A few weeks ago, I traveled back to Ohio, where I got together with a few old friends. When I “came out” to them as a writer, I was surprised to hear how many either wrote fiction or wanted to write fiction. These are really interesting and lovely people who really should write books. So why haven’t they?
One reason is that people don’t really know how to get started writing a book. My students freak out about a 5-page paper. How can anyone who hasn’t ever written a novel even conceive writing (and polishing) 300 pages worth of text?
So here are my top five tips for them and for anyone who is serious about writing and completing a novel:
(1) Read constantly in as many subjects as you can. My best ideas for books have come while I was reading something completely unrelated to writing. Make time for reading. Always.
(2) Open to the beginning of a book you love and copy that author’s opening. For instance, I am writing a book in third-person, which I’m not used to doing. So to get started, I looked at the first line of a third-person book I’d read recently, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, which says, “The letter that would change everything arrived on a Tuesday.” So I wrote, “The event that would change the MC’s life happened before she was old enough to realize what was happening.” I ended up cutting that line, but by using it as a basis for writing, it helped me realize where I really did want to begin my book.
(3) Write longhand, at least at first. I don’t know what it is about typing things out on a computer, but it is harder to change your mind about your draft. Either you can save the file and open a new document, starting afresh, or you can delete everything you’ve done. Neither option seems ideal. But when you write on paper, you can use multiple drafts and rewrites to craft how you want to begin. I usually write the first 15,000-20,000 words out longhand.
(4) Type it out. After you’ve written 20,000 words of longhand draft, you will likely hit, what I call the 20,000-word wall. So at this point I type up everything I’ve done so far, editing as I go. This is great because, first, it gives your mind time to change gears, so your creative juices get a break. Second, it ensures that the foundation of your novel is good, which ensures that you have enough material to build off of for the remainder of your novel.
(5) After you’ve typed out those first 20k, make a schedule, and stick to it. Below is my schedule for the last book I wrote. I wrote 2,000 words a day, sometimes more. And by the end of June, I had a first draft completed.
What about you authors out there? How do you begin writing a new book?
Jenny,
I love reading your “how to” articles. You are able to distill the information so effectively. In this case, I feel inspired to start my next novel. Just today, ideas started percolating about a sequel to Between Land and Sea.
I will probably start with a synopsis or outline of the novel. I am a plotter and need to have a good idea where I’m going. Along the way, I do let the characters misbehave and often change direction.
As for writing longhand…Not a chance! My handwriting is so illegible I wouldn’t be able to read any of it. In frustration, I might even tear up the 20,000 words and then give up the project.
I like the idea of setting a schedule. Once I’m in the groove, 1000 words a day works for me.
I also enjoyed reading The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry….so many life lessons for all of us.
Thanks for sharing your expertise with us. You should consider organizing all your tips into an e-book. Come up with a catchy title and…
Joanne
Thanks, Joanne! And congrats on the percolating.
You make a good point. I didn’t even think about how this process would be different for people who outline their books. So thanks for the contribution.
And let me know when your book comes out! I can’t wait to read it!
Jenny
I agree with your suggestions EXCEPT (like Joanne) for the long hand – I have a weird aversion to my own handwriting. It actually stops the flow of words if I have to look at it (i’m not even a fan of my own grocery lists.) BUT I have used long-hand writing when I’ve got writer’s block – it’s something about the shift in perception from computer to paper that jogged me out of the block and back to writing. Another thing I do when I’m preparing to write is give myself a marinating period BEFORE I commit anything to the page. I want to let the idea, the initial ‘what if’ get almost too big, I want it to get depth in my head, become a real world so that, when I finally sit down to write it, it’s more of a place or memory that I visit. My imagination made it real and it’s as if I’m only ‘dictating’ a reality that already exists. Wow. Not sure if that makes sense. Will drink more coffee. That might help. Thanks for the great post!
This is actually kind of hilarious. You get distracted by your own handwriting? That made me laugh so hard. Well… I’m sure you could get the same benefit from a typewriter, if you were so inclined. I think for me, it is really hard in the beginning to work with lots of different drafts when they’re all on the computer. I need to have them all THERE, splayed out on the table, ready if I choose to pick something from another draft. (But I guess, you could just print the drafts off. Don’t mind me. Just thinking this through here.)
In any case, I like your idea of giving yourself a marination period before you start writing and making the world real before you start writing, so your characters seem more like real people from the start. Maybe I’ll do more of that in the future. For now, I just write out a bunch of different versions of the intro until I’m finally like “That’s it.” I know I’ve got it when I’d be ready to argue anyone who tells me otherwise.
I finally got to that point with my WIP this morning. And holy shit was it great.
Nope. Not a fan of longhand. As a lefty, my hand drags over the page as a write, which means smudges of ink and pencil all over the place. Not to mention I have horrible handwriting. When I taught, I always printed on the whiteboard. Plus, cursive isn’t even being taught in many schools these days, which I know is going to have an adverse affect on writing ability across the board. I can type sooooo much faster than I can write, and since I have issues with self-editing too much as I draft, I tend to revise at the same time.
I started my first book with an image in mind, but now that I’ve ending the end of the first draft (FINALLY) I now know that I need to do much more plotting before I begin the next one. Otherwise I feel like I waste way too much time when I’m at the computer. I do agree whole-heartedly when it comes to schedules, which I will also up the ante on when it comes time to being book number two…
Man, no love for longhand! From any of you guys!
Congrats on finishing the first draft of book one. And I like the idea of starting when you have an image in mind. This next one I started with kind of an image in mind, and then as soon as I started writing, something happened and it became something else entirely. But in a good way… in a way where you just hear that ‘click,’ you know? Anyway, best of luck, and I look forward to reading more of your WIP.
I have done some long hand recently. It’s slow and cumbersome and it hurts. When I type I can keep up with how fast the words are coming out of my mind.
For quick writing like commenting though I have been using the virtual keyboard. It feels very similar to writing with pen and paper to me. Letter by letter instead of flowing thoughts.
Hey Jon,
Glad to hear I’m not the only one who writes longhand, even if it’s not as much fun.
Virtual keyboard? Okay, I just googled that, and it looks freaking awesome! I definitely think your blog should have a giveaway with that as the prize.