B2noun2K

Novelist

UK /["/ˈnɒvəlɪst/"]/US /["/ˈnɑːvəlɪst/"]/

Definition

a person who writes novels

In simple words: A person who writes books.

Examples

a romantic/historical novelist
A prolific novelist, she wrote more than forty books.
his ambition to become a best-selling novelist
one of the country's greatest contemporary novelists
He has the compassion for his characters that mark the good social novelist.
She is now a best-selling novelist.

Usage notes

Used in neutral contexts to describe authors of fictional works. Not typically used for writers of non-fiction or articles.

Grammar pattern

noun + 'who writes' + object

Memory hint

Think of 'novel' as in a story. A novelist creates new stories.

Collocations

great
leading
acclaimed
write something

Synonyms

fiction writer
storyteller
prose writer
literary author
romance writer

Antonyms

reader
publisher
editor

Common mistakes

Confusing 'novelist' with 'author' - all novelists are authors, but not all authors write novels.
Using 'novel' as a verb instead of a noun.
Omitting the context of fiction - saying 'novelist' for anyone who writes.