Writing Tip: The Process of Writing a Novel
The process of writing a novel is an intensely personal one that, if itâs going to be in any way rewarding, requires an intensely personal connection to the story youâre trying to write. At least thatâs my view. If you canât empathize with your characters or their lives as you create them, youâre never going to make the decisions on their behalf which will lead to an authentic, distinctive piece of fiction. So write about what interests you, what you feel strongly about. Iâm also of the belief that itâs what you leave out of your book, more than what you keep in, that determines its success. My agent, Jo Unwin at Conville and Walsh, gave me a very valuable piece of advice early on: âUse it or lose it.â Be ruthless; if itâs not important to the plot or the character, remove it. Writing shouldnât be an exercise in proving to the reader how many words you know or how thorough a researcher you are. Unless youâre writing an autobiography, the story isnât about you, itâs about the people youâve created, and your first obligation is to be true to them. Plus, Iâve found that it helps to know how your story ends before you begin it. That wasnât a conscious decision on my part, just the way itâs naturally happened and it seems to work for me.
By: Stephen Kelman
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