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

Shayn M., in his answer, has given you sterling advice.

But he also said this:

Do you think some rando on Quora is going to provide you with step by step instructions, or something?

Well, look no further, because I am that rando!

Here is my step by step guide to what most people do when they want to write a novel:

Tell everyone that you want to write a novel.

Wonder how novels are written.

Do some ‘research’ on how novels are written.

Ask people for ‘techniques’ of novel-writing.

Wonder what your novel should be about.

Tell everyone that you’re writing a novel, as a way to get yourself started.

Pay attention to small incidents in your life and write them down, thinking ‘That’ll be good for my novel.’

Alternatively, if your novel is set long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away, pay attention to small incidents in your life and write them down, thinking ‘I wonder if there’s some way in which that’ll be good for my novel.’

After 6–9 months, start a new Word document titled after your novel.

Stare at it.

After two hours, look at porn. If you dislike porn, recipes/cat pictures.

Realise you’re ‘wasting time’: repeat Step 3.

In a burst of late-night inspiration two weeks later, write the first 2500 words of your novel and go to bed exhausted but exhilarated.

Read them over the next day, think ‘Oh dear, what was I thinking’ and rewrite them.

Repeat step 14.

After 6–9 months, exit Word and no longer tell people you’re writing a novel.

Bingo!

Now, I am not destructively cynical, so here’s how I wrote everything that I’ve ever finished:

Have an idea for something to write.

Start writing it.

Think about it when I’m not doing anything else.

Keep writing every day until it feels finished.

Leave it alone for a bit.

Look at it again and make bad bits better.

When there are no more ‘bad bits’ that could be made better only by turning the whole thing into something else that I didn’t want to write, pronounce it finished.