WRITING THE NOVEL

Don't get discouraged just thinking of the time involved.

You don't do it all at one sitting.

It takes as long as it takes.

How do I get started?

Regarding Outlines or Structure or Free-Fall?

I vote for Free Fall. Outlines should be outlawed.

Choose which one works for you.

Just throw words on the paper. Rearrange it into some form of cohesiveness later.

The important thing is, just get it on screen. On a disk. Out of your head.

The dreaded Page One, Chapter One.

This can and will change a thousand times.

Do something different.

Write your last chapter first. Really. You'll know where you're headed, and you can even use that chapter as your first and use flashbacks... if you're good with them.

Describe your characters. Cut out pictures from magazines. If a period setting, get old magazines (30's & 40s or off the internet.) Describe your hero, heroine, villain, and peripheral characters. Give them quirks. (Tugging on an ear lobe; putting hands in pockets; biting her nails.)

Give each character a complete background - from birth to present time, where they went to school, favorite colors, siblings, their hobbies, etc. Even if you don't use them. You'll know them well, and that will sift into your story - for instance, the villain is a volunteer at the animal sanctuary. Anachronism.

Names are Important.

Janet Dailey said: Name your hero something you would call your dog. Never, never name your hero "Hank". It should be something like "Brock". Think of Cruella De Ville, Snidely Whiplash. Don't be quite as cute, however but don't call the hero Hank. You get the idea.

Your setting

Where? When? Sights, sounds, smells... all the senses involved. Be sure you know what you're talking about! Don't have a person talking on a telephone when it hadn't been invented yet.

Point of View:

First person/Third Person/Omniscient. Usually use Third Person.

Tenses: Always use the past tense.

Unless: Immediacy is required in an action sequence. Keep the tenses in synch with each other. Don't do: "He said," and "She ~wers"

We don't write as we speak But, we don't say "Do not" - we say "don't." There are exceptions.

Dialogue

"Hi, John. Hi, George. How are you John? Fine, George, how are you?" Euuuwwww

Dialect

Be very careful, especially if you don't know the area lingo. NY vs. Old South. Southerners do not say, "Y'all" and mean one person. It's more than one person. Get it?

Show, don't tell

Well, sometimes. "He was angry" can be very effective, rather than, His face turned red and he struggled to control himself as he stalked through the room" - if immediacy is required, use the first. If writing a Regency novel, use the latter. It depends.

Flashbacks

Be very careful that the reader knows they're flashbacks. Use italics, or spaces, or something to break the current action. One of the flaws of "Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood" - I couldn't follow who was doing what when.

Watch your language! Spelling & Grammar. Edit. Then edit again.

Then let someone else edit.

Don't take criticism personally

"Your baby is ugly and shouldn't be allowed outside in the daytime."

Join a writers group.

A ttend seminars and workshops. Read other works... critically. How does this work? Why doesn't this grab me? Why does this writer do this or that?

Important

Don't let anyone see your first, or even second draft. They are usually awful, and make sense to no one but yourself

Ready?

Do your synopsis (in present tense) and send it.

Wait. And Wait.

And wait some more.

Work on your next project. You do have one, don't you?

It's difficult to get anybody to read your manuscript. It's difficult to get a publisher.

Get an Agent.

That's his/her job.

At last! You're going to be published!

Editors are a sorry lot.

After they lower themselves to accept your work, they send it back. They don't like your punctuation, your grammar, your ANYTHING.

It's not personal. Do what they suggest, up to pitching the whole thing and starting over.

Writing is Fun

Re-Writing is Hell.

Especially when someone else disagrees with the way you wrote a certain passage.

It's Published!

You have your work in your hands. You like the cover. You like the binding. It almost has that "new car smell." You like everything except it looks different.

You're NOT SURE YOU LIKE IT.

You're positive nobody will read it. And those who do read it wont like it.

Your mother calls.

Your friends call.

Your work is criticized by those in the business.

(Translation: "Your baby is ugly. Don't let it out in public.")

You begin to think: Why, oh, why did I ever start this?

Remember:

You will NEVER be entirely happy with your work.

You've done what other people only dream of doing.

Who only talk of doing.

Your "someday" has become a reality

You're a writer.

Marilyn Celeste Morris

Author of Sabbath's Room , a supernatural mystery, and Once a Brat , relating my experiences as a "military brat" from 1938 to 1958: part travelogue, part therapy session. Both published by PublishAmerica, available at www.PublishAmerica.com , Amazon.com or your local bookstore can order for you. You can also order a copy by contacting Marilyn at rmebrat38@aol.com . Coming soon: Diagnosis:Lupus , the story of my years-long search for diagnosis and treatment of SLE (Lupus).