My Thoughts on the 'Conditions for Good Writing': Novel Edition

Basics

❶How to use manuscript paper1
The end of sentences in 'quotation marks'
It is different from the way we learn in school. We do not put a period at the end of dialogue inside quotation marks. Therefore, I get a little confused when writing on note versus at work (as an elementary school teacher).

❷How to use manuscript paper 2
“Leave one space after ? and !
” If you pick up a novel you have on hand and look at it, some of you might think, 'Oh, you're right!'

❸Omit the subject
In the case of novels, it is better not to include the subject when appropriate.
It gives the impression of someone who is self-assertive, constantly saying 'I,' 'I,' 'I,' 'I.' When writing compositions in school, it is actually more common to be told, 'Write the subject.'

❹Place commas at appropriate intervals
Because of my profession, this is what I am worst at... When children speak in front of others, such as in a speech, it is hard for the listener to understand if they do not pause appropriately, so I tend to use them quite a bit at work. Therefore, when I write a novel, I go through the process of deleting commas while re-reading it.

❺Leave a blank line when writing on note
Unlike writing for public submissions in vertical format using Word, when writing a novel on note, it is easier to read if you leave a blank line at a good stopping point. Start a new line and leave one space. (In the case of non-novel writing, there are times I want to write without leaving a space...)
Having said that, there are times when I end up writing it all connected together...

Applications

❻I avoid writing 'he/she said' after dialogue.
I think it is better to minimize 'he/she said' to the extreme and think of other ways to say it.

❼For words that express 'action,' I think about whether I can replace them with other expressions instead of using the word itself.
Example: Instead of 'ate,' use something like 'hurriedly swallowed a bite.'

❽Include expressions that evoke the five senses.
I think visual information is the easiest to write, but to give a story depth, I want to try including sounds you hear or smells, 'not abruptly,' but naturally.

❾How can I get the reader to empathize with the protagonist or characters?
There is no other way than to think for myself about how to write to achieve that, but the image I am aiming for is for the reader to have the illusion that 'the characters' thoughts and emotions are their own.'

❿How do I convey the message I want to send?
It would be nice if the message emerged from the series of sentences rather than writing it out directly, wouldn't it? Where, how much, and how to write it? That is the question.

Recommended books I read this year

'Tsundemic' by Michi Ichiho

It is a Naoki Prize-winning work. It goes without saying, but the writing has no excess and the structure is wonderful. It is a collection of short stories, so it is easy to read!

Recommended books to be released soon

To be released on December 18, 2024

"Distorted I Love You" by Yoru Sumino

It hasn't been released yet, so I can't write a review, but please do take a look at the special website! This is a book where you can encounter yet another new side of Yoru Sumino!
Get your copy with the original bonus items early! (^^)/
He is a representative author of 'youth novels' whom everyone knows and whom I deeply respect.