7 Fiction Writing Lessons I Learned From My First Novel
They say that experience is the best teacher. No matter how many writing courses you take or books you read, you don’t know what it’s like to write a novel until you do it.
After two years of daily effort, I published my first novel Shantanu, a few months ago. In the process, I learned many writing lessons. In this article, I’m going to share those lessons with you.
1. Nobody is going to read the first draft
When you accept that nobody is going to read the first draft, you free yourself to throw everything you have on the page without worrying about what other people may think. Trust me, it’s comforting.
Why is this important? Because it can help you tap the subconscious, which is an essential element of every story. This quote illustrates this lesson perfectly:
“Storytelling is about the subconscious. Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.”
— Cesar A. Cruz
In your second and third drafts, you can invite beta readers and editors, but always reserve the first draft for yourself.
2. Feeling is everything
We read stories for many reasons: to be entertained, to learn, to expand our minds, but, above all, to feel. When trying to get your novel together and make it impressive, it’s easy to lose sight of this simple fact.
Human beings aren’t rational. We are driven by emotion. It’s your job to stir emotion within the reader and get them invested in your story. Remember, there must be no holding back.
Writing in longhand also helps. When I wrote in longhand, I came up with entire pages that weren’t there before. The momentum of writing with your hand carries you further into the story and the minds of the characters.
Above all, create a silent and focused environment to think deeply and bring out what you want to say. Following these steps will enrich your writing and make it more human.
3. Let your characters breathe
Once you begin the story and set it in motion, let your characters take over from there. One of the most magical aspects of writing a novel is having these people in your head. They’re alive, and they have things to say.
As the writer, it’s your job to portray them accurately. Try not to control them to serve any predetermined plot. Let them be as they are. If you stay true to them, your story will feel realistic and rewarding to read.
For me, this sense of ownership of my characters and my world didn’t come until halfway into the story, and I think that’s visible in the end product. This leads me to the next point…
4. The first three pages should grab the reader
I’m happy with what I’ve created, but I have to admit that my novel isn’t easy to begin reading. If I pick it up now, for example, I jump directly to the sixth or seventh chapters, because those are the ones I like the most.
Unless you have something truly unique to offer, most people won’t try to push through a novel they aren’t enjoying. They don’t care if it gets good later; they want to enjoy it now.
How did I learn this? After I published my novel, reviewers pointed out that the beginning chapters weren’t as fast-paced as the later ones, making the book tough to get into. According to them, this can discourage many readers. So, here’s the lesson: make sure your novel begins with a bang.
5. Write every day, but don’t set a word count goal
I know, you’ve heard this advice a thousand times before. But I want to present my case here. Honestly, I don’t think I would’ve ever completed my novel if I didn’t follow the rule of writing every day.
This is what I did: I made it a habit to sit in front of an open notebook every night and jot down random ideas for the novel, whether one line or an entire passage. I didn’t set a word count goal. And with time, those ideas expanded, merged, and formed a cohesive whole.
I understand that some days, it’s hard to write anything. Maybe you have a headache, didn’t sleep properly last night, or your neighbor is blasting loud music. I’ve had those days, too. But try to follow this rule as much as possible. Even if you write a sentence a day, it’ll keep the story alive.
6. Specify one word that is the core of the story
Let me ask you a question: What is your novel about? But here’s a kicker: You can only describe it in one word — not a paragraph, not a sentence, but just one word. For my novel, it was: Redemption.
I learned this lesson from Francis Ford Coppola. In this GQ interview, he said, “I always try to have a word that is the core of what the movie is really about… in one word.”
Your novel may comprise of hundreds of thousands of words, but this exercise forces you to boil it down to its core element. Once you become aware of it, you start to write in a more focused manner.
So, what’s your novel’s core word?
7. The real work begins after publication
If the writing process for your book resembles that of my novel, I know you’re tired right now. On Launch Day, you’re finally ready to bid farewell to your book and send it out into the world. You want to take a break and start working on your next project.
BIG MISTAKE.
Self-publishing is a long-term game. Even if you may be tired of your book, remember that most readers still haven’t heard of it. It’s your job to reach out to them. You can do that through social media, articles, and podcasts.
As I have discovered, just because the launch didn’t go as planned doesn’t mean your book is dead and gone. As long as you don’t give up, it’s just the beginning.
Conclusion
Writing is a craft where continual improvement is a necessity. Practice and experience are the best teachers, but picking lessons from others enables you to save significant time in your journey.
That’s why I’m glad to share my lessons with you in this article. Some of these lessons I learned on my own, and some of them came from beta readers and reviewers. I hope you apply these lessons and that they make the process of writing your next book just a little bit easier!
If you want to learn more about my novel and other work, visit my website, www.devanshkamdar.com.
