Writing.Com General Discussion

Here's what I need help with:
1. I don't know how to present her thoughts (this takes up a lot of the book). Whether I should use internal dialogue or what? I don't know.
2. I don't know what tense to use. And moreover, I haven't even decided if I'm gonna be telling the story like it's happening or if everything already happened, I don't know. Also, there are distinct parts in her life where she felt and thought differently and I don't know how to present that.
3. I don't even have an outline for it it and so I'm kinda lost. I kinda can't write a novel you know.
Now to be honest, this is semi-autobiographical, so, things are happening as I write. And that's part of the confusion.

Here is a good thing to start with
What is the goal of your main character? For instance what do you want her to accomplish at the end of the book?
i.e. Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz wanted to get home

What motivates her to continue on this journey? Why doesn't she just stop at the first sign of a problem?
i.e Dorothy has been dropped in Oz. Its a nice place but its not home. Home where she is loved and wanted and feels safe. Her Uncle and Aunt are worried about her. She feels bad about how she left.

What is preventing her from reaching that goal? conflicts with out conflicts you have no story.
i.e. We know all about Dorothy's problems- monkeys, witches, poppy fields, reaching the curtain and having to try again

If your book is filled with internal thoughts, her telling a story that's in the past or thinking about everything. Put it next to the above form. Will it stand up to that? If so, you can make the whole story about her thoughts. If not, you might want to add some other characters in there, along with dialog to move the story along.