and the point-of-no-return complication. Revising gets its own chapter as does preparing your novel for sale.

Throughout the book tips are included such as "never be boring", "heros have flaws and villains have some saving grace". My favorite tip is "write to suit yourself".

While this method of breaking down the writing process into smaller, more manageable pieces may not work for everyone, following this recipe gives the beginner the tools to turn that idea into a novel. And who knows, it just might be the next Great American Novel.