5 Ways to Write a Light Novel

Last Updated: March 20, 2023 References Approved

Light novels, a form of Asian young adult literature (ライトノベル raito noberu or ラノベ ranobe for short), is a great route to take for storytellers of the anime-loving community. Light novels are primarily Japanese, but are also published in Taiwan and China. They can span from the size of an average novella (20,000 words) to the average American novel (50,000). Many well-known anime such as the "Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya" are based from popular "ranobe", and the industry is ever growing. So if you want to learn how to write one, you've come to the right place.

Section 1 of 5:

What is a light novel?

A light novel is a short (around 300 pages) novel with manga-style images. ^{[1]
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Research source} These short, 50,000-word stories were popularized in Japan and are typically written for young adults. Light novels are broken up by mange-style illustrations that add to the story.^{[2]
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Section 2 of 5:

Understanding how light novels are written

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Read a light novel. As with any creative endeavour, if you want to get started on writing a light novel, you should read and analyze one first.^{[3]
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- Light novels have been released in the United States by Yen Press, Del Rey Manga and Tokyopop (the latter of the three has been defunct since 2006), so pick a light novel (or a series of them) and analyze the writing style.
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Expect to encounter a lot of dialogue. Light novels rely heavily on dialogue, so look at quotes from the characters, and get a feel for the characters' speaking styles. However, keep in mind what kind of audience you want your book to appeal to.^{[4]
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- If your audience is Western, don't spend your whole time writing just dialogue and no description. This will easily confuse your average American viewer (though this may be different for readers in other countries). Readers may lose track of who is speaking if there is no description present.
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Try to cater to more than one demographic. For example, if you are just writing for avid anime fans, an average American reader (who may not even watch anime) probably won't understand the jokes you lace into the text unless they have prior knowledge of Japanese culture.^{[5]
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Research source} This is a fatal flaw for many Original English Language "ranobe," as the majority of people will be confused by them, and they won't sell.

Section 3 of 5:

Planning your light novel

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Plan out your light novel. Of course, every great novel comes from an idea, and light novels are no exception.^{[6]
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Research source} Try a question you want to write about, and one that you feel you can answer. To use "Haruhi Suzumiya" as an example, what if the world can be changed by one person and that person just doesn't know it? Make sure there is a point to your plot. And don't forget your characters. Every novel, light or not, has characters (each with their own point of view) as well as a setting, plot and theme.
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Set a schedule. Give yourself time to write, but don't force yourself to write when you have no ideas; if you have writer's block, give yourself time to gather your thoughts. Write up a schedule of days when you have free time on your hands, and write your heart out onto the pages, as with any novel.

Section 4 of 5:

Writing the light novel

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Write your first draft. Sure, the first draft is full of mistakes and spelling / grammatical errors, but at least it exists, right? Besides, the first draft is just that — a draft.^{[7]
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Research source} You can always edit it at your own pace, as much as you want. And after constant re-tooling, you have your first chapter. After that, do the same with the remaining chapters, until you think they're good enough to be read, if not published (yet). If you don't think your draft is something that you yourself would pick from a bookstore shelf, then it needs work.
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Maintain continuity. Continuity is the consistency, as well as the flow, of the light novel when it comes to information, events, or just about anything in your light novel. Make sure you jot down major events in your story to keep for reference if you don't have the time to look back through your book every now and then.
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Save your writing in a computer. If you write your "ranobe" on your computer using a word processor, then you just need to save the draft. For those writing "ye olde-fashioned way," copy your draft from the paper you used to write it on and save your light novel onto a computer (and proofread using the processor's spell-check).
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Once the document is saved, add the images previously drawn by either yourself or a hired artist. These will be mostly without dialogue, as your "ranobe" will most likely relay what the characters have said. Add these images in the center of the action, in order to properly illustrate the scene. Save the file.

Section 5 of 5:

Getting published

Send that work to a publisher. If you can, try to publish it yourself if you don't want to go through any sort of legal matters. Just find a self-publishing site such as Lulu, purchase your first copy, and then check for any mistakes. Once you are sure that this is the right layout for your light novel, advertise the book online, and consider finding a retailer to sell physical copies of the work. Retailers only market the light novel for you, so talk up your novel with friends or relatives.^{[8]
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Community Q&A

Question

Can I publish a novel if I am still a minor?

Community Answer

Yes, there is no age requirement for publishing a novel, though you may need an adult to go through and sign paperwork for you if you get a contract with a publishing company.
Question

Does a light novel need pictures in it apart from those on the cover?

Community Answer

No. But pictures may give the reader a better understanding of the novel's characters, setting, plot, etc.
Question

How expansive should the plot be in a light novel?

Community Answer

You should plan a few different, easily resolved ideas for your plot. The ideas don't need to be big, just two or three paragraphs on two or three ideas. Once you're done, select which one looks the best out of the lot. Ask some friends or someone that knows a bit about Anime/Manga/Light Novels for their opinion on your ideas too.

Warnings

Despite what was previously stated in this article, don't limit yourself to a strict word count each day, but do schedule a time for whenever you are free to write. Write whenever you can, and let your imagination soar.

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Don't obsess over a chapter. Remember that you can come back to it in the revision stage.

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Do not plagiarize. Said this, do not feel too constrained in trying something already present in other novels; just don't copy and paste content to save work.

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Keep in mind that if you want to write stories professionally you have to work a lot for documentation, character creation and keeping the plot fresh. Do not expect that half-minded attempts will gain recognition.

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