If you’re thinking of writing a novel you’re going to need to keep motivated. So many people start writing a book, but they never get to the finish line. Here are my five tips to getting started and staying strong through the writers’ block!
1. Plan your characters
You’re going to be spending a lot of time writing your book – more hours than you can imagine! – and your plot is going to focus on your central characters and how they interact with each other in different situations. Think about your protagonist – what does she look like, what does she love and hate, what’s her history, what are her ambitions, what is she scared of, what are her insecurities and what does she secretly want more than anything else in the world? And what about your antagonist? What drives him to behave how he does, why does he think he can get away with behaving as he does, and what features does he have that can make the reader sympathetic to him? You’re going to get to know your characters inside out before the book is finished, and it helps to know who they are before you start.
2. Think about your plot
Even if you have the best characters in the world, your book is nothing without a knock-out story. I spent months planning my new novel, NO PRINCE CHARMING, and turned a one-line idea into a detailed story with plenty of twists and turns and lots of little sub-plots. Think about the arc of the story, and consider how your characters will behave in each chapter, each scene. Your story makes your book, so make sure it’s brilliant.
3. Consider your writing style
I write chick-lit, but I’ve also written for various newspapers and websites, and each style is very different. I’d recommend practicing different writing styles before you set off. Write fake articles for different publications, practice writing scenes for ‘literary’ novels, or see if you can write in the same style as your favourite authors. Finally, practice your own personal style over and over again before you start writing your manuscript. Is your voice honest, warm, friendly and what’s your dialogue like? Does it ring true?
4. Find the time to write
We’re all busy, and many authors have full-time jobs as well as their writing work. You need to be able to find time every day to write your book. If you can’t find the time, you’re not going to get it done. You need to weigh up how important your social life is in relation to your ambitions. If you really want to do this, you need to concentrate on it and put it before other things.
5. Don’t give up and believe in yourself
Writing a novel – which is going to be at least 100,000 words – is hard. Don’t be fooled by anyone who pretends it’s easy, and that it only takes a month. When you’re writing it you’re going to face writers’ block, uncertainty about your plot, times when you want to scrap the whole thing (which you may have to do), and other times when you feel insecure about what you’re doing. The book industry is going through a spectacularly hard time at the moment, and not many new authors are being taken on. But you know what? If you work really hard, and are talented, you could be the next big thing. People could read your book, and they may love it. Think about your favourite books, and how they’ve inspired you. You could be someone who writes something that inspires others. And that reason alone should be enough to keep you motivated.
Good luck!
Thanks Ilana! I’m in the middle of the ‘wanting to throw it all away’ phase so thanks for writing something that makes me want to carry on.
You’re welcome – how far have you got? It’s hard to keep the faith and carry on the momentum! x
I’m planning my first novel at the moment, I didn’t know where to start. These tips are very useful thank you so much for writing them. I’ll let you know how my first stab at writing the novel goes. Katie. xx
I’m about 30,000 words in so I have a chapter-by-chapter plot, subplots, characters etc, just need to actually write! I’m looking for a new job right now too which is providing me with yet another excuse to procrastinate. Would you recommend going to a writing group? I’m thinking a formal meeting once a week might help me to put the time in, but the last course I took was full of patronising men my father’s age, who told me my work was ‘competent’ and then chatted me up in the pub. Horrible. x
Katie, let us know how you get on – and good luck!
Sarah, wow, congratulations on how far you’ve already got! I’ve never been to a writing group, so I can’t really help with that. I think if I went to one I’d be doing it as an avoidance technique – I’m always trying to improve my writing, and I’m sure having others’ opinions would help with that, but at the same time I know my style and my subject matter best … so would it help really? Perhaps it would help if it gives you that extra-bit of discipline needed, but defo stay away from ones with patronising old men! Unless they’re really hot …
Also, maybe think about why you keep procrastinating. When I refuse to tun my laptop on it’s because I’ve reached a scene that requires extra thought and I’m stuck – but as soon as I’ve resolved it in my head I’m off writing again. Sometimes it means deleting a couple thousand words and going back a bit so I can tread a different path in the plot, but it’s always worth it if it means you can move forward. And dedicate the same time-slot every day to writing if possible – don’t deviate from it! x
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Ilana Fox. Ilana Fox said: Want to write a book but you don't know where to start? Read my five tips to start your novel: http://bit.ly/startnovel x [...]
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Ilana Fox. Ilana Fox said: Want to write a book but you don’t know where to start? Read my five tips to start your novel: http://bit.ly/startnovel x [...]
Hi Ilana!
Once I read ‘Spotlight’ I was desperately searching for another book by you. I then found ‘The Making Of Mia’ and fell totally in love with it.
This was the final push I needed and I have decided to write my own. Since my decision I have thought of my plot and I have all these ideas in my head and my imagination is running wildly out of hand. I just want to know if you have any advice to get started and control the imagination.
From,
Alexandra
x
Hi Alexandra, thanks for your message and your email. And thanks for loving my books!
I know what you mean when you have loads of ideas and you need to control them! What I do when I have loads of ideas is to write out as many different plot lines as possible, so I end up with lots of varying outlines. Then I go with the one that really grips me the most – it’s a ‘go-with-your-gut-thing’ … you should choose the one you’d love to read the most, the one you desperately want to write, and the one that gets you the most excited.
Having an imagination that runs wild out of hand is amazing – embrace it! Sounds like your plot definitely won’t be boring!
I hope this helps – drop me another email if you’d like to chat about anything specific. x