How to Write a Novel: Concept and Premise

Are you ready to start writing your novel? At the end of today’s post, you’ll find two brief writing assignments to help you get started!

Two basic elements of story

In novel writing, a concept and a premise are two different elements of a story. A concept is a basic idea or notion that provides the foundation for a story. It is the starting point for a novel and is usually expressed in a single sentence. For example, “a young girl discovers she has magical powers and must defeat an evil wizard to save the world” is a concept for a fantasy novel.

A premise, on the other hand, is a more detailed description of the story. It includes the characters, setting, plot, and conflict, and explains how the concept will be explored in the novel. A premise is usually expressed in a paragraph or a few sentences. For example, “In a world of magic and dragons, 11-year-old Hermione Granger discovers she is a witch and must join forces with her friends Ron and Harry to stop the dark wizard Voldemort from taking over the wizarding world” is a premise for the novel Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.

Again, a concept is a basic idea that provides the foundation for a story, while a premise is a more detailed description of the story that includes the characters, setting, plot, and conflict. Before you can begin to outline your story, you must first define your concept and premise. And now, at long last, it is time to start writing!

Pro tip: Begin this process with a fresh story idea. Do not attempt to apply the process described in this novel writing series to a story you’ve already spent a long time with until you have first tried it out on a new story idea. Work your way through my complete novel writing process at least once with a brand new story idea before trying to apply it to something you’ve already put a lot of writing into.

Writing Assignment #1: Concept

As mentioned previously, the concept is the big idea behind your story. It’s the thing that makes your story unique and compelling and that sets it apart from other stories in your genre. The concept should be conveyed in a single sentence or tagline that captures the essence of the story. Write at least one story concept for a novel that you might enjoy writing. For best results, write several. These may be several versions of one potential story, or you might have several different story ideas. Play with this activity to get the creative juices flowing. If you need help, search online for a free story concept generator. Once you are satisfied with the results, move on to Writing Assignment #2 below.

Writing Assignment #2: Premise

The premise of a novel is a brief description of the story that includes the main character, their goal, the conflict they face, and how they overcome it. It provides the basic outline of the story and sets the tone for the book. The premise usually consists of a few sentences or a paragraph and is used to generate interest in the novel. For example, the premise of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins could be: “In a dystopian world, sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen is forced to compete in a televised battle to the death known as the Hunger Games, but she must also navigate the political and emotional landscape of a world controlled by a brutal government.” The premise of a novel should be compelling and clear, allowing readers to understand what the story is about and generating interest in reading the book. Choose one or a couple of the concepts that you wrote in writing assignment #1 and then write a premise for each concept.

NOTE: If you should happen to develop more than one novel premise, be sure to save the extras for future writing projects!