How I Wrote 5 Novels (And Survived to Tell the Tale) Part 2

Continued from last week's part 1. Make sure you check it out!

Resources.

Having resources like Go Teen Writers and NaNoWriMo probably would have helped me - had I known to look for them. I took the long way in writing my first novel. I knew what I'd been taught in school - the structure of forming words, the form of a story's plot and so on - but I didn't think to appl them to my work. I just wrote.

But as I was writing I became more aware of the writing world. So I decided to explore it further.

And boy, was I amazed.

Characters, plot twists, foreshadowing, personification, allegories, allusions, descriptions, first drafts, word count, editing, deletion, and so much more came running my way, burying me. Getting to know how other people wrote and what helped them complete their works of art was fascinating. I had questions, and as I searched for the answers, I received something of greater value - knowledge.

As you're on your writing journey, look to others, assess their path. What steps did they take to get where they are? What tricks did they use to lift some of the wordy weight from their shoulders? Answering these questions and asking more will help you with your writing.

Mistakes.

I made lots of these. The first one I made was trying to edit as I wrote, in an attempt to half the process. In turn, I ended up doubling it (I probably would've finished my first draft within a couple of months, had I stopped re-reading and kept on writing).

Next was sharing my book before it was finished (mentioned below). Though I don't regret it, I realize now that it would have been more worth my time to finish the book, edit it, then present it to my editor. Then the story would be on its way to its best when it received its critiques, not just forming.

Mistake number three was thinking about my book but not doing anything to add to it. I had a few months where I didn't get anything done. I didn't write for the novel, but I did focus more on blogging. I found myself thinking that the novel I wasn't working on was going to be great. It was going to be awesome. Then I realized I wasn't doing anything. I got a little more diligent after that.

Though I made these mistakes and many more, I realize now that they were necessary lessons learned.

Support.

Throughout the last half of the book I had my friend Mackenzie look through each of the finished chapters, telling me her thoughts. She was very gentle and kind, especially since I was fourteen and the my writing was hideous (is that too blunt?). She got very into the story, explaining to me how much she loved the characters. It made me smile. It made me want to write. It made me think I could do it.

And I did.

Find someone who you know will support you, who makes you want to write. Explain to them your project, let them know your work means a lot to you. Have them check in on you every week. Having someone there to ask, "What have you written now?" is quite motivating - especially you want to impress your writing buddy. ;)

Will you apply these points to your own writing journey?

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Thank you for reading.

xx Nicole Rose