Best Advice for Aspiring Novelists

Best Advice for Aspiring Novelists Start writing and write until it's finished. I know that sounds too simple. The problem is, most potential novelists don't follow that simple tip. Why? Here are a few reasons:

Don't Let Fear Handicap You

Many writers have a deep desire to write a book. To pen that novel. To get that story that skitters across the brain on paper (or computer). But, they just won't sit down and start writing. They're afraid. Fear of writing a bad book. Fear of failure. Fear of a multitude of things. Do not let fear rule you. You can't let your future be dictated by the voices of doubt. Tell fear to get lost. Sit down and start writing. What you write may not end up in your book. In fact, as you write you'll figure out things about your story and characters that you would never have discovered had you not started writing. Just start the story, even if you don't know all the details, even if you aren't sure of the ending. It doesn't have to be perfect. It doesn't and probably won't be even be good (That's what the editing phase is all about, turning your story into something good). You need to get the story down. The story needs to be told. Even if you tell it badly, it must be told before you can fix it to make it better.

But that's not the only hangup. Some people start writing, but can't finish the story because of the discovery process.

Don't Edit Until You've Finished the Story

Your story will change right before your very eyes as you write. You'll realize that things you wrote earlier need to be revised. Conversations need to be added or deleted or changed. There needs to be a new character introduced in an earlier chapter. Someone needs to discover something later. Yes. You will have a lot you need to change as you write your story. But, don't do it. Don't change it yet. No! Write the rest of the story as its developing in your head. During the editing phase, you'll know your story well and will make all the necessary subtractions and additions as you revise. But if you ignore this advice and go back to rewrite all those scenes, you'll never finish the book to the end. The fact, some of those scenes will need to change again and again as your mind works out the plot and ending. But if you wait until you finish to revise, you'll have to do it once! One time. Not a million. Finish the book before you begin the revision. If your worried you'll forget something, jot it down. Write until the story is done, then you have written a book. A book that needs editing, but a full, complete novel nonetheless. And don't overedit while you write. That point deserves its own paragraph.

Turn Off Your Inner Editor

Put your personal perfectionist on silent. So many writers are slowed to a near standstill by the need to produce perfect writing in their first draft. Believe me. I have to continually force myself to leave my sentences alone and move on. It's so much effective to see the first draft for what it is - a draft. A ugly rough draft of something that will one day be a polished work of art.

In my first draft I might write:

The flowers he sent only reminded her of how much Trip had hurt her. The cycle of abuse. He hurt her, then sent flowers. They also reminded her of someone else. Someone who knew how to nurture flowers. How to take care of them and make them grow. 

Okay. So the information is put in. But it's not well written. It's just on paper. I'll move on and finish the story before I go back to revise.

In my revision, I'll make it better. Deeper:

Iris attempted a smile—a smile that most likely looked like an angry cat in a full-out hiss. She wrestled with her expression while Mom pulled out her phone and recorded the deluded moment. The truth pressed down like an eyeless oracle whispering taunts of future misfortune. Flowers, flowers everywhere. Fear and flowers. Bruises and baby’s breath. Peonies and punishment.
Peonies.
A melody of memories filtered through her mind of one who nurtured flowers to life—made them blossom and fill the world with beauty—a man who took care of fragile things.

The point is, just finish the book. Once you've completed the story, then you can polish it up. You don't polish a car before its built, do you? You don't paint the house before the walls are all in place. Do you decorate your Christmas tree before it's standing solidly in your living room? Nah. Same with books. Write until its finished, then make it beautiful.