Writing a novel can be a daunting task. I know because it’s taken me 7 years to complete my first one. However, writing is easier for me now, than when I started. I realize that there are many of you who want to write that first novel, so let me lend my acquired experience to make your journey easier.
I have 10 steps that I realized I have used to complete my book. During the next 10 weeks I’m going to provide you with the actual and specific tools that have used. I’m going to put them up on this blog for you to see, and I’m going to give them away to you for free! Yes, free because I want you to be successful! I know that they will work for you some of you are more computer literate than others, so my tools are going to help you no matter what level of proficiency you have in software or hardware. All you need is a desire to learn, and a willingness to implement the steps.
Ok here is step Seven: Write.
You have your inspiration, you established some world creation, you have an outline. You have your materials. Stop loafing and get to writing.
It doesn’t matter what you have. If you don’t write nothing will ever be produced. It’s not enough that the idea and world and characters are in your head. They must be released from the prison of your mind to live on paper. Only then can the purpose of your novel be realized. That being for others to enjoy.
Write. Just do it. Try to write 1000 words a day. Yep. Keep a limit. Shoot for a 1k a day in words. Move it. Get off your butt. Start writing!
I do not care how much you read about writing. It is NOT writing. Only writing is writing. Outlining is not writing. Character creation is not writing. Marketing, is not writing.
Only writing is writing. So get to it. Push out words. Write the images that come to your mind. Just get them out. Connect them later. But write the images or scenes that are in your head.
Pick a time when others know you are not to be disturbed. But write. If you need to do it in the morning, or in the evening write. If you don’t get to 1000 words still write.
Write daily. Make it a priority. But write. Do a lil something daily. But write.
Only writing will make you better. Only writing will see your vision materialized: only writing counts.
It does not matter how much of the previous steps you did if you do not write you have been active but not productive. You have missed the mark if you do everything but write.
So write. Write as if your life depended on it
Some say you should not worry about grammar and spelling as you write. I say do what you want. Just do not get bogged down. Correcting already generated text is NOT writing. It is revision. Write. Generate new text…new words. Leave the revision for after you have finished writing.
This step out of all the others is the most important. This step is the only one that will create your masterpiece. Your work. Nothing else. Everything else is star stuff. Writing is where the planet is formed. Where the rubber hits the road. That which separates those who do from those who try. Nothing else matters. In the words of the company Nike.
Just do it.
D