In my lifetime I’ve written 4 complete novels, published two of them. The first I lost. Don’t laugh! I must have thrown it out by accident thinking it was previously published poetry work! I wrote the first book over 6 months and consequently if I can focus on it, 4 months seems to be my period to write a book. But the editing can take at least another month with back and forth.
Thoughts to make yourself more efficient:
- Know where you’re going when you begin, otherwise you could be writing that novel for years
- Plot it out even if it’s not a mystery—I use Excel
- Be open to surprises that will throw your plot off—visitors who show up in your mind and jump onto the page without warning!
- Write, write, write—try not to go back over what you’ve written and edit. It’s hard to do that but all writing teachers will say write that first draft and then go back
- My personal challenge: be aware of plot holes.
- Have fun!!
Lynda Filler 