Writing a novel is hard. From character development to worldbuilding to trying to keep all of your subplots straight, there is a lot that goes into writing a novel, especially for beginners. When I was first starting out as a writer, I made a lot of mistakes, and I struggled for years to even finish … Continue reading 8 Keys to Writing Spectacular Stories
The other day I was browsing through an online writing group I’m part of, and someone posted a question about what makes “good writing” and why so many popular books were apparently “bad.” In response, another commenter cited a wildly popular YA series, and said something to the effect of, “The author isn’t even a … Continue reading Does your prose need to sound more “literary?”
Well, it's October, and you know what that means: yellow leaves, a chill in the air, and a growing buzz about NaNoWriMo. If that just looked like a goofy jumble of letters and not a word, allow me to explain. NaNoWriMo is National Novel Writing Month, a yearly event where people from around the world … Continue reading Thinking of NaNoWriMo? The Truth About Writing a Novel in a Month
You're the author, and you're in control of the story. If you want to keep writing, I think you can make it happen. If you want to be done, you have the power to make that choice too. It's up to you to weigh the pros and cons and decide whether your manuscript is worth your precious time.
There's a lot of writer advice out there that errs on the side of keeping it up at all costs. "You can work through anything!" "Never quit!" "Think of how good it will feel when you actually finish this manuscript!" Well, I'm here to say that not all manuscripts are meant to be finished. And some of them should be quit.
Would I ever really finish a novel? The answer was yes. I did finish a novel. I did start to take my writing seriously. And I believe you can, too! You can escape the endless cycle of abandonment and write something brilliant. Here are the three things that broke me out of the abandonment cycle and helped me complete my first novel.