By Frank Roselli
Are you looking to write an amazing book that people would definitely want to pick from the shelf? A book that is so well written that the readers just can’t get enough?
Well, here are my personal insights on the topic.
One of the most important things you can do as a writer is to write whatever you feel. You want to enjoy the experience and not worry about what others think. It’s impossible to please everyone. Some people will love what you wrote, others will hate it, and that’s fine.
You need to be able to handle criticism, or this work isn’t for you. Stay confident and give it your all. And never take the easy way out; it will show in the finished project.
1. Be Ruthless
Some concepts may have been great when you were brewing the story, and you might have had your heart and mind stuck on using them. But as your narrative evolved, those scenarios no longer fit or just didn’t feel right.
My suggestion to you; don’t force yourself to absolutely use them. However annoying, this tip is necessary for writing a great book.
“In writing, you must kill all your darlings.”
— William Faulkner
By ‘kill your darlings’, Faulkner implies that writers must ruthlessly eliminate any words, characters, or even side plots they love which do nothing for the story.
2. Be Resilient in the Face of Adversity
You need to remain open-minded and always be prepared for the worst. And if something does befall, don’t let it dishearten you. Instead, use that opportunity to make the book stronger.
While writing my first book, I lost over 100 pages of the manuscript. Instead of wallowing about them, when I revisited them after a few days, I used this chance to rewrite the story and make it better than it was.
Suck it up and stay focused.
3. Keep Taking Notes
Always jot down random notes somewhere. Even if they don’t fit anywhere in the manuscript, if they pique your interest now, you will want to use them eventually. A great story evolves with time and patience.
4. Don’t Let Your Writer’s Block Consume You
You should never become discouraged by writer’s block. It happens to every writer. But be aware of not letting it last too long. Eventually, you might have to force something out on paper to get the ball rolling again. How about you go through an article on how to overcome this?
5. Don’t Rush It!
Sometimes it’s good to take a break as well. Take a trip, plan a weekend away, or go out for drinks; whatever suits you! Some time off will surely get you back on track.
6. Multitask With Different Stories
If you have multiple stories, multitasking is the best bet. Should you get stuck on one narrative, you can always play with the other if you wish to keep writing. Always keep one of the projects as your main focus and the others as backup.
Final Word
It’s impossible to nail the story on the first attempt. Even if you think you do, you can surely do much better the second or third time around. That solely depends on the level of skills each writer possesses.
Personally, I respect all writers—the acclaimed, the beginners, and every other in between—for believing in themselves and seeing the project through. Writing a novel is arduous, and you should be proud of it, regardless of the outcome.
People often ask me;:where do you get your ideas, and how do you tell when the book is finished? I’m still unsure whether my concepts originate in my imagination or if they’re being downloaded into my brain from some energy field in the universe.
As far as when the story can be considered finished is concerned, that part is a bit tricky. In truth, the manuscript can always be better. But there is no reason to drive yourself insane trying to make it the best book of all time and spending your entire life on it.
When you feel it’s time to share your book with others, my advice is to let it sit for a few days, then go back and scrutinize the entire thing. This gives you an insight into how a reader will perceive your book. Forget the fact that you wrote the story. If you can read your own work and feel the rush of enjoying an amazing read, as if you just finished a novel by your favorite author, then you know it’s completed.
If you love it, others will too. It doesn’t have to be the best story ever written; it simply has to be good enough to entertain the readers. Don’t fret over the people who might not like it, because plenty of them will!
I hope this information helps anyone considering dedicating their lives and careers to being a writer. And I wish them the best.
Frank Roselli discovered he was a writer when he was 8 years old. His teachers would always read his stories in front of the class. Frank enjoyed writing because it allowed him to be someone else and experience adventure strictly and vividly in his mind. One day Frank would love to have his stories on the big screen, which is his ultimate achievement, the dream of all dreams. There’s nothing like watching a scary movie on a stormy night—it’s one of his favorite things to do. Aside from writing novels and short stories, Frank also loves writing poetry and has some of them coming out in the future.
Although he prefers horror and sci-fi, Frank wants to release books in different genres. His books—The Devil’s Daughters, Renee Falls, Grace, The Tattoo Collector and Trinity’s Terror—are available on Amazon.
