Five Reasons Most People Will Never Write a Novel

I received a special request for this entry, which appeared once before on the "old" Grace Notes, a couple of years ago, before I redesigned the blog. Fortunately, I still have a copy of some of the older entries. The young lady who requested this is still working hard to complete her novel and achieve publication--and I believe she's eventually going to make it.

~~~~~

What's stopping you from writing your novel?

It would take me forever to write a whole book. Maybe when the kids are grown. But right now I don't have that kind of time.

Any writer can understand the time problem. But could you perhaps find the time to write 350 words a day five days a week? (This blog entry, by the way, is over 700 words. It doesn't look all that lengthy, though, does it?) 350 words a day will give you 1750 words a week. In 52 weeks, you'll have 91,000 words. That's a novel. 350 words, by the way, is the equivalent of about a page and a half of double-spaced type. Does that sound more doable?

Every time I think about the enormity of such a task, I freeze up–and then I give up.

Understandable. Many multi-published novelists still find the task daunting if they think of the whole. So they don't think of it that way. They take one scene at a time. Soon they have a chapter, then a section ... and then, finally, the novel in its entirety. Those who have gone through the process of breaking an addiction say they would never have made it had they not taken one step at a time, day by day, week by week, month by month. That's how you write a novel: one step at a time, day by day, week by week, month by month. A scene, a chapter, a section. A book.

I have a lot of ideas, but I can't settle on one that's big enough for a novel.

Keep in mind that your idea for a novel doesn't have to contain a cure for cancer or the answer to world peace. It can be an idea for a story about a man and an oversized fish. Or a story about a middle-aged pastor and the people he touches within the boundaries of a small town. Or two teenagers who make a suicide pact. Or a Sicilian don who treats organized crime like a family business. Or a little girl who adopts a stray dog and brings together a group of lonely people who find acceptance and love.

Out of your stash of ideas, which one is it that makes your heart race, your blood run a little faster? Which idea comes closest to what you love to read? Which idea locks onto a character, a subject, an event that fascinates you, fills your thoughts with possibilities, tempts your imagination to run wild and play "what if" every time it comes to mind? What's your passion? That's what you write.

I want to write a novel. I really do. But there are already so many of them out there. Why waste my time? I'd never get published. I don't know anyone in publishing;I'm just a beginner.

Stephen King was once a beginner. So was Nora Roberts. Tom Clancy. John Grisham. Dean Koontz. Jan Karon. Angela Hunt. Janette Oke. Francine Rivers. Hemingway. Steinbeck. Fitzgerald. Come to think of it, I was once a beginner also. Every novelist you can think of had to come out of the gate for the first time. And while a few of them might possibly have had contacts in the publishing industry, you'll find very few who did. (I assure you, I didn't, unless you count my newspaper carrier.) If you read the stories of their writing journeys, you'll find that most of them had no connection to the business whatsoever. They just--began. True, if you have an uncle who's the CEO at Random House, that won't hurt. But even he can't get you published if you don't have a manuscript.

That's where you start: at the beginning. You don't worry about not knowing anyone. You concentrate on writing a book that will make them–the publishers–want to know you.

I don't think I could bear to find out for once and for all that I can't write. This way, I can at least pretend that I'll eventually write a book. It keeps the dream alive. But what if I actually try–and fail?

And what if you don't fail? What if God has known all along that you can write a novel–and a good one. And what if it's a part of His plan that you do just that?

You're going to spend the next year doing something. The weeks and months will pass, whether you attempt to write that novel or not. If you don't try, at the end of the year, you'll have nothing to show for the passing of time. If you do try, you'll have a manuscript. Possibly a salable one.

Your choice.  Now ... what's stopping you?

BJ

Comments

[Vicki]

Absolutely needed this post, BJ! Thank you. You're such an encouragement. I think I might link to your post this week. God bless you.

[Brooke]

Thanks so much for the encouragement. I needed that lift today.

[Michelle Gregory]

Thank you for posting this. I've said all of these things to myself. I'm glad I did't listen.

[Rachelle]

Great post, BJ. I remember reading a Dear Abby column about 20 years ago, in which a 40-year-old wanted to go to medical school but was concerned they were too old. She said something like, "You're going to be 50 in 10 years anyway. You can be 50 and be a doctor, or be 50 and still WISHING you could have been a doctor. You can choose!"

That has always stuck with me, and influenced my own decisions. I'm over 40 and working on my master's. My husband is over 40 and recently made an entire career change. It's never too late!

And I love all your other reasons for people to stop listening to those negative voices. So encouraging!

[Iris]

Thank you. This is such an encouraging post, even for those of us appointed to write in another dimension. I do not plan on a novel, but there is that blog, and then the Bible Studies to develop, Bible courses for the institute and a small teaching book or two. Need all the encouragement I can get. You bless me.

[Deborah Raney]

This is all such good advice and so encouraging, BJ, even to those of us who have a few novels under our belts. It's nice, as I'm heading into the first draft stage again soon, to be reminded of that scene-turns-into-chapter-turns-into-novel phenomenon. It really does work. Thanks!