In Part One I talked about four lessons I learned while writing my first novel. Here are another three for you:
- When You Want To Procrastinate, Nothing Will Get You Moving–Picture this: You’re one chapter away from being finished with your first novel. You’ve been waiting for this moment for years. You were starting to think this day would never come.
A week later, you’re still one chapter away from being finished with your first novel. You’ve been waiting for this moment for years. You were starting to think this day would never come.
A week later, you’re still one chapter away…Ok, are you sensing a pattern here?
Procrastination is a killer, especially to the novel. Remember, people often fear success because of what might change, so it’s not all that uncommon for someone to be a chapter shy, a few scenes shy, whatever, from finishing their project and then they set it aside and never complete it.
I thought that was going to be me because I was one chapter away and I had the most delicious bottle of champagne chilling in my fridge, waiting to be cracked the moment I wrote my last word, and it still took me almost three weeks to finish my final chapter.
Thankfully, I was able to step around my fear (of success, of failure, of my first draft sucking, etc) and finish my novel. And drink that delicious bottle of champagne.
When this happens to you, lean on your RB. Tell them exactly how you’re feeling and let them reassure you that everything will turn out great. They’re right.
- “Shitty First Drafts” Are an Urban Legend–Ok, maybe not an urban legend, but they’re definitely a myth. When I finished my novel and sat down to reread the whole thing, I realized that I actually had a pretty damn good first draft on my hands.
Sure, it needs editing–what first draft doesn’t? But I feel like I have a complete story that has no major plot holes, no major “bad” writing issues and best of all, it’s actually pretty compelling.
So stop being so hard on yourself about writing your first draft. When I think I’m writing my worst, it usually turns out to be some of my best. And you’ll find the same thing with your first draft as well.
And if you do find some parts that make you want to hurl (ok, so maybe it was a bad idea to use that cliched love scene as the turning point in your book), it’s ok. Take a deep breath and relax. That’s why they call it a first draft!
- It Goes By So Fast–When I look back on the whole novel-writing process, I realize that, after years and years of talking about writing a novel and sitting around thinking about it, but taking no action, when I finally sat down and wrote my novel, it actually went by so fast I don’t remember most of it.
So don’t let the fear of how many hours or weeks or months you’ll have to spend dedicated to writing this novel stop you from writing. When it comes down to it, if you set yourself tight deadlines (I gave my writing coach two chapters a week, for example) and meet them, you’ll get your book written so quickly you won’t even know how you could’ve procrastinated for so long.
I hope the lessons I learned while writing my first novel help you to finally get your novel written. Remember, negativity is always going to make your writing “bad.” So keep a positive, upbeat attitude and remind yourself that your story is worth writing, so sit down and write it!
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How refreshing to hear someone say that shitty first drafts are a myth. Have to say I agree with you — that you shouldn’t be so hard on yourself. I also think you’re so right regarding the tight deadlines. We are on the same wavelength.
I’m so glad to hear, Wendy! I have a journalism background, so I’m used to tight deadlines. They’re difficult for most people to work with, but if you set it in your mind that you’re hitting them, you will.
Good luck with your writing!
I was surprised by my First Draft. The early stages (written two years previously) read a bit like a disjoited ‘ideas dump’ in that the things I wanted to happen but nothing f-l-o-w-e-d. It was this then that then the other.
So I fixed it. I smoothed over the joints, added thoughts, actions and motivations to get a better feel into my work.
And I thought; ‘This is going to take forever!’
I had, after all, transposed three of the early chapters and completely re-written two others.
But as I progressed, it became easier, partly because I was ‘with the flow’ and patly because my style had imporved as I First Drafted. So the latter stages took very little time.
So don’t be dismayed by slow progress in the early stages. You might just find the same as I did – that your work improved with time!
Keep writing! Remember, the answer to ‘How do you eat an elephant?’
One piece at a time.
Better still, send out for a curry and use the 60 minutes delivery time wisely.
@Andy Bee Thanks for the suggestions (and for all your comments on so many Procrastinating Writers posts this morning). As my good friend Laura Lee always reminds me, when writing a novel, think of the story of the Turtle and the Hare. “Slow and steady wins the race.”
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