Q&A for How to Write a Dystopian Novel

Great dystopia is rooted in reality. Usually, the story starts with one thing that creates a domino effect, like zombies appearing in The Walking Dead or a lack of water in Tank Girl. Then, the story examines the chaos that results from that.

Think about any fears you have about your world or the future. Dystopian literature has really taken root in the last 20 years because we're in a world where things are changing, and the future can sometimes look very dark. Fictional dystopia can provide catharsis from that, because we think, "Well, at least it's not that bad."

Yes, it certainly can. Technically, this subgenre is called "alternate history," where you imagine different events took place. One example is asking the question "What if the South won the Civil War?" As long as what you imagine having taken place is fictional and unpleasant, it could be described as dystopian.

If the idea is rushing through you like a fire raging in a dead forest, write on your laptop. If the idea is slow, sluggish and you have to wring it out of your head, try a notebook. But really, it's up to you! For most people, typing is more quick and efficient, but writing in a notebook can be more inspiring for some.

There are many things you can do. I use a first line generator that gives me one line to turn into a whole story, but sometimes all you need to do is stop and take a break. Just find what suits you.

You could come up with generic names inspired by people you know, or look into futuristic/dystopian novels and movies for ideas. (The names aren't as important as the setting and general story though.)

That depends on how attached your readers have become to the character. The later in the story it is before you kill your character, the more attached they probably will have become. They may also be more attached to the main character than the sidekick since the main character plays a more important role.

You have two options: You can self-publish on Amazon, which will only be a digital copy and will likely not make a lot of money. You can also find a literary agent whose job will essentially be to sell your manuscript to a publishing company. If you go this route you'll need to look into different literary agents and probably send your book to a few.

Make up your own. Look at the past and see if we still use the same punishments. Flogging, for example, is still used in certain parts of the world.

Let other people read your manuscript, and ask them if they think something is missing.

That is totally fine! In fact, there are many dystopian works that have taken inspiration from real-life leaders, settings, and government.

To come up with an idea for a dystopian novel you could pick a technology and make it extreme, or combine themes from many other dystopian novels.

Yes. It is possible to overdo anything. You could put more variety into the text by adding descriptions.

Think up your own ideas. You have a head - use it.

Of course you can! That's a really good starting point for a book.

A dictionary definition of "dystopia" is "an imagined state or society in which there is great suffering or injustice, typically one that is totalitarian or post-apocalyptic." If your novel is set in such a place, it's dystopian.

Add complex characters that the readers can relate with, characters that the reader either loves, or loves to hate.

Something (a society or community) is "dystopian" if it manifestly fails to function in a smooth, efficient or pleasing manner.

As novels are typically written in past tense, your character wouldn't be alive to relay the tale, so the structure of your book is illogical. You'll need to develop a plot device for the deceased character's story to be told (found journals or audio recordings, for example), keep the main character alive, or change the whole story to third-person perspective.

Find a hook that draws your reader in. If your novel is in the third person, you might start with a description of the quickly down-spiraling world. If your novel is in the first person, you could try to begin with a line that flaunts part of the narrating character's personality, such as the mildly snarky opening Holden Caulfield gives us in J.D. Salinger's "The Catcher in the Rye".