I want to write a novel. what should I do?

http://www.nanowrimo.org

:')

Nanowrimo is good if you just want to write stuff out, you don't get much feedback from people on there though. Wattpad isn't actually that bad, there are a lot of younger kids publishing stuff on there, but its good to post stuff there. You do get feedback, and you can share it with people. When you start out on there, you have to do a fair amount of advertising to get it semi noticed, but if its good then more people will read it.

You could always start a blog and post stuff there too.

I've done the whole NaNoWriMo and Camp NaNoWriMo and I can tell you wholeheartedly that NNWM is only a motivating thing for young people that want to write.

I'll tell you what I am doing (cause I am too into writing books). I don't care and ignore the facts that hardly there's anything better than Word or a simple notebook to write on. I don't care and ignore the fact that kids and people that have got nothing to do with literature start writing stupid thing. I just write and do my thing because I do that for myself, for my need to write, for my character and my story.

All I've got to say to you is goodluck. If you really want to write a novel and you choose the right path to walk on, then no single obstacle should be able to stop you. Keep writing and reading because that's they way the whole thing is done.

at 12 years old? well, unless you a genius at languages and literature, i would suggest working on your fundamentals before taking it SERIOUSLY. i don't think even amazon's KDP allows underaged persons to self-publish e-books. i mean if you don't consider e-books to be "mush". the olde fashioned publishing houses probably NEVER accept any drafts from teenagers, unless it's written  under a pseudonym pretending to be a teen as a gimmick.

in my very humble opinion(i'm no  english or literature major, i used to study computer programming) IF you really wanna show off your nonfanfic stuff at such a young age, it's better to post them in a blog, and publicise it to your friends/family first.

PCC, 

She didn't say she was 12 years old. She said she didn't want a site which caters to children.

aya-chii,

I'm no author myself, nor do I really write. So maybe my recommendations aren't that sound, but perhaps it might be interesting reading some books on how to write, for example these: 

http://www.amazon.co.../dp/158297327X/

http://www.amazon.co.../dp/0820332798/

http://www.amazon.co.../dp/158297263X/

The reason I link these, is because I once received a package from Amazon that was shipped to me but contained the wrong items. It seems whomever purchased those books had the same ideas as you, someone wanting to get into active writing. If not the above books, at least spend some days looking at similar books / recommended books, and maybe you can figure out something that seems interesting. I am sure there's also free pages with hints and tips online.

But do take up reading in general as a whole. It will help you. Not to erase your own desires and wishes for writing, merely replacing them with the lines of famous authors, but for inspiration. If you give a kid a football (soccer) to play with, I am sure he or she can learn. But if they can be inspired by greats like Romário, Pelé, Ronaldo, Maradona, Zidane, Messi, etc. then they are in effect being shown what is possible, and that can be very inspiring. So not only read how to write, but read in order to get new angles to look at things from. Doesn't only have to be the classics like Shakespeare or Tolstoy. You could even go as far back as the very first works of literature being made, such as Sumerian writing, or ancient Egyptian. For example: http://en.wikipedia....ient_literature

Since this is a Japanese-oriented forum, why not look at various Japanese works? Japan has a lot of great literature, from the ancient works like the Nihongi, and the Kojiki. There's The Tale of Genji, by Murasaki Shikibu. There's all the Japanese tales and fairytales, and folk stories. There's more modern literature, like Kawabata Yasunari's works, e.g., Snow Country, Thousand Cranes, and The Old Capital. Or what about Natsume Souseki? I think reading various novels and short stories can be very helpful for your training.

But don't just read. Go outside and explore. The world is full of the stuff that made Shakespeare marvel.

And of course, do write. Whether it's with a dip pen or a pencil. Or even a typewriter or a regular keyboard.

Have fun!

Seems simple to me. There exist a lot of good books about how to be a good writer. Get some and do what they say.

The Writer's Digest organization is a good source for all aspects of being a writer. I suggest you go to their website immediately.

The writing club at my university would use story prompts to write either short stories or sections of a story. I found it helped broaden how I saw my own writing and gave me a lot of cool ideas.

I believe there's a lot of writing prompts out there on the internet and I'd really suggest trying a few of them, but if you can get a group of people doing this then that'd be even better.

Everyone there agreed that writing about things you wouldn't normally write about helped their overall writing style.

 A lot of good advice above and I would like to add to it, if I may. Just write. Do it as often as you can. If your mind goes blank, start another story, do outlines, jot down ideas for a later chapter but always write everyday. You get better with practice. When you finish a chapter, let it sit for a week or a month before you read it again. It's always amazing how many errors I find when I check my work after a cool down period.

I write also and I think E-books are the best way to get your work out there so others can read what you've done. Amazon works well. I have used them in the past and still do, but they are not your only option. Family and friends are important also, for editing if for nothing else. My wife is very good at pointing out my mistakes. Never EVER go to a site which offers to publish your work for only x amount of dollars. We are paid to write. We do not pay others to publish our work.

https://www.smashwords.com/

Smashwords is a FREE publishing site and a distributor of e-books. They offer a large amount of advice on how to get it done as well, including editing which is just as important as writing, IMHO.

I currently have ten books on both Smashwords and Amazon and I sell a few each month, enough to buy socks or a tank of gas every now and then. I will not get rich, but that's not why I write. I write because it's fun.

My first book in my original series is free. It has been for three years and I have several thousand downloads of that first book. I am an unknown author and I can't ask people to spend money on my work without trying it our first. If they like it, they will buy the next few books in the series. If you just want people to read your work, then charge as little as possible or give it away for free, at least your first book. The rest of my books are under two dollars each. I want people to read them, not look at the covers on line.

I have had some small success in writing. I was extremely excited when I got my first review, for example. They gave me three stars and gave me some much needed comments. I did a rewrite and got better reviews. My last great triumph was a fan who actualy made a wiki on my books. Nothing quite so exciting as success, even in small ways.

I hope this helps you and encourages you to continue

No, I won't tell you my nom de plume. This is a  help, not for advertising my stuff.

I believe artists of all types share similar traits for wanting to express themselves, so I will give some advice based on the director Danny Boyle. I remember reading how he started late in life on being a director (in his 30s I believe), but did so because he felt he had nothing he wanted to express up until that point. He found no reason to start because he hadn't found what it is that was making him want to be an artist, but whether or not you find out immediately, you will collect from various sources and experiences all the material to present what it is that gives you that sense of purpose.

Personally, I wanted to be a writer at one point because I liked reading literature and powerful novels, but soon stuck to writing for myself and simply enjoying the pleasure of writing. Reading is important to understanding the written word, you write better as you read better, and I believe there is a study that came on my tumblr that involved the process of "mental conversation" between learning new ideas and applying them to your own expression. 

Putting all of what I said together, I would say you will accomplish writing a book when you have something to say, and learn how to detail it with your own training and hard work. And most of all...it will be demanding, but enjoying the results makes it all worth while because of the respect and passion you put into it.