Writing a Novel: Myths and Secrets

Many people dream of writing a novel, but for most of them that's as far as it goes. The mere fact that you are reading this article shows you are willing to make your dream come true.

But do you have what it takes to succeed in novel writing?

I mean, dreams are all well and good, but realism has to kick in at some point.

I used to dream of being the lead singer in a band. Trouble is, I can't sing and I haven't got a musical bone in my body. That's why I haven't wasted my time and effort on it.

Will you be wasting your time and effort trying to become a writer? It's important to know the answer to this right here and right now.

In the next section (How to Become a Writer), I take a detailed look at the whole question of writing motivation - or how to ensure that your writing days are a pleasure and not a chore.

But the advice there will be useless if you have a nagging doubt in the back of your mind that you do not have what it takes to be a successful novelist.

The good news is that writing a novel and getting it published is a lot more achievable than you might believe.

As a matter of fact, if you don't want to read what follows because you're worried what you might find out, be brave and scroll down anyway. The chances are that you wouldn't have taken things this far if you didn't have the right credentials to write and publish a novel successfully.

I'll tell you what the two novel writing secrets are in just a moment. After that, I'll discuss a few more keys to writing success. First, though, I want to bust a few myths about what it takes to become a successful novel writer...

The Myths of Writing a Novel

Myth #1 – Novel Writing Takes Huge Talent

No, it doesn't. Really.

Most published writers have got where they have through a little raw talent and a lot of hard work and determination, not because they are geniuses living life on a different level to the rest of us.

Novel writing is not some highbrow art reserved for the intellectual elite, but something that any reasonably intelligent and creative person can succeed in.

Don't believe me? Here is the novelist Stephen King on the subject...

And here's another one from the writer John Irving...

Hard work and stamina - those qualities are crucial. (But more on them later.)

Of course, some raw talent is essential. But here is why I am convinced that everybody reading this has what it takes...

1. You are interested in writing. In other words, writing a novel would never have occurred to you in the first place without a love of language and books, a vivid imagination, a natural curiosity about this world we call home, and a desire to express yourself creatively. Instead, you would have been drawn to cookery or medicine or something for which you did have a natural aptitude.
2. You have plenty to say. Because nobody has ever seen the world through anybody else's eyes before, everybody has something unique and interesting and worthwhile to say. And, yes, that includes you.

If you dream of becoming a professional musician or a world-class golfer, extraordinary talent probably is essential. But unlike playing the violin or hitting little white balls with clubs, using language and telling stories is something that everybody does from an early age.

Taking this natural skill one step further by writing a novel is simply a natural extension of something we all do on a day to day basis, without even thinking about it.

And that is why I have yet to come across a novel writing beginner who is without sufficient talent – and I have come across quite a few.

Myth #2 – Getting Published Takes Luck

No, it doesn't – to publish a novel, you simply need to write a novel to a publishable standard.

• If you work hard enough for long enough, there is nothing to stop you succeeding.
• If you don't get published, bad luck is the thing you blame it on.

Sure, you need to be persistent. The first literary agent who reads your manuscript might not recognize it for the great piece of writing it is, so you'll need to be willing to approach lots of them. You might also need to be willing to scrap the first novel and write a second, better one.

But cream always rises to the top in the end.

Never forget that. And leave the moaning about bad luck to those writers who were not willing to work hard enough or long enough to succeed.

Next Up: The Two Secrets to Writing a Novel Successfully...