1. “I begin the process with some general ideas and themes—for example, Dante, Florence, overpopulation. Before beginning to write, I spend a lot of time researching the topics I’ve chosen. Once this initial phase of exploratory research is complete, I use the information to begin outlining and writing the novel. As the story gets tightened, the research continues, and new discoveries often pull me in unexpected directions, causing me to add another twist or two.”

2. “An opening that immediately propels you into the action with no time to catch your breath.”

3. “I write slowly. I actually write quickly, but I throw out so much material.”

4. “I still get up every morning at 4 A.M. I write seven days a week, including Christmas. And I still face a blank page every morning, and my characters don't really care how many books I've sold.”

5. “Do not to use too many adjectives, to get to the point."

6. “Create something and throw it away be anyone can see it. Repeat the process until you write something you can’t bear to throw away.”

7. “The dramatic interest of your story increases exponentially when you use a setting that is a source of fascination itself.”

8. “Creating a sense of urgency in your writing helps to propel the story forward. Even if you aren’t writing a suspense, if there is a sense of time passing and pressures mounting readers will feel more compelled to get to the end of your novel.”

9. “Create situations in your novel that keep readers in a heightened state of uncertainty and wanting to know what comes next and your audience will be more invested in your story.”

10. “Make revision a playful process. Ask yourself ‘what would happen if I re-wrote this entire chapter from this secondary character’s point of view?’ Turn the process into a game to unlock new creative potential in the words you already have on the page.

Dan Brown

Daniel Gerhard Brown was born June 22, 1964, Exeter, NH. Brown is an American author novelist, best known for The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons. His books have been translated into 56 languages, and sold over 200 million copies.