The first thing I want you to know is this: The problems you are having with your novel are not unique to you, and I’ve been there myself.

Let me describe your unfinished novel: It’s unfinished. And it’s been unfinished for years. Or maybe, you’re new to writing stories, and you have just started. That’s great! However, your novel still isn’t finished (because you’ve only begun). Maybe, you’ve published several novels and are only wanting to see how someone else does it. Welcome aboard!

However, your current novel is still unfinished. You cannot seem to make headway with the storyline. Your characters are un-relatable to you and therefore will be un-relatable to your readers. Your scenes cannot be pictured and are poorly described.

. . .not having these problems? That’s wonderful! You’re above the average storyteller. However, for most of us (even for professionals), writing stories can be hard. It’s irritating because we know we had the BEST novel idea when we started, but as the story progresses, it doesn’t measure up to our vision. It doesn’t measure up to your vision. You had the best inspired image in your mind, but developing it onto paper can be hard.

The hardest part is merely beginning – every day, sitting down with pen and paper (or a word-processor) and beginning. Re-starting your story at a different point every . . . single . . . day.

This is my end point for today: In order to write your novel, you need to write, even if you feel like you are only restarting your book in a different sentence, a different paragraph, a different chapter. Thus is the difficulty with the first draft. It’s difficult, and that’s OKAY! Your first draft is your “junk draft”. It will not be good. Yet, be satisfied with it. Get through it as quickly as you can. Then, you can revise it. Even professionals don’t like their first draft. Yet, we learn to take some thrills from it. We enjoy writing it even though we know it needs improvement. The principle, though, is to write it. Don’t shelve it! Get it written, and I guarantee you, you’ll want to revise it until you have a finished manuscript.

Need some more free pointers? Read my Writing Methodology Checklist you receive when you fill out the form by clicking the button at the bottom of this post!

Patching up a novel can be difficult. Writing a first draft can be difficult. Developing a story can be difficult. In posts to come, I plan to discuss more about Writing Imagination Academy. Go to my home page to see how much time is left before my next course, and apply today!

Your fellow writer,
Joshua Reynolds