Writing a novel, explained like your 5 years old

Ever look at a 400-page book and think, "There is no way I can do that"?

You are overthinking it. Adults love to complicate things with talk of "narrative arcs," "thematic resonance," and "market trends."

Let’s throw all that out the window. Writing a novel is actually just a giant game of make-believe. Here is how to write your book, explained simply enough for a kindergartener.

🧸 Step 1: Pick Your Toys (The Characters)

Before you start playing, you need to dump your toy box onto the floor.

• Who is playing? Is it a brave astronaut? A dragon who is afraid of the dark? A kid who lost their favorite shoe?

• Give them a trait: Pick one major thing about them. Maybe they are super fast, very clumsy, or always hungry.

The secret: You get to make up the rules for who they are.

🧱 Step 2: Knock the Blocks Down (The Conflict)

If your toys just sit in a circle smiling, the game is boring. You need a mess.

• Give them a problem: Your astronaut runs out of space juice. Your dragon gets lost in a cave.

• Make it harder: Every time they try to fix it, the block tower falls down again. This keeps the game exciting.

The secret: The bigger the mess, the better the story.

🚀 Step 3: The Big Boss Battle (The Climax)

This is the part of the game where you start yelling because it is so exciting.

• The final try: Your character faces the problem one last time using everything they learned.

• High stakes: Will the astronaut make it home? Will the dragon find the light?

The secret: This is the most fun part to write, so make it loud and exciting.

🍪 Step 4:: Snack Time and Nap (The Resolution)

The monster is defeated, the lost shoe is found, and everyone is safe.

• Clean up the mess: Show how your characters are happy now.

• Wrap it up: Put the toys back in the box. The story is done.

🎨 The Golden Rules of the Playground

• Do not erase while you play: When kids draw, they do not stop to fix every line. Just get the words on the paper. You can fix the messy parts later.

• Ask "What if?": If you get stuck, ask a silly question. What if a giant hamster walked in right now? Boom. Your story is moving again.

• Have fun: If you are not having fun playing the game, change the game

Conclusion: The point of writing a novel explained like your 5 years old, is to keep it simple. If you follow these suggestions and stay in these guidelines, you'll quickly see that writing can not only be fun but getting down to the basics like you were a little kid can simplify the process that we as adults tend to make ever so complicated.