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Preplanning a novel can involve as little as naming your main characters and writing a one-sentence overview of your plot or as detailed as full character biographies and a full outline that includes each chapter from the first chapter to the last chapter. While preplanning and outlining your novel can make the actual process of writing the novel faster, it doesn't help you if you get so caught up in the planning details that you never actually write your novel.
What You Must Have to Write Your Novel
- The names of your main characters
- The names of your primary secondary characters
- Any supporting characters that come to your mind
- A one-sentence overview of your plot
- A paragraph explaining the premise of your novel
- Any additional genre-specific notes, like cities, worlds, breeds or character races
Read more: To Preplan Your Novel or Not to Preplan Your Novel
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The biggest problem writers face is not writing. I can't tell you how many writers and authors I know that do not write on a weekly basis. I'd say daily, but I think that's unreasonable for the vast majority of aspiring, new and existing writers and authors. I don't write every day, but I do write most days. This is called having reasonable expectations.
Open Your Word Processor
The first step to writing is opening your word processor or paper notebook. I understand this is common sense, but I'm seeking to answer the question of which one you should open in order to best meet your writing needs. Of course, if you opened a paper notebook, don't forget your pen. If you're opening a word processor, do you want one that only works on your desktop? Do you want a multi-platform word processor that works on every device you have? Do you want to use writing software that's specifically designed for writing fiction? If you don't know, let's look at the available word processors and writing programs available.
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The first draft of a fiction novel is known as the junk draft in my five-draft method. Other authors and editors may call it something else, and you may simply call it draft one. It's where you first open your word processor or novel writing software and type in the file name and save it. During the first draft, many authors encounter some problems during the process. If you're not to this point and you are looking at a blank page, check out How to Quickly Start Your Next Fiction Novel.
1. You Get Stuck
It’s very common to get stuck in a first draft. It typically happens at the beginnings and ends of chapters, but it can also occur in the middle of a chapter or scene. In this instance, you may not know exactly what to write. You may not feel inspired to write a particularly violent, difficult or intimate scene. Whatever the reason, you can handle all of these problems pretty much in the same way.
Stuck at the front of a chapter
If you move to your next chapter and can’t think of a way to open it, just take care of the important parts. If you know a particular scene is going to happen, just write down that part of the chapter. You can put in all the filler information later.
Read more: Understanding 8 Common First Draft Problems and What to Do About Them
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Your novel is like your baby—of course you want to nurture and protect it. But at what point does nurturing become nitpicking? If you find yourself revising the same chapter for the tenth time or hesitating to share your work because it's “not quite there yet,” you may be dealing with what I call Perfectionism Complex.
For many new fiction writers, the desire to create something extraordinary can quietly morph into fear—fear of judgment, of failure, of “getting it wrong.” This fear disguises itself as a commitment to quality, but in reality, it can paralyze your progress, erode your confidence, and even keep you from finishing your book.
Here’s how perfectionism sabotages your writing process—and how to reclaim your creative flow.
🚫 1. Perfectionism Interrupts Your Creative Rhythm
When you're in a writing groove, the worst thing you can do is hit pause to fix commas or rephrase one sentence five times. Yet perfectionism urges you to edit before the draft is even complete. This disrupts the part of your brain responsible for flow, imagination, and storytelling.
Creative writing and editing use different mental muscles. Trying to engage both at once is like pressing the gas and the brake at the same time.
Tip: During drafting, resist the urge to edit. Jot down a note if something needs fixing later. Your only job during the first draft is to get the story down.
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Writing should be a passion; a talent most say they wish they could do. The general perspective of an author is that they are extraordinary, making words come to life so easily. For the majority, this is not the same perspective a writer has about their work, their skill, their talent. Yes, they are passionate about their words, but most are not confident.
There are several reasons why an author/writer has low self-esteem when it comes to putting fingers to keypad.
NEGATIVELY COMPARING THEMSELVES TO OTHERS:
Looking at the success level of fellow authors whether it be books or articles, can be daunting. The competition is fierce, and if a writer is not a best-seller or as rated as high as others in the freelance world, it can cause them to question their talent. Comparing success levels of others instead of focusing on their own positives can lead to the “they must be a better writer” than me syndrome, a definite red flag of low esteem. A writer’s talent is their individual talent, never compare the uniqueness of your own work.
DOUBTING THEIR OWN INSTINCTS:
A true writer instinctively knows whether their words will capture an audience and keep their attention. However, because a large audience may be reading their work, self-doubt may begin to enter the mind of the author. “Will they like it?” “Can they follow what I’m saying?” Thus, self-esteem begins to enter in if allowed. In most cases, going back to the first instinct will be the one correct path to take as we should always follow our knowledgeable instincts.
FEAR
Fear of failure will most definitely bring about the low self-esteem factor in writers. Rejection, low interest in one book or even one article can cause shame. If a writer has been rejected or criticized in some way, it can cause them to feel they are not worthy and will not try again. However, a writer should not over-analyze a piece of work that wasn’t accepted in a positive manner, a writer may choose not to explore that genre again, instead of using it as constructive criticism.
HIGH EXPECTATIONS:
Of course, an author sets out to write the top-selling book or write the perfect article. It is possible to set our expectations too high, and when if they are not met, self-doubt about whether they are a good writer or not will devour them. It is not that a writer should not strive to abduct a captive audience, that is expected. It is when the high expectation is lower than anticipated that an author begins to once again feel unworthy of their written word. Always strive to give the people what they want, and write from the heart, passion is the key.
There are several factors as to why writers may not feel good enough as they aim to entertain, give knowledge, tell a story. People are reading their work, and that is pressure. Confidence is a balance of acceptance, and the writer must continue to strive.