| At age 19, I told my English professor that I was | | | | you're onto somethingauthentic and life-altering. |
| writing a novel. | | | | --Ask a friend to be your novel-buddy if you |
| I'd written the first chapter. How interesting! How | | | | anticipate a strongemotional reaction to your |
| wonderful! | | | | work. As you write--if you begin toexperience the |
| She wanted to know if the novel was about me. | | | | emotional reaction--call that friend. Go out todinner |
| I told her thatthe main character was like me--a | | | | with family. Do something that's fun for a change. |
| college student, at the time--andthat her name | | | | Why not take up a hobby that is not |
| was Yasmine. But she was NOT me. I was | | | | writing-related? |
| adamant: | | | | Like knitting or learning Spanish. |
| I wanted to write outside myself. | | | | Find lots of links for hobbies at |
| "Most first novels," she said, "are autobiographical." | | | | --Create a novel journal. In this journal, write |
| I never finished that novel. I estimate that I | | | | down ideas aboutthe novel and its characters. |
| began | | | | Your vision of what you want thebook to be. Be |
| 3 or 4 more novels. I wrote lots of notes. None | | | | very specific. You could create a virtual journal |
| gotbeyond the third chapter. (Since then, I've | | | | onyour computer disk/hard drive. Or you might |
| written | | | | try blogging. |
| 2 complete novels.) | | | | (A blog is an on-line journal.) |
| All the while, I wrote dozens of short stories. | | | | There are web sites that give free blog space, |
| Some of these stories formed an | | | | such as and |
| inter-connectedseries, based on my grandfather's | | | | --If you're not a member of a writers'organization |
| tales. | | | | group/workshop, join one. The sense |
| Over the years, I wrote in my journal, | | | | ofcamaraderie is so helpful. It's very isolating to |
| describingthe novels I wanted to write. A few | | | | writea novel alone, as I did--with no writers' group |
| monthsbefore I began to write my first novel, I | | | | or class forsupport. I've since joined a writers' |
| wrote thethe following words--which are, I think, | | | | organization,which provides a feeling of help and |
| the essenceof my novel's grandfather-character: | | | | support as we attain our dream. |
| "I could have the old man tell a tale when he | | | | Find writers' organizations at |
| speaks of love. | | | | --Of course, read writers' magazines/e-zines for |
| Bk II is a combination tale, history (impersonal and | | | | technical tips onwriting. But you should also choose |
| personal). | | | | a favorite author to readand re-read exclusively |
| He reminisces on his youth, . . . on his beloved's | | | | as you write your novel. Realize thatthe author's |
| death. | | | | writing will influence yours--so he/she should be |
| On Love. On the world. Through time. . . ." | | | | great. |
| Then, the next spring, I sat down and wrote a | | | | Some writers choose not to read other writers |
| one-page outlinefor my novel. I wrote each | | | | while writing a book. |
| chapter fairly swiftly. After about | | | | Some novelists--like Barbara Kingsolver--read a |
| 6 months,I began to revise. The first version was | | | | favorite author. |
| written inlonghand. The second, on a typewriter. | | | | Think of this book or author as a literary |
| Then, a couple more versionson my computer. | | | | comforter;mine is "Wuthering Heights" by Emily |
| (See resource links below.) | | | | Bronte. |
| As I wrote and re-wrote, I wept. No one had told | | | | Find your favorite author's work at |
| me how emotional | | | | --On revising: Ideally, revising ends when you begin |
| I might get while writing a first novel. So I set the | | | | your next book. |
| book aside. | | | | In the meantime, have someone else read |
| After a few months, I returned to the manuscript | | | | yourmanuscript. In my case, no one but editors |
| with theidea of incorporating some of the stories | | | | read the entire manuscript. |
| into the novel. | | | | Several of my family members and a |
| And voila! I had written my first novel. | | | | writer-friend read chapters/chapter. |
| So, if you're a writer contemplating the writing of | | | | But if you're not ready for your cousin to read |
| yourfirst novel, here are a few suggestions: | | | | your novel,work on an article, begin another book |
| --Be prepared to cry. When you do, take a break | | | | or just take a breakand re-discover the world. |
| from writing--either a couple of days or a couple | | | | ______________________ |
| of weeks. You decide. Youmight try skipping the | | | | Web sites of interest to novelists-in-the-making: |
| section that makes you cry. You can getback to | | | | _____________________ |
| it once the first draft is completed. Just know | | | | 2004 Copyright by Y.A. |
| thatyour own reaction to the writing is a sign | | | | |