I’m a writer who can’t seem to stay with a project long enough to complete a whole novel. I’ve determined to finish at least one of my languishing projects before 2022; to that end, I composed a list of 20 tips for getting it done.
- Develop a writing routine—even a loose and flexible writing routine is better than none
- When you sit down to write, let out a breath and relax
- Avoid perfectionism
- Don’t compare yourself to other writers before or during your writing time—maybe not even when you aren’t writing—not until you get this book done
- Be genuinely excited about completing your book
- If you don’t have a detailed plot, a general roadmap should work; at least you’ll know where you’re going—within reason
- Set weekly goals—if the terms “goals” and “deadlines” push your buttons, then look at word count and page goals as “guidelines”—missing some guidelines won’t riddle you with guilt
- That said, if you tend to diss those guidelines, then treat yourself with tough love; self-control is not a bad thing
- If you need assistance, then get yourself an accountability partner—preferably someone you can stand
- There’s only one way to complete your book: by adding words
- Resist the urge to insert everything you have ever done or thought into this book; it’s not the only book you’ll write
- Buyers still judge a book by its cover, at least on the first pass, so don’t wait until you complete the book to locate a good book cover artist
- Be clear about the book’s genre—your readers will appreciate it
- Resist the strong urge to edit; just don’t do it until you complete the first draft—of the book, not that page
- You need to write, that’s how the book gets done—understand that writing then editing, then writing then editing again, is a good way to not finish your book
- If you really want to finish this book, unplug from Social Media several days a week; you’ll get used to it
- Face it: your first draft is not going to be perfect; but if it has a beginning, middle, and end, that’s real progress
- When you start to get stuck, don’t dig in…you could become more stuck; instead, go outside, walk around the block, pull weeds, organize the silverware drawer, do a batch of laundry—then sit down and try it again
- Listen to your characters—they often know more about what’s going on than you do
- That said, don’t be afraid to have bad things happen to your characters, even the ones you like—it not only ratchets the tension, but feels more like real life
Write on!
Category: Blog
Thank you! I’m struggling with completing my first novel. I’m truly excited about the plot and characters, yet lack confidence as a writing routine. This post has motivated me to begin a morning writing routine; I, too, want to finish my work in progress by the end of 2021.
Hi Candice. Thank you for the nice comment.
Oh boy, if someone could find a way to sell writing motivation, that person would get rich fast.
I hope we both finish our books by the end of year.
Keep writing!
Ann
Ann,
This article was very timely for me today. I am stuck and am in editing hell. I have 70 index cards — one for every chapter — spread out on the floor in a spare room. Everytime I walk by, the cards haunt me . . . I need assistance in organizing now. Any suggestions?
Thanks!
Diane
Hello Diane,
Oh my, you just put me back in college, which was back before PCs. I used to do that same thing for my term papers. I’d have a lot of index cards, put them on the floor, and arrange them to fit a subheading in my paper. But back then I was working with nonfiction, which can be much easier to organize than fiction.
It’s good that you have all these notes. If you have the time, you should look into learning Scribner because that’s the way it works. Everything’s digital, of course, but that application uses the index card or “pieces parts” plan for writing a novel. The author has bits of dialog, bits of scenery, explanations, deaths, romance, etc., all of which go onto these virtual index cards, ready to be pulled into the bulk of the story where appropriate. That said, it seems that what you need is a detailed outline. Not a broad outline, but one with enough depth that the outline would actually tell you where the info on each index card should go. To construct such an outline, begin by giving each chapter a title, like “Harry tries to dance” and “Harry gives up dancing,” “Harry meets Molly,” “Molly goes with Tom,” “Harry finds the treasure,” and “Harry Lies to get out of trouble.” Like that…and under each heading lie more subtitles related to the chapter title. Then, when you’ve completed your first draft of the book, you can toss all the chapter titles and subheadings. Remember, not all of your 70 index cards will end up being part of your book. For me, whether I’m writing fiction or nonfiction, that’s always the case. I get over zealous when it comes to filling those cards.
I hope this helps!
Happy writing, Ann