How To Write A Novel – Need Help Developing A Plot

What kind of writer are you? Do you prefer to write a novel without any outline or plot? Or are you one who has to know the how, the why, the who and everything else that might happen before you write the first sentence of your book? And how does one go about developing a plot anyway?
Some writers get an idea in their head and simply start writing, and somehow they can manage to get all the way through a book without any sort of outline or plot other than something loosely developed in their head. Others require everything to be written out beforehand before they can proceed. Both ways can work, but with a plot outlined you can have a better chance of avoiding painting yourself into a corner. When this happens you will often end up going back and rewriting quite a bit.
Since every part builds on the one before, you should have a map of where you are going before you begin. Otherwise you might find yourself wandering aimlessly, never reaching your destination which is, after all, a completed novel.
So how to write a novel with a plot outlined beforehand? Well, remember that a good plot will capture your reader’s attention from page one and keep it until the very end. It should be logical, although it may not seem so until the end, and the final page should leave all plot questions answered and all loose ends tied up.
So what’s the first step? An idea is where you start. Jot down your idea for your story. Then think about it and let is “simmer” for a while. If, after a few days, the idea still seems like a good one, then proceed. Start thinking about conflict, motive, reasons for the story to move forward. What does your character want? Why can’t he or she have that? What stands in the way? After all if nothing stands in their way, there cannot be any story. Or there can be but it would be pretty dull.
Start making a very loose outline using these concepts. Have a start, a middle, and how you want to end. Then start filling in a few details here and there. What problems might happen along the way? Write those down. What will help your character achieve his goal in your novel? Do all characters survive?
Sometimes it helps to start at the end and work backward. Sounds crazy but it actually helps a lot of new writers get their plot written out since they know just what is going to happen at the end. By all means though, know how your story is going to end before you start.