Writing a Great Novel-The Secret Every Writer Needs to Know

Every writer wants to write a great novel, but not every writer knows the secret that can make the difference between a successful novel and a failure. The secret that every writer needs to know is that every novel is a mystery. I know that might sound ridiculous at first, especially if you're writing a romance or a science fiction novel. At their core, though, even westerns and horror stories are mysteries.

Let me explain what I mean. When I say that every novel is a mystery, I mean that there is something (a mystery) that the main character must figure out during the story. In a murder mystery, this is pretty obvious. The main character must figure out who committed the murder. This search for the murderer then provides the framework around which the rest of the story is structured. In a romance, the protagonist may need to figure out how to get the man she loves to fall in love with her. In a science fiction novel, the main character may need to figure out how to get back home after his spaceship crashes on an alien planet. In each of these cases, solving the mystery in the story provides the framework.