Tips for the Aspiring Writers

I have been writing stories since I was young. When I was in third grade, I wrote a short story three times as long as it was supposed to be. I wouldn't call myself a world class novelist, though. Over the last few years, this love of writing has been cultured, especially through one specific event.

NaNoWriMo

For the last three Novembers, I have participated in what is called National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo. During this month, participants attempt to write a novel, or 50,000 words, in 30 days. This feat requires about 1,667 words on average every day. (To give you a general idea of the length, the average double-spaced three page essay is around 600-800 words.)

I am proud to say that I accomplished this task my first two years, meaning I've written two "novels" in my lifetime (however horrendous the first drafts were). I know November is months away, but in my past experiences, if you want to write a novel and have no motivation or no schedule, this is the perfect opportunity. And if you start now, you can begin planning and have a thought through outline, mind map, or whatever you like to use. Or, if you have no idea what you like to use, this is a good time to figure it out.

I'd like to give some words of encouragement to those who wish to be a writer someday, or those who want to be a writer but have no idea how to begin:

Be confident in yourself. To be honest, the first draft will likely be awful. There will be plot holes. There will be discontinuous motives. But that does not mean you should give up on it, nor does that mean you should give up on your abilities. Keep working at it. Spend days slaving over that stubborn old man who won't tell you why he enjoys raving in the streets. Lie awake at night thinking of how the old encryption in the basement and the large government connect. But don't give up on yourself. 

On the other hand, know when to stop. Not everyone is good at every genre. My first fully written novel was a barely-over-the-50,000-words murder mystery. I don't think that's my calling, and I haven't looked back at it. Set yourself up with what you're good at first, then try your hand at other things. Do you have a passion for science fiction? Write that. Is romance your forte? Go for it. Find what you're good at. It may take fifteen manuscripts, but once you've found it, you'll know it.

On top of that, know when to ignore that annoying character who just will not cooperate and move on to the next issue. Not every issue with your plot has to be dealt with in order, and it certainly won't be dealt with in the month of November. Make a note and move on.

Find someone you trust. May it be a best friend who loves to read or your mother, have someone you can bounce ideas off of when you're in a rut. Having a second brain telling you what is brilliant and what is awful is a wonderful resource for the aspiring writer. Better yet, find multiple people. Make sure they are people you can trust. Don't let just anyone hear every detail of your up-and-coming novel.

Again, don't give up. When your manuscript is on its fifteenth draft and you've gone through an editor twelve times, and you finally think this is the publishable copy, then be stubborn. J.K. Rowling was turned down by twelve publishing houses before someone accepted her manuscript of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. It's unlikely the first publishing house you go to will accept it. Keep trying. Ask what can be fixed. Find someone else. Or, use self-publishing. It is long and tedious, but done right, it can be quite successful.

Write every day. Read everything. So far, these have all been tips for publishing, for the editing process, etc. But, you won't get anywhere unless you actually learn how to write. Good writers read all genres. Don't just read all your genre. Read others. Find a good writing style. Note what's good and bad about the writing. And practice. Practice, practice, practice. Even if it's just for ten minutes, write something every day. Write a paragraph in your novel. Write off a prompt (www.figment.com has a good prompt program sent daily to your email) and keep it in a journal. If you write more often, you'll hone your skills. It's like practicing a sport. If you want to get better, you show up to practice.

Don't quit your day job.
Few novelists make enough off of their sales to actually support themselves. Yes, there are some exceptions. But it'd be wisest that, when you are pursuing writing, you keep it as a hobby or side job until it does actually take off. For me, writing is my minor, not my major. It is my hobby, and I love it. It's okay to have more than one passion in life.

So there you have it. Keep writing, keep practicing, not only in November, but throughout the year.