The Perks of Writing a Novel

Let's be honest here: Writing a novel is no smallhappy out of the glare of the spotlight, thank you
task. Yes, I know there are eBooks out therevery much.) Even the possibility of writing a truly
claiming to show you how to complete a novel ingreat novel and going down in literary history
30 days, but it can't be done, at least not by adoesn't do it for me (well, maybe a little).
newcomer to novel writing.You see, all of these things are rewards that you
Producing 70-odd thousand words is a big enoughreceive only after your novel is published. Before
challenge alone. But to learn the rules of how tothat can happen, you face years of hard work
plot a novel and how to create characters and allwith no guarantee whatsoever of publication. And
the rest of it,(which is the position a newcomereven if your novel is published, it is unlikely to be
would find themselves in) well, let's just say thatsuccessful enough to enable you to quit the day
two or three years is a more realistic estimate ofjob (sorry, but those are the cold facts). To put it
how long writing a novel will take you.simply, if fame and fortune are what you seek
Which leads me to the point of this article.then novel writing probably isn't the best train to
What is the payback for all this hard work? Whatclimb aboard.
can you expect to get out of it?So what else is there?
To be honest, the perks of writing a novel will beThe challenge of writing a novel, that's what. And
different for everyone. For some, making moneythe fun of writing one. The sense of achievement
from their fiction will be the prize they keep theirthat comes from nailing a particularly tricky scene,
eyes on. For others, it might be the promise ofor from figuring out a clever plot-twist.
fame (or, God help you, celebrity). For manyThe opportunity to have a creative outlet for all
more, the creative challenge alone will beof your thoughts and theories and feelings and
sufficient.beliefs on what it means to be alive in this funny
For what it is worth, here is what motivates meold world.
(and what doesn't)...Above all, the chance to rebuild the world
First up, it isn't the money (honestly!) Not that theaccording to your own specifications - and then to
riches that a bestselling novel might bring wouldn'tplay at being God in that world. That is exactly
be welcome in my bank account, but I would bewhat writing a novel is all about when you think
lying if I claimed it was money that motivated meabout it: Playing at being God in a world of your
to write.own making. And which of us wouldn't want to do
The same thing goes for fame. (I'm perfectlythat?