In a guest post on C.S. Lakin’s blog, Luke Lovelady identifies five things he wished he knew before he wrote his first novel. “There is truly poetic beauty that comes with grappling with the daunting task of writing your first novel,” he says. “If I had simply taken the time to comprehend some basic ideologies from experienced authors, I would have saved countless hours and a bit of mental stability.”
- If you don’t start, you never will. A lot of people “want to” write a novel, but never do. “I spent six months gripped with fear and paralyzed by imposter syndrome before I wrote a single word,” Lovelady writes. “The part that haunts me to this day is that once I finally decided to start, things started to flow and I was a couple of chapters in before I knew it.”
- Your first writing won’t be great. No one is great at anything the first time they try it, but with practice, they improve.
- A daily word count matters. “One of the best pieces of advice I have ever received was to set a daily word count goal. And stick with it,” Lovelady says. “Not only does this challenge your itch to procrastinate, it also sets a clear guideline that, if followed, allows you to stay consistent and not be overwhelmed.” [Your mileage may vary. Writing consistently, regardless of word count, is key. – Ed.]
- Have a rough outline before you start. “The worst thing you can do as a new writer is blindly open a blank document and try to figure out your entire story on the fly,” Lovelady writes. “At the bare minimum, identify your genre, plot, main characters, and your targeted audience age.”
- Every writer has self-doubt. Imposter syndrome is a thing, even among long-time or established writers. We all worry whether our most recent story was our last and if the next one will be any good.
