Writing Your First Novel

You will write the first chapter and it will suck. Just count on it. But instead of going back and reading it, leave it and move on. Let the first chapter rest and go back to it after you've gotten practice on chapters two and three. As you go along in your writing you learn and get stronger. Each is a building block. Not only that but by the time you finish three you'll be geared up and ready to make some dramatic edits and changes to your copy. Movement creates energy.

You need support, but who to trust...

All creatives need support and someone to cheer them on. Be selective. I know that sounds simple, but friends with the best intentions will often try to tear it apart. They are jealous you are beginning a wonderful, creative discovery. Or they'll throw too much constructive criticism your way you'll get overwhelmed and quit.

You want someone who simply says, "I loved it. Keep going. I want to see more." That's what my mother did, even though I knew my stuff sucked. But that made me go on. And what I realized later is that that is most important in embarking on your first novel. When you finalize your manuscript, that's when you can send it to an editor that is not a friend - and you pay for the service of them ripping you apart.

Do not write with audience in mind...

Do not write any of your novel with an audience in mind or friends who might be willing to read it and cheer you on. You will hurt yourself in the end. I know, a lot of these books on how to publish tell you should think about this so you can market yourself. But this is crap. If your story is creative enough and unique enough - and this can only be achieved if you let yourself just go without any restrictions - everyone will want to publish you. And plus, your readers will trust you and that's what you want.

But I don't know about plot or characterization...

Write. I repeat write. You'll stop before you get started if you think about the outcome being 'a story.' I started with a story about a woman who just wanted to get revenge on an old lover. Half way through I was just making notes to myself about things I needed to mention so the end would make sense and I hit upon another part of the story that would make it much more unique - and probably more marketable. So make notes, write notes about dialogue you want your characters to have. Work out their motivations. And you don't have to do this in the beginning. Often I would write and I would stop, open a new word document and just blab about this or that...