3 Strategies for Finally Writing Your Novel in 2018

The new year’s almost here, and for many of us, that means starting our new year’s resolutions: sticking to that new diet, going to the gym at least three times a week, quitting smoking and starting to smoke Juul e-cigarettes instead. Maybe finally applying to law school, after having spent the past few years putting it off.

But in your case, what you dream of more than anything is finally writing that novel. You’ve attempted it before- whether that attempt is just planning, or a paragraph, or the first few chapters- but you’ve never managed to complete it. But this year, it’s going to be different. Because you’ve got the right strategies:

1 Plan

First of all, you’re going to want to make sure you plan. It’s quite likely that, in the past, this was the main reason why you didn’t manage to get past the first few pages of your manuscript. Why? Because it’s easy to dream up characters and settings before setting your pen to paper (or setting your fingers to the keyboard), and even to start writing, if you’re feeling inspired- but on the darker, drier days, it can be a real challenge to get words out. This is why 97 percent of writers don’t manage to finish their first book.

So, you’re going to want to plan an actual schedule for writing. You’ll want to ensure, first of all, that you’re being realistic- after all, if you’ve got a busy work schedule, just squeeze in 500 words a few times a week, or on weekends. But if you’ve got extra time, then you may want to take a page out of Ernest Hemingway’s book and write first thing when you wake up, before you get to anything else. Aim for days a week and words a week. As you continue, you’ll get a better idea of what works best for you.

2 Create a writing ritual

Unfortunately, we don’t live in Iceland, where writing is such a popular activity that 1 in 10 people will publish a book. This means that, if you’re serious about getting that novel written, you’re going to want to do more than just plan which days you’re writing. You’ll also want to create a writing ritual, which will put you in the right writing headspace.

If it’s your first time writing a novel, then you probably don’t know what your writing ritual is. For some artists, it can be going for a long walk before sitting down to write. For others, it can be going to the same cafe or diner to write. For others, it can be going to the gym, or putting on a specific outfit, or using a specific notebook or pen. It may seem a little kooky - but after all, writers and artists are usually kooky, aren’t they?

3 Join a writing group

It’s a fact: writing is a solitary activity. After all, you’re sitting there, headphones in, typing or scribbling away, living in your own imaginary world, watching the word count rise each time you sit down. But having no one to discuss it with, and no one to hold you accountable for working on this novel, can be quite the problem. Without solidarity, it’s easy to feel discouraged. And there’s a reason why MFA programs were created: because having an authority figure expecting you to turn in a short story every week, with the threat of not passing a class, is going to motivate you to write those short stories no matter what.

That’s why it’s a great idea to join a writing group. There are writing groups online, of course, and then there are sites like Meetup.com, where you can find groups in your area that you’re interested in joining. If you’re especially passionate about getting not only yourself motivated but others, you can even start a group of your own with friends. With everyone working together, the task will seem like...well, less of a task, and more like fun. Considering that the revenue from the global book publishing market is forecast to increase in the coming years - from around 113 billion U.S. dollars in 2015 to about 123 billion U.S. dollars by 2020 - it’ll be well worth the effort.

As you can see, however far away it may seem now, writing that novel is actually a dream that can come true. It’s all about preparing yourself for it the right way - the same way that, if you’re going camping, you’d have to invest in the best tactical flashlight to light your way in the darkness. Therefore, as long as you’ve got the right schedule set up, a ritual you can follow every time that you write, and a group of people who support you (and who you support), you’ll have all you need to get that novel written. So the minute 2018 is here, stop whatever you’re doing, and start writing!

What strategies do you use for writing? Which ones have been the most effective?

Larissa James is a passionate blogger and traveller. She loves sharing knowledge and opinion.