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Writing a novel is not for sissies. Sure, anyone can tell a story, but can you do it without putting your reader to sleep? Storytelling dates back to the dawn of humankind. When you ask someone what they did today, you’re looking for a story, not a statistical analysis of the day’s activities. Who did you meet? What happened at work? Why do you care? Characters, plot, motivation – all reasons we like a good story. Don’t forget this when you’re writing your book.

So far I’ve completed one novel and written half of another, and another, and another. It’s much easier to begin than to finish.

Here’s what I’ve learned from finishing the novel that is now under contract with an agent:

1. Choose a topic you’re passionate about. You’ll be spending weeks, months, years at the task. If you’re not passionate about your story you may lose interest before you finish – and when you think you’re done, you won’t be.

2. Write quickly. It won’t be perfect, so just don’t worry about that. When I finished my first manuscript, I thought it was perfect. I’m a member of Mensa after all! Wrong! Step #3 is as important as any other.

3. Put your manuscript away and don’t look at it. Take a break for a month or two. Reward yourself with a vacation or something else fun. You won’t be able to look at your manuscript objectively until you’ve been away from it for at least several weeks. Get it out of your head so you can approach it fresh when it’s time for step #4.

4. Have fun with editing. Laugh at your mistakes. Don’t get too attached to specific words or phrases. There’s a million ways to tell the same story, and odds are, you haven’t found the best one on the first go-around. Eliminate anything that interferes with the flow. Read it out loud and see how you like the sound. Be ruthless with adverbs and flowery language. Simplicity is always best.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4. Going over your work once will result in dramatic improvement. Doing it twice is the icing on the cake. Even twice may not be enough. You learn as you go, after all, and by the time you get to the end you may have a different opinion of the beginning. But don’t edit your book to death. Unless it’s a classic that will stand the test of time, when you’re sick of editing, move on. Your next novel may be better yet.

 

That’s it. Nothing magical. Just perseverance and elimination of ego. If you get this far, finding an agent and publisher should be a piece of cake. 

Copyright 2010 MD Books USA

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It wasn’t until after I’d completed my novel that I heard that a first novel is always autobiographical.

Not mine, I thought vainly. Of course, I’d written the book after suffering a loss, just like the main character. That much I would admit, no more. But now that I’m less sensitive about my writing, I can see how things really are: my life is plastered all over that story. I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, perhaps just inevitable. More importantly, it’s valuable information you can use to write your own story.

Here are 5 autobiographical ‘P’s to consider when writing:

1. Premise. Why write a book at all? Certainly it must be about something in which you have a personal interest – a particular situation, or problem, or something that’s captured your imagination, not just that of your characters. Have you identified what it is?

2. People. From the beginning my main character was a reflection of myself, how I might react in certain situations, how I wanted to explain life. Not until later did I see that I was a large part of every character in my story, even those I’d based on other people. After pondering it off and on over several months, I realized that I was everybody. When they spoke, it was what I would say – or what I thought my characters would say. When they reacted to a situation, it was how I would react, or how I thought they would react. Writing as an individual, this may be inescapable, but it’s at least something of which a writer should be aware.

3. Pain. Every book deals with some sort of problem, some degree of pain. Is your story to explain how you dealt with a difficult problem, or your way of working through a deep-seated pain? Is it about how you wished you would have reacted, or perhaps the tale of someone you’ve admired? Whether your recognize it or not, your writing reflects your personal life.

4. Plot. Since you’re the one writing the book, the story can’t help but be about what you would do or about what you think others would do. There’s no way around it. You only have your own brain to think with, and your thoughts are what will come through in your writing.

5. Place. Though you set your story on the moon, your description and vision will be what you see, even if through your characters eyes. And what you see consists of details, colors, images, that you hope to convey to your readers. Look closely to allow your readers to see your world more clearly.If you’ve already completed your manuscript, think back on how your own life lives in your story. It may help you in the re-writing process or in your next writing project. If you are in the process of writing or about to begin, consider how you can use these elements effectively to bring your own story to life.

If you’ve already completed your manuscript, think back on how your own life lives in your story. It may help you in the re-writing process or in your next writing project. If you are in the process of writing or about to begin, consider how you can use these elements effectively to bring your own story to life.

Copyright © 2010 Cynthia J. Koelker, MD