1. Do Your Own Thing
When it comes to writing a novel, it’s important to do your own thing. Every writer is different and we need to appreciate that.
In school, we all learn differently. It’s the same way for novel writers. It’s art. It’s your art, and nobody can tell you how to create that.
It’s what makes us unique.
My novels are not the same as yours, and yours are not the same as mine. I have my own style and voice, and that adds to the story.
I know some writers who say, you must go to school to learn the craft. You must write like this or that. You must carve out a storyboard. You must plan every single chapter and then work backwards.
I say hogwash.
One of the biggest reasons beginners don’t finish their first novel is because they are too intimidated by authors who think they know it all.
Nobody has the right to tell you how to do your own art. And that’s what novel writing is. Art. Treat it as such and make it your own.
Do what YOU want, and don’t be intimidated to blend genres, try new things, and create original art. How amazing that would be to read a fresh new voice instead of a copycat like so many novels are these days.
Be original. Be YOU!
2. Don’t Be Intimidated
As I stated above, don’t be intimidated by other so-called seasoned authors. Most of the time, they have their noses in the air and don’t like competition. You’re the competition.
I remember some authors who intimidated me when I first started writing. They gave off a vibe that they were better than me, and I was not as skilled because I was just starting out.
That is ridiculous.
As a matter of fact, a beginner writer can be better than a seasoned one. Move over Dean Koonz. Actually, I’ve never met Mr. Koonz. He’s probably a really nice person. I’m just using his name to make my point. I’m sure you get what I’m trying to say.
New writers can produce exceptional work.
Don’t let anyone tell you just because you’re a newbie, you can’t write a bestseller. And don’t let publishing houses make you feel like the only way to have a bestseller is to publish traditionally. There are hundreds of thousands of self-published best sellers on Amazon.
Don’t let your friends intimidate you either. If they have strong opinions against you as a writer, and they don’t even write, it’s time to find new friends.
Contrary to popular belief, friends and family don’t know the difference between good and bad writing. They may think they do, but they are not the authority on the matter.
I was told my first book was awful by a family member, and for years I believed that. If I would have let that stop me, I wouldn’t be where I am today.
Don’t get me wrong, people’s opinions matter, but not as much as you might think. Take what they say with a grain of salt. Grammar and spelling can always be fixed, but when it comes to the story, one person’s trash is another person’s treasure.
As a new writer, I seriously think the best thing to do is not show your work to anyone. Yes, you read that correctly. Just self-publish your book and get it up for sale as quickly as possible.
Then, rinse and repeat.
As you continue writing one book after another, you’ll get better and better, and you’ll gain more confidence as you go along.
I know some people reading this might say, “How dare you! I went to Harvard and got a degree. That’s the only way to be a successful author.”
To those who think going to school to learn to be a writer is the only way, I say no it isn’t. I respect and appreciate those who did it this way. But please, leave us alone who think otherwise. We deserve as much respect as you do.
You can always learn grammar and spelling, but you can’t teach someone how to be artistic. By that I mean, writing as an art cannot be taught. You either have it or you don’t.
Sure, you can always perfect your art, and that’s up to you to decide if you want to take that path, but it’s not the be-all and end-all of writing.
Instead, just write without intimidation.
3. Develop Your Own Strategy
I mentioned before that some people say you must do a storyboard. You must work backwards. You must plan out plot development. You must plan each character precisely.
Nonsense!
Some of my best characters just popped up out of nowhere. It’s how I write. I developed my own writing strategy, and it’s not even the same with every book.
I go with what works for me and I don’t care how anyone else does it.
If you think of it like creating a painting, then you will understand what I mean. I would never tell an artist to use a certain color of paint because I think it looks better. How arrogant of me if I tried to manipulate their art. That is their work of art, not mine.
My sister paints lovely oil paintings. I admire her artistic ability. I wonder how well she would take it if I said, “No, you should have used a lighter shade of green on that bird.”
How ridiculous. I wouldn’t dare.
If I dictated how I thought her art should look, that would mean I undermine her talent. She sees things differently than me, through her lens of life. Not mine!
The same goes for writing, but most people don’t see it that way. Writing is an art, and it needs to be respected for its individuality.
Enough said! As you can see, I’m very passionate about this.
4. Muffle Noise
If you can’t write in a chaotic house, you’re not alone. I can’t either. When my husband is home banging on some project down the hall, I have a hard time concentrating.
