Getting Started in Writing Novels

Practical Advice on Becoming a Writer of Literary Fiction

Apr 12, 2009

The transition between a non-writer and a writer is a huge one. Here's how to unlock the writer within with a view of getting published.

The reasons behind one’s decision to write a novel are many and varied. A story might have been rattling around for months, or a vast bank of experiences might have distilled itself into an itch that yearns to be expressed. The concept is only part of the story. Committing it to paper is entirely another.

Why Write a Novel

Never discuss the idea for the novel. This is not because of possible plagiarism, but imparting a creative idea is like releasing a pressure valve. All creative energies will be lost and the itch will fade. Let the idea remain inside. Nurture it and let the idea grow, but above all, keep it private.

How to Become a Writer

According to Nigel Watts in his book Writing a Novel (Hodder Education, 1996) the only way to find out if one has what it takes to write a novel is to write it and see. Procrastination is the enemy of the writer. Become active and try out different writing methods and see which is best suited.

Creative Writing Ideas

The advantage of writing is that the tools required are compact and can be taken anywhere. An A5 sized notebook is ideal for jotting ideas as they come. Two HB pencils, a sharpener and a rubber are all that’s required. Many writers use this method initially before transferring the prose onto a Word document for editing.

Typing the Novel Straight onto a PC or Laptop

This holds many advantages for those who can touch-type quickly and the text gives the prose more immediacy and is easy to manage. However, if the words do not come easily, the temptation to go surfing might overpower the despair of staring at a blank screen, and one could soon suffer backache or eyestrain.

The preferred method will soon become apparent once tried, but the time and the place to write warrants further consideration.

The Perfect Time and Place for the Novelist

The garden shed in the morning or the kitchen after tea, there is no right or wrong, but consistency is the key. This will help the brain programme itself for the time to write, rather like the programming of Pavlov’s dogs to salivate at the sound of a bell. Trial and error will soon reveal the preference, but whatever this may be, consider this time as precious. Keep commitments away.

Fiction Writing Advice for the Beginner

Writing the first words of a novel can be daunting, frustrating or liberating. Whatever the emotion, remember an old writer’s saying: “Don’t get it right, write it down.” In other words, just do it. The editing can be done later. The following suggestions might help ease the beginner’s first encounter with writer’s block.

Writer’s Block

Various strategies can be used to overcome writer’s block. The following might help.

How to Write a Novel

A story cannot write itself. Firstly commit to the project by investing in good writing materials. Be consistent with the time and place to write and guard this time jealously. Just write, even if it proves difficult at first. Persistence is the key. In time, the words will begin to flow. Writing the novel is possible.

The copyright of the article Getting Started in Writing Novels in Writing Novels is owned by Rachel Wills. Permission to republish Getting Started in Writing Novels in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.