Frantic having refined novel, penning the last character (8)
I believe the answer is:
frenzied
'frantic' is the definition.
('frenzied' can be a synonym of 'frantic')
'refined novel penning the last character' is the wordplay.
'novel' indicates anagramming the letters.
'penning' indicates putting letters inside.
'the last character' becomes 'z'.
'refined' anagrammed gives 'frenied'.
'frenied' going around 'z' is 'FRENZIED'.
'having' is the link.
(Other definitions for frenzied that I've seen before include "Frenetic" , "Wildly excited or agitated" , "Violently agitated" .)