When this happens, I turn on my thunderstorm ambiance, and I drown out all other noise. I like listening to storms when I write. It also helps me get in the mood.
Make your office soundproof. Listen to music. Listen to ambient noise to drown out loud trucks, dogs barking, and children playing.
Do whatever you have to do to make your writing environment pleasant so you will enjoy your art and do your best work.
5. Get a Designated Space
You can’t write a novel at the kitchen table. Wait! You CAN write a novel at the kitchen table, but it’s harder to concentrate when you have four kids running around.
Make sure you set aside a designated space to write your novel so people will respect you and leave you alone when you write.
The best space is one where you can lock the door, especially if you have kids that keep coming in, or a spouse that keeps asking you to do things.
Teach them to respect your space and your passion. Tell them how much it means to you so they leave you alone for a couple of hours.
It’s easier to have a designated space to write, than to be out in the chaos trying to concentrate. Clear out a closet if you have to, and set a desk in there. You don’t need a lot of space, just enough for your laptop and a good light.
Grab a cup of coffee and close the door. Now that is bliss!
6. Upgrade Your Computer
This is an important one. If you don’t have a decent laptop to write on, then you won’t be writing for long. If your keyboard is uncomfortable, then get a new one.
If you can’t see the screen, then buy a larger one.
A writer’s tools are important. You wouldn’t build furniture with an old rickety saw that couldn’t even cut through cardboard, would you?
I bought myself a Mac desktop simply because the screen is so large. It’s a dream to write on, and I need it. My vision isn’t what it used to be.
My only mistake was getting rid of my laptop and replacing it with an iPad. I thought I could write with it while watching tv, but it has become a problem. I need to get a better keyboard so I feel comfortable writing. I have one right now, but apparently, I’m not happy with it.
I’m sure I’ll solve the problem and I’ll be on my way to writing on the iPad, but it’s a hard adjustment. Just make sure that you buy the right tools when you write, so you will be able to write that novel all the way to the end.
7. Use Writing Software
Buying the right software is very important. I had always used Dragon dictation software, but when I bought a Mac, it wouldn’t work with it.
Apple dictation isn’t the same, and certainly not as accurate. I will have to invest in dragon software for the mac very soon because its driving me crazy going without it.
Also, I’ve always used Microsoft Word. I don’t like using other writing software, probably because I started my writing career on Microsoft Word.
I tried learning other writing software, but found myself stumbling and making mistakes. Not only that, but it takes an incredible amount of time to learn new software.
If you have a favorite writing software, just stick with it. And if your new computer doesn’t come with it, just go buy it. You’ll be thankful you did because your productivity will go up, and you will finish your novel in no time.
8. Don’t Edit as You Write
We all want our writing to be legible, but we don’t have to spend hours going over and over one sentence until we think it’s right.
Just write.
Just leave the editing until the end. Get your story written first and worry about the logistics later. You will thank me for this piece of advice.
If you edit as you go, you will surely miss something. You always have to edit afterward, no matter how good you are at grammar and spelling.
Just make your work legible and move on. Focus on getting the story out. That is the main thing that will progress your novel.
Just write!
9. Make Mistakes
Let yourself make mistakes. As a first-time author, you will go through a learning curve. That’s okay, we all do.
Even the best writers have typos. Even the best writers mess up paragraphs and make silly grammatical errors.
People are human beings and not perfect. Yes, even writers. Even seasoned authors. Anyone that tells you differently needs their head examined.
Go easy on yourself, and know that mistakes happen. Don’t beat yourself up over it. If you lost an entire chapter because you forgot to save your work, learn from that and move on.
I once lost and entire book because my laptop died. I finished the last page, left it open on my laptop, and left for work (my day job).
When I came back, my computer had crashed. Because I left my file open, it was the only one that could not be restored.
It was my first draft of a book I had worked on for six months.
Granted it was not a novel, only a short non-fiction book, but nevertheless, it was heartbreaking. I’ll never forget how much I cried over losing that precious work.
But it taught me to wise up. It taught me to back up my files. It taught me to be more aware. And it taught me to respect my work more. Because, for Pete’s Sake, who wouldn’t back up a precious work of art like that? It was my own darn fault.
I had to learn the hard way.
