I’ve always loved the quote by famed novelist and short-story author, Somerset Maugham. He said, “There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.”
Okay, so the quote is not so great since it doesn’t tell you what you want to know. It’s definitely not great when you’re staring at that blank computer screen, unsure or terrified to even start typing. Sometimes, you picture the story perfectly in your head, but your fingers don’t translate the words correctly onto the page.
All these scenarios can be both frustrating and disheartening.
Actually, there are three rules to writing a novel, a short story, or anything else for that matter…
Time, patience and practice.
Don’t roll your eyes at me. I know you want the magic secret to make writing easy-peasy, but it does not exist.
Writing requires work. You must produce. And not just one piece. You have to write over and over again — with different stories. It takes good ol’ fashioned, hard work to make your literary dreams come true.
Let’s explore these three rules in more detail.
1. Time Will Tell
Years ago, I read a wonderful book called Creating a Life Worth Living by Carol Lloyd. It’s a practical course in career design for artists, innovators and others aspiring to a creative life. She said, “Your life is time. How you spend your time is how you spend your life.”
The time you spend writing each week tells the world how serious you are about your craft. Do not wait for inspiration like I used to do. It got me nowhere.
I changed my attitude and actions in 2000, while I was home on maternity leave from a full-time job, with a husband, a three-year-old daughter, and a newborn son. That’s when I started writing EVERY DAY.
It was poor timing in many ways, but I saw my life wasn’t going to be mine again for at least another eighteen years. I couldn’t wait that long to finish my novel. Those words were burning in my heart NOW.
We’re all busy. Everyone has a long list of To Do’s, but most everyone can squeeze out twenty minutes a day. Write a quick scene one day, then polish it the next. Repeat the process over and over to have a new chapter each week of a novel, short story, screenplay, etc.
Try it for one month, and I’ll bet you want to write more time for your words.
2. Patience is a Virtue
I hate that proverb. I’m a kick-ass and take names kinda gal. I do not naturally possess the ability to wait without excessive frustration for something I want now.
Let me give you a real-world example. Let’s say, oh…publication?!
I’ve had patience crammed down my throat in that regard. I’ve had no choice but to learn both poise and perseverance, which has made me stronger.
If you are going to publish, especially if you want to traditionally publish, then you must learn the waiting game. An agent says your manuscript is ‘next’ on her reading list, then responds six months later, if at all. Editors leave their publishing houses and your manuscript gets lost in the shuffle. Publishing all but shuts down for the holidays.
For almost twenty years now, I have written to get my novels published. I’ve won awards for short-stories, wrote a screenplay, and have been paid for countless magazine articles.
Some would say since my novels are still unpublished that must mean they are not very good.
I disagree. My last two books are good. Good enough to be published. They will be someday, either traditionally, or through Marcy, Inc.
I feel deep in my bones that the answer will come to me this year about the right publication path for me.
After waiting this long, what’s twelve more months? Meanwhile, I want to concentrate on Mudpie Writing.
3. Practice Makes Progress
Ahh, this rule is the most important one of all.
Talking about writing is not writing.
Thinking about writing is not writing.
Reading is not writing.
All these tasks are important, but only writing is writing. The more you write, the better you become.
Butt in chair, fingers tapping away at your keyboard, or scribbling away onto pages. Writing success comes from the habit of writing. Habits take practice.
If you want to be published, then you must be sharing your work with others. Find those who understand writing, or better yet, are doing so themselves. That way, everyone has something at stake.
I have to admit lack of practice concerns me about many writers. They seem much more concerned about publication or building their author platform than with the craft of writing.
It doesn’t matter if you have 200,000 active Twitter followers if you can’t write a story worth reading, or aren’t writing at all.
Time, patience and practice are the rules for writing success. It’s so easy, yet still so hard.
Are you willing to do the work?
Which rules (time, patience or practice) do you need to work on most to improve your writing?
Please leave a comment. I’d love to chat.
Pick up your FREE copy today of the mystery, The Moon Rises at Dawn (SkipJack Publishing). Read, enjoy, repeat.
