HOW I WROTE MY FIRST NOVEL

At age 19, I told my English professor that I was writing a novel.
I'd written the first chapter. How interesting! How wonderful!
She wanted to know if the novel was about me. I told her that
the main character was like me--a college student, at the time--and
that her name was Yasmine. But she was NOT me. I was adamant:
I wanted to write outside myself.

"Most first novels," she said, "are autobiographical."

I never finished that novel. I estimate that I began
3 or 4 more novels. I wrote lots of notes. None got
beyond the third chapter. (Since then, I've written
2 complete novels.)

All the while, I wrote dozens of short stories.
Some of these stories formed an inter-connected
series, based on my grandfather's tales.

Over the years, I wrote in my journal, describing
the novels I wanted to write. A few months
before I began to write my first novel, I wrote the
the following words--which are, I think, the essence
of my novel's grandfather-character:

"I could have the old man tell a tale when he speaks of love.
Bk II is a combination tale, history (impersonal and personal).
He reminisces on his youth, . . . on his beloved's death.
On Love. On the world. Through time. . . ."

Then, the next spring, I sat down and wrote a one-page outline
for my novel. I wrote each chapter fairly swiftly. After about
6 months,I began to revise. The first version was written in
longhand. The second, on a typewriter. Then, a couple more versions
on my computer. (See resource links below.)

As I wrote and re-wrote, I wept. No one had told me how emotional
I might get while writing a first novel. So I set the book aside.
After a few months, I returned to the manuscript with the
idea of incorporating some of the stories into the novel.
And voila! I had written my first novel.

So, if you're a writer contemplating the writing of your
first novel, here are a few suggestions:

--Be prepared to cry. When you do, take a break from writing--
either a couple of days or a couple of weeks. You decide. You
might try skipping the section that makes you cry. You can get
back to it once the first draft is completed. Just know that
your own reaction to the writing is a sign you're onto something
authentic and life-altering.

--Ask a friend to be your novel-buddy if you anticipate a strong
emotional reaction to your work. As you write--if you begin to
experience the emotional reaction--call that friend. Go out to
dinner with family. Do something that's fun for a change.
Why not take up a hobby that is not writing-related?
Like knitting or learning Spanish.

Find lots of links for hobbies at http://www.searchingforhobbies.com
or http://www.ivillage.com.

--Create a novel journal. In this journal, write down ideas about
the novel and its characters. Your vision of what you want the
book to be. Be very specific. You could create a virtual journal on
your computer disk/hard drive. Or you might try blogging.
(A blog is an on-line journal.)

There are web sites that give free blog space, such as
http://www.crimsonblog.com and http://www.mindsay.com.

--If you're not a member of a writers'
organization/group/workshop, join one. The sense of
camaraderie is so helpful. It's very isolating to write
a novel alone, as I did--with no writers' group or class for
support. I've since joined a writers' organization,
which provides a feeling of help and support as we attain our dream.

Find writers' organizations at http://www.writerswrite.com.

--Of course, read writers' magazines/e-zines for technical tips on
writing. But you should also choose a favorite author to read
and re-read exclusively as you write your novel. Realize that
the author's writing will influence yours--so he/she should be great.

Some writers choose not to read other writers while writing a book.
Some novelists--like Barbara Kingsolver--read a favorite author.
Think of this book or author as a literary comforter;
mine is "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte.

Find your favorite author's work at http://www.sunsite.berkeley.edu/Libweb
and http://www.literature.org.

--On revising: Ideally, revising ends when you begin your next book.
In the meantime, have someone else read your
manuscript. In my case, no one but editors read the entire manuscript.
Several of my family members and a writer-friend read chapters/chapter.

But if you're not ready for your cousin to read your novel,
work on an article, begin another book or just take a break
and re-discover the world.

______________________

Web sites of interest to novelists-in-the-making:

http://www.author-network.com/saevig1.html

http://www.Suite101.com/welcome.cfm/novel_writing

http://www.writepage.com/excerpts/exmchtw.html

http://www.writeyournovelnow.com

_____________________

2004 Copyright by Y.A. Reid

About the Author

Yolanda A. Reid's poetry and short fiction have
appeared in literary journals/e-zines, such as
www.womenwriters.net, and others.
PORRIDGE & CUCU: MY CHILDHOOD--her first
novel--is now being considered by a
publisher. To read a novel excerpt,
please visit her web site at
http://www.geocities.com/yareid2003/index.html.