| Think it's hard to get a novel published? For | | | | to stick with it. |
| most writers, it is - but it's certainly not | | | | |
| impossible. I've had two hit the shelves-in | | | | If you're struggling with finishing your |
| 10 countries, and with book club and movie | | | | novel, these tips may help: |
| rights picked up. People often ask me how I | | | | |
| did it, and the truth is simple. All it takes | | | | 1. Tell yourself a little white lie: that you |
| is, 1) talent, and 2) actually writing the | | | | have a real deadline. One of the main reasons |
| thing. | | | | writers give up is because they begin to |
| | | | question whether anyone really cares. Pretend |
| As much as I hate to admit it, the second is | | | | there's an editor or agent waiting, drumming |
| the more important factor. | | | | his or her fingers, eager for that completed |
| | | | manuscript to arrive. |
| Fact is, plenty of great novels go | | | | |
| unfinished. The statistics are staggering: of | | | | 2. Set a daily goal. I set a minimum of two |
| those who start writing a novel, only about | | | | hours a day, every day. You may prefer to |
| 3% will finish. And unless you're the child | | | | designate a certain number of pages, such as |
| of a rock star or Shakespeare's long-lost | | | | three to five. Writing is a lot like dieting: |
| descendent, no agent or publisher will look | | | | people who approach it reasonably on a daily |
| at your novel unless it's complete. Only in | | | | basis are more likely to meet with success |
| rare instances will a publisher make an offer | | | | than those who try a crash program. |
| to a newbie novelist based on a partial | | | | |
| manuscript. | | | | 3. Don't write a novel - write a first draft. |
| | | | A first draft can be imperfect - and in fact, |
| On my first novel, Flip-Flopped, I actually | | | | it will be. That's okay. Just get the pages |
| did have interest from an editor at a major | | | | down. You can fix it on the second draft. |
| publishing house before I was finished. I'd | | | | |
| been taking a writing class, and the teacher | | | | 4. Be careful whom you show it to. It can be |
| passed along a short description of my book | | | | helpful to get feedback as you go, but choose |
| to an editor acquaintance of hers, who | | | | your readers carefully. Giving your precious |
| professed interest. I'd written about 100 | | | | pages to someone who is frustrated at their |
| pages at the time and was elated - that is, | | | | own inability to write a novel is like |
| until my teacher added, "Of course, she | | | | handing them a gun ... pointed right at you. |
| doesn't want to see it until it's done." | | | | |
| | | | 5. Spend more time writing than you spend |
| It may seem unfair. If your novel starts with | | | | planning. It can be helpful to have an |
| a bang, why can't you just give a few | | | | outline and some basic research, but |
| chapters and an outline? Surely that's enough | | | | typically writers who mire themselves in |
| to prove your mettle. But publishers want | | | | creating lengthy drafts of what they're going |
| evidence of more than writing skills. They | | | | to write rarely get around to actually |
| need to see you can go the distance. In the | | | | writing. |
| world of writing, a novel is the marathon. A | | | | |
| finished manuscript is the only way to show | | | | 6. Feel the joy. Remind yourself why you're |
| you can cross the finish line in the same | | | | writing a novel. Few people if any set out to |
| sort of shape you started. | | | | write a first novel because they have to. |
| | | | They do it because they have something to |
| It took me two years to write my first novel. | | | | say...a passion for the written word...a |
| Even with an editor waiting - and knowing she | | | | dream of seeing their name on a shelf next to |
| wouldn't wait forever - I nearly gave up many | | | | writers they admire. Hard work may be the |
| times along the way. A single mom with a | | | | backbone of a writing career, but it's the |
| full-time job, my only writing time was in | | | | joy of creating something amazing that keeps |
| the early hours before work and during my | | | | us going. |
| son's naptime on weekends. I not only had to | | | | |
| learn novel basics like how to plot and | | | | So keep going! |
| create strong characters, I had to learn how | | | | |