About
Deconstructing Bestselling Novels, One Doodle at a Time.
Better Novel Project is all about deconstructing bestsellers, discovering what elements they have in common, and using those elements to create a versatile story structure. I believe research is more effective when it is fun, so each post is hand-illustrated with a doodle or infographic.
I’ve started by breaking down three immensely popular novels—Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, The Hunger Games, and Twilight—and studying their elements, from word counts to character archetypes.
Most importantly, I try to identify why the bestsellers share a common element, so that we may decide whether or not that fits within our own novels.
Each element gets its own index card, and then each index card will find a place in the master outline.
Follow along, index card by index card (and doodle by doodle), as I use research instead of luck to write a better novel.
If you are interested in guest posting on Better Novel Project, fill out the guest posting form here.
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Hi there! I’m Christine. I studied creative writing at The Johns Hopkins University, and then discovered the joy of research and outlines while in law school.
Yes, joy.
I love researching literary patterns and their creative applications. I’m also a compulsive doodler. (I do the illustrations for theroyalhamster.com)
You can keep in touch with me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram.
Christine’s Photo Courtesy of Jon Michael Moses
CITATIONS
Collins, Suzanne (2009-09-01). The Hunger Games. Scholastic Inc. Kindle Edition. (“HG”).
Meyer, Stephenie (2007-07-18). Twilight (The Twilight Saga). Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Kindle Edition. (“TW”).
Rowling, J.K. (2012-03-27). Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (Book 1). Pottermore Limited. Kindle Edition. (“HP”).
About Christine Frazier
I help people write better stories using research instead of luck. I’m a writer, joyous outliner, and compulsive doodler. Learn more.
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