Think it's hard to get a novel published? For most writers, it is - but it's certainly
not impossible. I've had two hit the shelves-in 10 countries, and with book club and
movie rights picked up. People often ask me how I did it, and the truth is simple. All it
takes is, 1) talent, and 2) actually writing the thing.
As much as I hate to admit it, the second is the more important factor.
Fact is, plenty of great novels go unfinished. The statistics are staggering: of those
who start writing a novel, only about 3% will finish. And unless you're the child of a rock
star or Shakespeare's long-lost descendent, no agent or publisher will look at your novel
unless it's complete. Only in rare instances will a publisher make an offer to a newbie
novelist based on a partial manuscript.
On my first novel,
Flip-Flopped, I actually did have interest from an editor at a
major publishing house before I was finished. I'd been taking a writing class, and the
teacher passed along a short description of my book to an editor acquaintance of hers,
who professed interest. I'd written about 100 pages at the time and was elated - that is,
until my teacher added, "Of course, she doesn't want to see it until it's done."
It may seem unfair. If your novel starts with a bang, why can't you just give a few
chapters and an outline? Surely that's enough to prove your mettle. But publishers want
evidence of more than writing skills. They need to see you can go the distance. In the
world of writing, a novel is the marathon. A finished manuscript is the only way to show
you can cross the finish line in the same sort of shape you started.
It took me two years to write my first novel. Even with an editor waiting - and
knowing she wouldn't wait forever - I nearly gave up many times along the way. A single
mom with a full-time job, my only writing time was in the early hours before work and
during my son's naptime on weekends. I not only had to learn novel basics like how to
plot and create strong characters, I had to learn how to stick with it.
If you're struggling with finishing your novel, these tips may help:
1. Tell yourself a little white lie: that you have a real deadline. One of the main
reasons writers give up is because they begin to question whether anyone really cares.
Pretend there's an editor or agent waiting, drumming his or her fingers, eager for that
completed manuscript to arrive.
2. Set a daily goal. I set a minimum of two hours a day, every day. You may prefer
to designate a certain number of pages, such as three to five. Writing is a lot like dieting:
people who approach it reasonably on a daily basis are more likely to meet with success
than those who try a crash program.
3. Don't write a novel - write a first draft. A first draft can be imperfect - and in
fact, it will be. That's okay. Just get the pages down. You can fix it on the second draft.
4. Be careful whom you show it to. It can be helpful to get feedback as you go, but
choose your readers carefully. Giving your precious pages to someone who is frustrated at
their own inability to write a novel is like handing them a gun ... pointed right at you.
5. Spend more time writing than you spend planning. It can be helpful to have an
outline and some basic research, but typically writers who mire themselves in creating
lengthy drafts of what they're going to write rarely get around to actually writing.
6. Feel the joy. Remind yourself why you're writing a novel. Few people if any set
out to write a first novel because they have to. They do it because they have something to
say...a passion for the written word...a dream of seeing their name on a shelf next to
writers they admire. Hard work may be the backbone of a writing career, but it's the joy of
creating something amazing that keeps us going.
So keep going!
About the Author
Jill Smolinski is the author of the novels THE NEXT THING ON MY LIST and
FLIP-FLOPPED. Find out more about her books and get tips for writers at her daily blog
at
http://jillsmolinski.com
