You Can Write a Novel!

Write a novel? Jeez! I can’t do that!

 

If that was your response, think again. The good news is that I know you can write one. It is actually quite easy. Probably the reason why it is so daunting is that when you think of a novel, you think of a book hundreds of pages long.

“I would run out of ideas immediately even before I reach page twenty!” you gasp upon contemplating such a vast number of pages.

 

Or you are possibly thinking: “Where the heck will I get the energy to write such a vast number of pages?”

 

The problem with most of us is that we often think of how large a certain project is before we undertake it, and how harrowingly hard it would be to carry it out. And oftentimes, we would rather take the easy way out and evade the hard work.

 

The other thing that severely limits what we are capable of accomplishing is haste, lack of patience. We want to see the results of our work immediately, and if we do not see anything tangible, we quit…

 

Or perhaps we are bursting with too many ideas. Once we start writing, another idea is growing in our heads, and we abandon the first. In the end, we have a long chain of unfinished books. How utterly frustrating!

 

But think of this: Rome was not built in one day was it? It took time. Same goes for writing a novel. It takes an appreciable amount of time. Some writers take as much as twenty years, tweaking this and that, until finally they manage to get it just right.

 

Because novels may take quite a while to complete, some writers may especially be vulnerable to writer’s block( check out this article on how to get rid of writer’s block: writers’ block.) They may suddenly not know how to proceed, or they may lose sense of the logic. Many at this point give up and forget about it, thinking they do not have what it takes to write. But ask any professional writer and they will tell you that such things are normal. Just because you are a little stuck does not mean that you cannot write a novel. Most certainly you can!

 

So what does it really take to write a novel?

 

Just one word: Perseverance.

 

Just like every journey starts with a single step, every novel starts with one word. The whole point is this: just start! At first you will write your first few lines, then paragraphs, then your first few pages. At first, your book will not look anything like a book, but go on, and pretty soon it will take form!

 

Write a bit everyday, no matter how little it is; even if it is just a single word. You may not be making as much progress as you want but you are progressing, and that’s what counts. Just remember: majestic Rome was not built in one day. The more time you spend on your book, the better it probably will be.

 

And if you are stuck for ideas, take a break. Do something fun. Hang out with your friends. Watch Movies. Read other books. When you return to your work later, you will find that your writing spirit is back.

 

Believe me, writing a book is fun, especially when you are caught in the grip of your own imagination and you are totally into the story…

 

And that’s the whole point really, having fun. If you love what you do, you will be looking forward to get to your writing table with a burning enthusiasm, and that is what keeps all of us going!

 

What was that you were saying? You still think you can’t do it? I know you can…

 

I will help you, don’t worry. Other sites would probably just put a list of few sentences on what you need to do to write a novel, but not me. I will give you what you need to get started and see you through the whole process.

 

Firstly I will explore the novel with you; find out what exactly it is. Then we will see how to choose your idea, develop it, create characters, conflict, develop the conflict to the climax, and finally the resolution. We will also look at devices like irony and suspense. Indeed you have the whole package right here.

 

So sit back and relax…No, sit back and get your pen. It is time to write a novel. Have you written the first word, the first sentence yet? Good, you have made tremendous progress!

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