Following on from my first article, I decided to follow up quickly because I have caught the writing bug and it seems like I am permanently attached to my computer! In this article, I will explain some of the things you need when writing a novel. Some of them may be totally obvious, but if you are anything like me i.e. having the particluar talent of missing the glaringly obvious and going for the most obscure things, this may be useful to you. So sit down, kick back and as Robbie Williams (remember him?) once said, let me entertain you…
Firstly the most important thing that you need is the passion to do so. To have a passion you need to have a purpose or end goal. Trust me, writing is hard whether it is a book or an article. When a bad case of writers’ block sets in, if you do not have the passion or the drive to continue, you will give up and nothing will ever get done or finished. The same applies to life. If you have an end goal, then when the going gets tough, you will have the passion to push through.
You need to have a strong work ethic. Laziness is not an option. If you leave something ‘for tomorrow,’ tomorrow never comes. I found this to be the case when writing this novel. Procrastination is a time stealer. So be prepared to work hard. The Good Book says "All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty." It is not just talking about money here. It is not easy but develop an an attitude that is not afraid to put their nose to the grindstone or in this day and age, the computer screen…
You need common sense. If something in the story is not working, stop it. If something does work, use it. In this crazy world, where people are rushing headlong from one thing to another, it is absolutely crucial to keep yours. Writing a novel requires a clear head. If you get lots of ideas, write them down and look them over from time to time. What is not appropriate now (in the story or otherwise) may well come in useful later on.
You need to be flexible and adaptable. Sometimes something in the storyline will change or a character is just ‘undevelopable’ (if there is such a word) and so on. OK, so its frustrating and can be a pain but this may be perfect opportunity to try something new that you may not have thought about. So if you are not prepared adapt when something out of the ordinary takes place either in your novel or in your life, then you will run into problems.
You have to be patient. Things will not happen immediately. Tough it out.
So there you have it, a few life lessons that I have learnt whilst writing. Its awesome and I cannot wait to learn more…
Take care and God Bless readers….
