There Are 3 Rules For Writing A Novel... Problem is, No One Knows What The Hell They Are

"There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately no one knows what they are."

- W. Somerset Maugham

Chances are good that if you're a writer you've been inundated with advice from the moment you picked up your pen or opened a word processor. Some of it may have come from more experienced writers, and a lot of it probably came from people who have no clue what the hell they're talking about. If you're a regular reader, you've probably cherry picked a few examples from this very blog.

As I so often say, though, writing is a lot like exercising. Everyone is different, and what works really well for one person may not work at all for someone else... but you've got to start somewhere if you're going to get those gains.

Exhale while you type. Trust me, it helps.

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Try Different Things To Find Your Groove

We've all heard the general rules for writing which we can usually agree on to one degree or another. Read a lot of books to ensure you're lubing your mental wheels. You can always edit a bad story, but you can't edit a blank page. If you have an idea while laying in bed, write it down, because you will not remember it tomorrow no matter what the sleep demons say.

Beyond that, though... well, things get squishy regarding what does and doesn't work.

Your mileage may vary.

For example, some people say you should set yourself a mandatory word count every day, and write till you hit it. Others say you should write first thing in the morning, because that's when you're fresh and have the best ideas. I've even advocated for writing short stories before one tackles a novel because it gets you more used to actually finishing things, and it acts as a kind of tutorial level for you as a writer.

That advice works for some people. For others it's like a ball and chain around their ankles.

Let's take that, "write in the morning," tip. Some people loathe mornings, for example. Or they already have early days with work, childcare, or other duties that simply cannot be moved to make room for writing. Some people are more awake and alert at night, finding the quiet of a sleeping house far more conductive to their work. Everyone is a unique individual who has their own life situation and personal preferences, so it's impossible for most advice to be universally applicable.

And that is okay. It doesn't mean you're a bad writer if something that works for your friend, your teacher, your mentor, or even a super successful author simply doesn't work for you. I do have one more piece of advice, though... try it. Whatever methods someone proposes, or advice that's worked for them, give it honest consideration before tossing it aside... provided it's possible for you to do so, of course.

Write first thing in the morning? Write late at night? Keep a tiny notebook in your pocket at all times? Storyboard your ideas? Go in with no plan and see where it takes you? Write to a specific word count? Write till you feel you're done? Try them all out, and see what gets you the best results, and what works with your life.

This applies no matter what stage of your writing career you're at. Especially since a lot of our habits can get set in over time, and we never take a moment to examine them. Sometimes we're carrying around baggage we don't actually need, and it pays to kick it off from time to time!

Like, Follow, and Come Back Again!

That's all for this week's Craft of Writing! For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, or at My Amazon Author Page where you can find books like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife, or my most recent short story collection The Rejects!

 

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