| Most people, it seems, dream of trying their hand | | | | motivates you - well, let's just say there have |
| at novel writing. And for most people, that is as | | | | got to be easier ways of turning a buck. The |
| far as it goes. | | | | same thing goes for chasing fame. |
| Why is that? | | | | The best reason for writing fiction is to do it for |
| Maybe they don't have the time. (Though I, for | | | | its own sake. Write a novel because you want to |
| one, believe we can always find the time to do | | | | write a novel. If you go on to sell it, that's just |
| something if we want to do it badly enough.) | | | | the icing on the cake. |
| More likely, they simply don't think that they have | | | | 3. You Need to Know the Novel Writing "Rules" |
| what it takes, as if fiction writers were somehow | | | | (and Know When to Break Them, Too) |
| a higher breed. | | | | This is the part of creative writing that can be |
| If you have any doubts, here are what I consider | | | | taught, and the good news is that there is plenty |
| to be the three major keys to successful novel | | | | of help out there. |
| writing... | | | | Go into any decent bookstore and you'll find |
| 1. Novel Writing Takes Talent | | | | dozens of titles on the art and craft of writing |
| I'm not talking genius here - we can't all be | | | | novels. They range from the general to the |
| Dostoevsky. You simply need a love of language - | | | | specific (entire books have been written on |
| a "way with words", if you like. Oh, and a good | | | | Narrative Voice alone), and from the great to the |
| muscular imagination won't hurt you, either. | | | | frankly not-so-great. Needless to say, there is a |
| I don't know you, of course, but my guess is that | | | | similar range of help available on the Internet, too |
| you wouldn't be reading this article in the first | | | | (though here, the "not-so-great" can be truly |
| place if you weren't the daydreaming kind, and if | | | | awful). |
| you had the literary equivalent of two left feet. | | | | Anyway, I hope this article has convinced you |
| So far, so good... | | | | that there really is nothing stopping you from |
| 2. Writing a Novel Takes Hard Work (and Plenty | | | | getting to work on your first novel. |
| of it) | | | | - You have the talent. |
| Not that the work isn't also stimulating and fun | | | | - You have a willingness to work at it. |
| and amazingly rewarding. It's just that you'll never | | | | - And if you "wouldn't even know where to |
| make it much beyond the first few pages if you | | | | start," you know there is plenty of novel writing |
| prefer a gentler life. | | | | help and advice out there to point you in the right |
| You need to be clear about the purpose of all this | | | | direction. So what are you waiting for? Get |
| hard work, too. Yes, there is money to be made | | | | writing! |
| from writing fiction, but if it's money that | | | | |