Thanks, Marcie…great post! Writing more FICTION is my goal this year. Finishing my novel, writing short stories…all of which require a time commitment from me is the goal. I’ve got lots to learn, but I’ve got a plan and the persistence to see it through…even when life throws curve balls!
Hope to see your novel(s) published soon!
Thanks for dropping by my inbox and Happy New Year!!!
Anita
Writing more FICTION is on my To Do list, as well. Mudpie Writing absolutely SAVED me from despair after losing my literary agent, but I want to return to my first love — fiction, as well.
Cheers to us both!
Practice is what I need to focus on. I am doing a great deal of world building, so very detailed, because I am creating a world that I then intend to spend the rest of my life writing about. But in the meantime, I need to be writing. So I have joined a group where I must produce at least one flash fiction or short story per month. This will keep me from stagnating. I’ll probably write them in the world I’m creating, but not necessarily.
I like your point about waiting until the “right” time to write. I did that…and it meant I started at age 42 what I have wanted to do forever. I’m glad you are taking the initiative to do it NOW while you are on fire. You are definitely right not to wait. 😀 I look forward to seeing your novels published one of these days.
Hi Jennifer,
How EXCITING that you’re building such an incredible imaginary world that you’ll spend the rest of your life telling stories there! Your group sounds perfect because it will help you accountability since they’ll be expecting you to produce.
Best of luck with all your writing!
Practice would be the number one thing for me. I tend to believe I can be as great as the ones like Patricia Cornwell, J.K Rollings ( although she is one of a kind) , or Nora Roberts. But I have to remember they also put in the work to be where they are and so do I.
One day someone may want to be like me.
But for now I will continue to practice writing my worlds as I get to know the many characters that emerge wanting their stories told.
Have a great productive and happy 2015
I LOVE how high you’ve set your literary bar, Debra. You’ve named some amazing authors, so you clearly have outstanding teachers. Good luck!
However, my favorite part of all was imagining writers who’ll someday want to write like YOU. I hadn’t ever thought like that. Cool!
Thanks, I have always loved to curl up with a good book by one of these three ( and others) since I’ve become serious about my writing, I find myself reading to learn as well as to enjoy the story they have written for me – and others to escape into.
EXACTLY, Debra. I try to read two books a month, but K.M. Weiland @ helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com spends about 1.5 hours DAILY reading. She read over 100 books in 2014, both fiction and nonfiction.
WOW!
Nice article. Thanks for sharing.
I appreciate that, John. I hope it helps with your writing.
WOOTWOOT
I am so glad to see a new post on Mudpie Writing! #HUGSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
First off, Happy New Year, dearest Marcy! You have an uncanny manner of writing an article that is timely and relevant to me…and this one isn’t any different! 😀
I have been procrastinating lately – the words are in my head, but I am slightly scared to see them on my screen.
Hmm..maybe that is the reason I should write it, huh? 😉
Thanks for your hopeful posts, your honest disposition and heartfelt encouragement
LOVEE YOUU
Kitto
Thanks for the well wishes, Kitto. I read your blog post and you definitely have talent. It was funny, informative and very real. I see why you resonate with people. I especially loved , “Kitty – the Kickass Kool Writer”. It made me smile. 🙂
Here’s to a creative New Year for you!
Oh – thanks #HUGSSSSSSSSSSSSS
Love you
Spending enough time with my novel. My writing has significantly improved over the years partly because I’m doing more of it.
B-B-BINGO, Connie! You hit on two out of the rules I mentioned. You put in the TIME to PRACTICE to write. Therefor, you saw significant improvement in your craft.
Bravo, well done and thank you for inspiring us all.
Keep up the good work!
I want to explore new worlds this year with my writing. That means work on my mystery novel, lots of short stories in the literary, spec fiction, fantasy and horror genres.
I am going to set a time for writing each day. Probably 2 or 3 PM days I’m not working, on the other days, 7 PM. 1/2 hour, to work up to 1-2 hours each day. This is my plan.
Carol
How fantastic, Carol: exploring new worlds with your writing. That sounds so exciting!
I also loved your plan. It sounds like you’ve really analyzed your schedule as to when/how much is reasonable for you to write. You’ve got an excellent balance of striving for more time, as well as keeping it realistic.
Good luck!
