How To Finish Your First Novel
Anyone can write. Writers hear this statement often, and for the most part it is true. Anyone can sit down and write a story, but the story must be compelling and appeal to readers everywhere. Writing is a skill and the only way to acheive this skill is to write often. When the decision has been made, there are some important steps to follow for finishing your first novel.
The first step is to have an idea and know your audience. You must know if your novel will appeal to adults, young teens, or children. The idea must be fully researched before writing begins. If the book will be fiction, it still must have an element of truth. Your readers will be turned off if the story is to unbelievable. This is not to say that you can’t write the next bestselling science fiction or fantasy novel. These genres have out of the ordinary concepts, but there is still a realistic quality that readers can relate to. This usually occurs through characterization. The characters must be well developed and have enough conflict and human emotions so the reader cares what happens to them. Check out your local bookstore for magazines that give great tips for character development. These magazines are a great resource, as they often contain advice from successful writers.
Writing a novel takes dedication. You absolutely must set aside time to write everyday. There can be no excuses. Give yourself permission to follow your dream, and this may mean saying no from time to time. Say no to extra shifts at work, say no to attending your best friends party, and most importantly, give yourself a schedule for daily writing and stick to it. Revision is a novels best friend, so always reread, revise, and rewrite where necessary. Finishing that first novel may seem like a daunting task, but diligence is the road to success.