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