Seems to me that all three topics are subject to excuses. Perhaps another rule should be: Beware the Excuse Monster. Distractions abound. That thought that pops into your head about an important task requiring immediate attention, when in fact it could be addressed at another later date, serves as an excuse to delay. You all know what I’m talking about. It is especially true if you work at home.
Gotta go! The washing machine just finished this load!
Great to hear from you, Pete! Excuses are deadly to writing and we’re all guilty of using and abusing them. Thanks for your insights and good luck with your writing.
I definitely have to work on practice and patience. I usually wait for inspiration to strike before I start writing and even then I stop because the words aren’t exactly right. I tend to spend more time looking for writing books and reading about writing than actually writing. Something I hope to change with the new year. Especially since I got an awesome new idea for a story. The problem is I have 20 awesome ideas for stories getting them down into an actual novel is the hard part.
So the things I need to work on this year are 1) getting words on paper, 2) story development (and I swore I was good at this, but all the half written stories must be a testament against this), and 3) getting the right words on paper (not as important as getting the words down, but still knowing how to structure a sentence so it’s getting everything across nicely. I might just have to buckle up and read through a grammar workbook no matter how dry it is.)
Thanks for joining in the conversation, Sarah. It sounds like you have a great game plan for 2015. Wonderful. I have a feeling you are indeed at storytelling, but our stories go through iterations. It’s reworking them again and again.
And what an incredible dilemma to have: TOO MANY AWESOME IDEAS. I’m envious…
I do practice most days. I believe my downfall is not sharing widely enough so I can learn exactly where my writing fits, or reach an audience that understands or likes my writing.
I’m not bursting with story ideas. I just make things up on the hop. I don’t seem to have specific projects to commit to.
Getting published is way off the radar for me. I just love to write. 😉
Cheers Dawn
Dawn – I am DE-LIGHTED to see you here @ MPW. Thanks for joining the conversation.
Trust your instincts. If they say you probably should share more of your work with others, then you probably should. Work on that in 2015.
I am not bursting with story ideas either — especially for my novels.
That’s okay. Your writing is beautiful and heartfelt and compelling. Don’t worry about publication now. Keep working on your craft. 🙂
I am not a patient person by nature. It just isn’t easy. Waiting for a publishing company to get back to me is just KILLING me! I know that I will find out at the end of the month, but that is 3 and a half weeks away. Waaaaay too far for me.
Time and practice are coming. I spend time most day writing something, whether it is on a blog, on my WIP or a school essay. This keeps me in practice, since whipping out a 4 page essay on 2 hours is a great way to learn to put words on a page (and is a must do when it is midnight and the paper is due the next day).
I never feel like I write enough, what with school AND all of my activities. It is difficult to do homework most days, let alone find the time to type some new words on my WIP. I totally get what you are saying about patience, time, and practice being so easy and so hard simultaneously. My problem is simple the balance between school, homework, activities and writing.
I see that many of you, like me, struggle to find the proper balance, if that even exists. Happy writing to all of you as we start a new year filled with new projects that demand every bit of our attention AT THIS VERY MOMENT while life pushes in and steals that attention that we need.
I know what you mean, Helaine. I just received another rejection from a literary agent who had my full manuscript for seven months. That’s quite normal in the publishing. I’ve had no choice but to learn how to wait (even if it’s not patiently).
We all want to write RIGHT NOW, but we all have other responsibilities, so just do the best you. You’re doing great, so ease up on putting even more pressure on yourself.
Love the article. Thanks for sharing. I’ve been writing more every day and it feels good. Just today I thought to myself, “I’m really doing this.” On the other hand, I struggle with the waiting for inspiration concept. When I was blogging on a more regular basis, I found myself writing fluff for the sake of posting. It resonated with no one. But the point is valid.
Congrats on writing everyday. That’s truly where the magic lies, however a word of caution. Right when you acknowledge your progress and say, “I’m really doing this, Fear can kick in and try to shut you down.” Be on the watch for that.
Also, you have to find the right balance with blogging. I post once, MAYBE twice a week and that’s it. I want to spend the rest of my time on fiction. Plus, I don’t really have more to say. That works for me.
Thanks for the comment and good luck on your continued journey.