let me start by saying the creation of my book The First Fallen has been a long and arduous road. I started down this literary path a little over five years ago. It was my first outing as an author and creative writer. Since then I have grown a lot as a writer and as a person along the way.
Getting a book published is not the hard part. It’s the daily discipline of actually writing it. In this posting, I offer ten insightful steps to getting your book finished. A well-written novel does not just write itself. As the author and creator of your story, you have to invest everything you are…mind, body, and spirit into the finishing of your new masterpiece.
Here are the top ten insights I learned while writing my first novel:
1. Everything is longer and harder than first expected
When I say longer and harder, I do mean everything in the creative process. Believe you can whip through all those revisions in a few weeks? Better make that a few months. Plan on querying different publishers by the new year? Try the end of next year.
The creative process does not play nice with timelines. So instead of expecting it to cater to yours, plan on needing more time than you think to achieve all of your artistic goals.
2. Trust Your Gut
What I am speaking about is that special intuitive feeling that we all sometimes get concerning a new inspirational thought or idea.
Not the kind where it burns and then flickers out moments later. The kind where you think about it all day long and does not allow you to sleep. Even entering your dreams (as it did in my case.) When you love an idea that much, that’s a story to run with.
3. The “What If” Question
This simple question helped me with every type of writer’s block while writing The First Fallen. What if the hero is too self-centered and arrogant to listen? What if the villain has the ethical high ground? What if I drink a bottle of tequila in one sitting…well maybe not a whole bottle.
4. Insanity Is Okay
It is true that your story-line needs to make sense. But that does not mean you cannot sprinkle points of insanity throughout your novel. Interesting plot twists inspired by a bit of craziness have always been hallmarks of good storytelling. Think Stephen King or Dean Koontz.
5. Rewrite, Rewrite, Rewrite
Rough drafts are easy. It is the second, third, and fourth rewrites that are much harder and longer to do. But, eventually, editing begins to get a little easier…and that is when you see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel.
6. Perspective Is Crucial To Any Artistic Endeavor
It is nearly impossible to view your own creation with an unbiased perspective. Input from one’s peers is essential if you plan to grow as an artist. Their insights can be crucial in pointing out wrong information, inconsistencies, and ways of making your story better.
7. Embrace The Critique
Receiving a negative critique can definitely be a knock on one’s ego. But it is precisely those types of reviews that offer us the insightful inspiration we need to grow as artists. No one likes to give negative feedback, they do so because they love and believe in you.
8. Do Not Hate Your Work…Trust In It
Everyone goes through phases where we start hating what we have created…it is Inevitable when you spend so much time on such an important endeavor. Don’t let these raw feelings creep over you. Grind through it and know at your stories end you will have created something as unique and beautiful as you are.
9. Patience Is A Virtue
You’ve just spent years creating your narrative. You have fought to breathe life into a vibrant tapestry of characters, places, and imagery that spans hundreds of pages. Now reduce that down to a single paragraph for a query letter or promo summary.
At first, it may seem impossible. But if you take a step back, take a few deep breaths and view your finished work from a birds-eye perspective, you will surely get to the finish line. Just be patient and realize your hard work will pay off in the end.
10. You Only Think You Have Reached The End
You have finally completed your manuscript. You should be proud. But the real adventure is still ahead of you. Literary agents, self-publishing, and promotion efforts are only a few of the new hurdles waiting for you on this journey. Fear not though…I’ve learned much over the last few years. Despite all the early mornings, late nights, and having my novel intrude into every corner of my life, in the end, it is entirely worth it.
Writing is an ongoing and never-ending learning process…I don’t know if it’s possible to ever truly master it. We can only hope to gain a little self-clarity by observing the lessons in our writing.
Tobias Shoemaker 