Over the course of the past year and a half, I completed my first novel, a speculative science fiction adventure story 95,000 words in length. Now I’m querying agents to represent the novel for publication (that is the subject of a future blog – it’s a lot like applying for jobs!).
I feel my novel has reached the point where it represents my best efforts and is ready for the next step. But it’s been a struggle getting here, and to be honest, I’ve learned a lot. The story I wrote still reflects the goal I originally set out to achieve, but has transformed in ways I didn't expect when I wrote the first words nearly two years ago. I’m actually glad that when I started writing I had no idea how much work it would be!
Though writing it was a challenge, completing my first novel has given me the confidence to do it again. I'd like to share what I learned for others out there who dream of writing in the novel form. I’ll be writing about my experience in three parts: (1) The First Draft, (2) Edit & Revise, and (3) Getting Feedback.
Before we get started, a disclaimer: this is what worked well for me and my story. It may not be the same for you. Take what works and leave the rest!
And now onto Part One: The First Draft.
Step 1: Know your starting point
The beauty of novel-writing is that in theory, anyone can write and even publish a novel. It is an art form that is open to everyone and has no monetary cost. Not to mention you can do it from anywhere.
As I’ve emphasized, however, writing a novel is a lot of work and the process can be daunting. If you’ve never written and finished a work of fiction before, you may want to start off with something smaller first.
In my case, I spent many years writing shorter pieces before trying my hand at a novel. For years, I wrote whenever I felt so moved, but never really focused on finishing a piece. Then one day, I realized I had nothing to show for all my work. I put my mind to the task: I was going to finish something.(!)
I started with creative nonfiction vignettes anywhere from 500 to 3000 words long. But I really wanted to write fiction. I wrote my first complete story, DEATH TRIP, for my now-husband as a Christmas gift in 2016 (he's a fan of horror). That was around 8,000 words. Over the next couple of years, I wrote a magical realism novella called UNTIL NEXT TIME, which ended up around 40,000 words. Completing these pieces gave me the confidence to take on the challenge of writing a full-length novel.
You don’t need to start small, of course. But finishing shorter pieces is motivating, will get you in the habit of writing, and will also give you a sense of your own writing style and voice – all tools you’ll need to hone as a prospective author.
Step 2: Respect the novel as a craft by taking classes
Despite writing all my life, it took actually trying it myself to realize there's more to novel-writing than just, well, writing. Novel-writing is a skill in its own right. If you’ve never taken any classes about writing novels, which was the position I was in when I started, I do recommend it. You can and should take the class while writing your novel at the same time, so you can apply what you learn.
It doesn’t have to be a university class. In fact, right now I’m taking a class offered by my local community. If you can’t find an accessible in-person class, I highly recommend Masterclass, a set of online courses taught by celebrities. It sounds like a gimmick, but I’m not joking. It costs around $250/year, cheaper if you split it with a friend (they usually have specials/half price at Christmas); and they have courses taught by a diverse selection of famous authors, from Margaret Atwood to Judy Blume to R.L. Stine. You can listen to them while you’re walking your dog or commuting to work.
Taking classes won’t necessarily make you a better novelist – ultimately, you can only learn that by doing. Don’t use classes as an excuse to procrastinate, because it’s not a writing substitute. But hearing tips and experiences from experts gave me a world of perspective I simply didn’t have before. There was something encouraging about hearing the likes of Margaret Atwood say, “I got one-hundred pages into my first draft and realized I was writing it from the wrong perspective.” Or Judy Blume say, “Writing the first draft is painful and I don’t enjoy it.” (Not exact quotes, but you get the idea).
What I particularly enjoyed about Masterclass was learning how many different ways there are go to about writing a novel, and how no two authors’ methods are quite alike. It gave me the freedom to pick and choose what worked best for me.
Step 3: Write every day
This is the age-old advice; and it works. Almost every novelist will tell you this. Writing a novel is a long journey and you need to make progress every. single. day. Of course, there’s going to be the odd day where it just doesn’t happen, but the point is you need to make writing a habit, a part of your daily routine – like eating breakfast or drinking coffee. Reframe your mind to think of writing as something you have to get done. Make it a priority.
It doesn’t even matter how long you write for, but ideally, you should spend at least 20 minutes; longer if you can. A thousand words a day is a worthy goal. You’re embarking on a long journey and you have to keep moving if you want to make it to the end.
The other reason to write every day is it keeps your story and your characters at the forefront of your mind. By the end of writing your novel, you’ll be thinking about your characters when you thousand-yard stare into space. They’ll probably start making regular visits to you dreams. This kind of obsession with your novel develops over time and is what will take you across the finish line.
Step 4: Get through the first draft as quickly as possible
This is something I learned from the Masterclass – I’m pretty sure it was Joyce Caroll Oates who said it. This advice saved me.
While it’s important to write every day, you’re simply not going to feel creative and inspired each time you sit down to write. If you have any obligations at all in your life, chances are, there are times when you’re going to be tired; and there are times when you’re going to be distracted. But don’t let that stop you from writing. It’s not always critical that the words you put down are good. In fact, at least for a while, there’s a good chance they’re going to be bad.
The writer’s worst enemy is a blank page. So until you have at least the bones of a first draft, keep pushing yourself forward. I had a lot of trouble finishing things before my novel because I’d get stuck in an infinite loop of editing and trying to make things perfect. That’s because picking at something is easier than writing something from scratch!
Get comfortable with the fact you need words to work with in the first place before you can transform your piece into what you envision. At one point, I even tried voice-typing parts of my first draft onto Google docs while I was out walking. The piece was riddled with grammatical errors that I had to go back and fix (pretty sure there’s software for that). I honestly wouldn’t recommend this method, but whatever it takes, get words on that page.
…And that’s a wrap for Part One: The First Draft! Stay tuned for next week, Part Two: Edit & Revise.
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