How to Write a Novel: Why are you writing a novel?
“The novel, I submit, is an unparalleled vehicle for self-discovery.”
—Lawrence Block, Writing the Novel From Plot to Print to Pixel
Take a deep breath and be really honest with yourself.
Why do you want to write this novel?
If you’ve never written one before, why do you want to put yourself through the process? What’s driving you forward?
If you’ve already written other novels, why are you writing this particular book?
It’s not easy to write a novel. Many people say they want to write one, but few of them finish a first draft. Even fewer will hold their finished book in their hands, and even fewer will find success, however they define it.
There’s a lot to learn and you will have to overcome challenges, both practical and emotional, to finish your book, so you need a driving reason to see you through the difficult times ahead.
Here are some possible reasons:
• There’s a story burning in my heart that I have to tell
• This character keeps nudging me or talking to me and I need to get them out of my head
• I’ve always been a reader, and now I want to be a writer
• I have this inner need to write something
• I love reading but I can’t find the book I really want to read, so I might as well write it myself
• I want validation that I can write something good
• It’s one of my life goals — I’ve always wanted to write a book and now I’m determined to achieve it
• I want to win a literary prize
• I want to change the world, and stories are the best way to shift people’s mindset
• I want to make money with my stories, hopefully, lots of money!
• Writing my story as fiction will help me heal, and hopefully help others too
• I want to see my story on the screen as a film or a TV show
• I have so many ideas and I need to turn those into books
Whatever your reasons, identify them now. You might need to dig down a layer or two because sometimes our desires go deeper than we think.
“Writing isn’t about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, or making friends. In the end, it’s about enriching the lives of those who will read your work, and enriching your own life, as well.”
—Stephen King, On Writing
Why do I write fiction?
I started my first novel as a writing challenge. A guest on my podcast, Tom Evans, suggested that I might have a block about writing a novel, even though I had already written several nonfiction books. I put fiction writing on a pedestal and couldn’t see myself as creative enough to write stories, yet I also yearned to be a ‘real’ writer. Tom suggested I give fiction writing a go.
So, I joined NaNoWriMo, National Novel Writing Month, in November 2009. I wrote around 20,000 words and discovered a spark of an idea. That spark encouraged me — perhaps I could write a novel after all. I lived in Brisbane, Australia, at the time and I enrolled in The Year of the Novel at the Queensland State Library and spent the next fourteen months writing and editing.
I loved the writing process, and I found myself overflowing with ideas for other stories. I caught the writing bug big time!
Now I write for a different reason.
I measure my life by what I create.
I enjoy (almost) every part of the creative process. Of course, there are challenges and days where writing feels like a slog, but the effort makes it even more worthwhile. I love holding a finished book in my hand and saying, “I made this!”
I also have an audience of readers waiting for the story. Writing is my passion, but it’s also my job. I’m a full-time author, so my books also bring me income, now and into the future. But at heart, it’s still about the creative process and what I discover along the way about the story — and about myself.
Your reasons for writing will change over time, but identifying them can sustain you through the journey, wherever you are right now.
“The writing process alchemically alters me, leaving me transformed.”
—bell hooks, Remembered Rapture
Questions:
• Why do you want to write a novel?
• Go deeper. What are the reasons behind that?
• Are these reasons enough to carry you through difficult times?
Resources:
• On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft — Stephen King
• Remembered Rapture: The Writer at Work — bell hooks
• Writing the Novel From Plot to Print to Pixel — Lawrence Block
• Episode 500 of The Creative Penn Podcast where I replay Tom’s comments and discuss how they shaped my creative direction — www.TheCreativePenn.com/500