Because of that loss, I matured as an author. It took me three long years to finally pull myself together and write again. And when I did, I re-wrote the book I lost, even better than the first time. It now makes me a lot of money on Amazon, and I am so thankful this new book was born out of the ashes of stupidity.
Life is like that. We learn from our mistakes. Writing is no exception. Allow yourself to make mistakes. Learn what you’ve got to learn and move on!
10. Write by The Seat of Your Pants
I don’t pre-plan my novels, I write by the seat of my pants. I sit down at my computer and I start to write. Most of the time I have a general story idea, but I love being surprised by what the characters do, and how the story unfolds.
It’s an odd way to write, but it’s my art. It works better for me this way. I cry when one of my characters is killed off. I’m as surprised as my readers are when something bad happens.
I laugh with them. I cry with them. I anticipate what will happen next. It’s like I’m reading my own story for the first time. It’s the best way to write. At least for me.
I encourage you to do the same. It even prevents writer’s block.
Some writers can’t do it this way, but if you are a new writer, I would at least try writing by the seat of your pants to see if it’s something you enjoy.
All I can say is I enjoy it.
11. Work 9-5
When I wrote my first book, I was a stay-at-home mom. I started writing the moment my children left on the school bus. I treated it like a 9-5 job.
More like 9-4 because when the bus rolled in the yard, I had to wrap it up.
I love thinking back to when I started writing, because it’s then that I developed the writing habits I use today. I always give it the respect that it deserves and treat it like it’s my job. Because it is. Right now, it’s my second job.
When I come home from my 9-5 job, I go right to work on my second job for the rest of the evening and write my heart out.
Treat writing like it’s your job. Schedule out a time slot that fits your life. Call it your job. Make people believe it because YOU believe it.
When you do that, you will finish your novel in no time.
12. Research After Work
If you work a full-time day job like I do, and you don’t have a lot of time left in the day, then do a little research in the evenings while you relax.
What I do is watch tv with my husband as I search the internet for book ideas, research topics, keyword research, and important information I can use later.
If you do a little bit each night, you will touch your dream. By that, I mean, every little bit counts toward your writing career. Often, we get frustrated because we don’t have enough time in the day to be the kind of writer we want to be.
Sometimes lack of time to write, makes you give up.
If you do a little something for your writing each night, however, it will make you feel as though you are living your dream right now. So, touch your dream every night. Somehow!
13. Set a Goal
Setting a goal is a must. You can’t expect a novel to write itself. There has to be a designated time to write it, and that is completely up to you.
Setting a goal will help.
I remember goal setting my very first novel. I discovered the wisdom in it, and never looked back. I took out a calendar and marked it up with ambitious plans.
I set a goal for everything. I planned when each chapter was to be completed; When the first draft was to be done; When I would publish it.
You may not achieve every goal you set, but at least it’s a template you can follow.
Nine times out of ten, you will meet your goal and you will be proud of yourself when you do. I was. I couldn’t believe how much I accomplished, simply because I stuck to it.
I use this model today when I write. It doesn’t matter if it’s fiction or non-fiction. I set goals and I push myself to complete them whether I make it on time or not.
When you do that, your novel will be finished in no time.
14. End Game
There must be an end game to your writing project. Do not let it sit on a shelf incomplete for years. I did that, and it’s the worst feeling in the world. Motivate yourself to do something with your writing.
My first novel sat on a shelf for ten years before I did anything with it. Part of the reason was because I was too afraid to try.
It was also because a close family member told me it was the worst thing she had ever read. I cried for days, and swore I would never write again.
Finally, after ten years, I dusted it off and decided to do my end game. I edited it. I polished every page and chapter, and then found a market for it.
I self-published it.
You can too. Don’t ever let anyone tell you that your novel isn’t good enough. Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you have to get it published traditionally. You can self-publish your work and it can actually become a best seller.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I just want to say that writing takes guts. It’s not easy to put yourself out there, vulnerable to every Tom, Dick, and Harry that reads your precious work.
Some will give it bad reviews. Some will love it. Just as every author is different, so is every reader. Don’t base your writing on other people’s opinions.
Be brave. Be bold. Carve a path for your writing and be proud of your art. Stand up for it. Teach others to respect it, and you will finish your novel in no time.
Happy writing!
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Author Kathleen Morris
Kathleen Morris is a successful published author, blogger, and YouTuber. She enjoys writing about things she’s passionate about and making a difference in the world