Novel Writing Isn't for Beginners

Beginners Writing Novels? Oh No!

Why does every beginning writer want to write a book about their rough life? Don't waste your time attacking me. A hundred newbies are beating my door down now. By the time you arrive there will be little left to the imagination but… you might send a sympathy card to my husband.

I can speak on this subject authoritatively. Why? Because I did it. I wish someone had told me I was wasting my time. I wish they had told me to save the serious writing for when I learned a little about the craft. That's why I say novel writing is something that should be left for those who have AT LEAST a little experience... and when I say a "little experience", I mean experience in publication.

And now for the second brutal fact of life: the general public doesn't care about your rough life... UNLESS it can be of practical value to them. The day for caring about what happened to your neighbor is nearly at an end. Today's public is out for one thing - and that is - "What's in it for me?" You have to answer that question.

But there are other reasons why beginners shouldn't try to write novels. Do you know:

• what a hook is? (No, you don't fish with it.)
• how to build with proper foundation and structure? (Nope. No cement involved in this kind of construction.)
• what a theme is? (I'm not referring to holidays or Disneyland.)
• what a plot is, or how to build it? (Nope - not a plot of ground.)
• how to build a character or give them "warts"? (I'm not talking about real warts on the Wicked Witch of the West.)
• what an arc is or where to place it? (Nope, it's not a rainbow.)
• what resolutions are or how to resolve them? (Sounds like something that should be in a contract, doesn't it?)
• or how to write a properly crafted, publishable 2,000 word short story? (Ah, now we're getting down to brass tacks.)

So where does that leave you? Probably at the corner of I Don't Care, I'm Gonna Write it Anyway and How Do I Learn All This Stuff? My answer is, go south one block and turn right on Writing Course Avenue.

Don't try to start at the top of the ladder. Take your place as a beginner and earn your stripes like the rest of us. Two classes will get you off the ground and give you a good foundation but learning the art will take years so settle in for the long haul. Only the persistent make it. There are no shortcuts. If there were, I'd write an exposé and become an overnight millionaire.

If you truly don't have money to take writing courses, read and study every article you can find on writing. The net is full of them. Take notes! Subscribe to a good writing magazine (I like The Writer, and no, I don't have affiliations with them). Write to people who own writing websites and ask specific questions. Get to know writers on Facebook and LinkedIn. Join a writing group such as www.writing.com. They have a five-star rating system where you can post your work and receive ratings. In return, you rate the writing of others. Another good site is My Writer's Circle at www.mywriterscircle.com.

But before you join a writing group, make up your mind to accept and act upon 95% of the suggestions and criticisms you receive. Resolve to step out of your Hanes Hurt Feelings Underwear and stand naked before the truth. That's when you'll really find the help you seek.

So – when should you write the novel that you can't get out of your mind? You can start on it now – in your spare time. Form a rough outline by using working (temporary) titles and write anywhere from two sentences to a paragraph about each one. Yes, you can depart from the outline but it will always be there to help pull you back into form. Write fifty questions about each of the two main characters and answer those questions. Find a picture of them in a magazine or catalog and place it where you'll see it first thing in the morning and last thing at night. These are things you should do in preparation. Don't waste your time trying to write the book in full. You'll only have to rewrite the whole thing a dozen or more times. Just get the ideas down and get well acquainted with your characters.

In the meantime, work on learning how to craft a good 2,000 word short story (the equivalent of one chapter). When you sell one or two short stories, it will be time to take a novel writing class.

Paperback novels usually run about 50,000 words. A hardback book will run upwards of 80,000. Now really, don't you think it would be wise to learn how to write one proper chapter before you begin a novel? It's just common sense. A book is a monstrous commitment and the disappointment of rejection is huge. Start small. Think big. Good luck!

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