Welcome to our first Q&A about novel writing!
No matter how confident we feel about our writing skills, or how sure we are that a particular idea will become a best-selling novel: Writing a novel is a real challenge.
Inevitably, being a writer, especially being an amateur writer, someone who has recently discovered they’re passionate about writing, means that you are probably haunted by all kinds of questions. Perhaps, they are as simple as: “How many pages does a novel need? Or more difficult to answer like: How to become a successful novel writer and start making a living out of my biggest passion? However, and as I’ve been where you are now, I’ll be glad to share what I’ve learned through these years.
In the end, if you feel like I missed an important question, or if there’s something, in particular, bothering you, don’t forget to leave it in the comments. We’ll gladly answer.
If you are just starting your writing career, you might like to know how to get your first payment, or perhaps you wonder if you can make a living out of your writing passion… Maybe your doubts are simpler and related to the structure of your novel (not that novel structures are simple). But the common denominator here is that we all have doubts and questions especially when we are starting something new and unknown. So if you are curious, keep reading till the end and perhaps you’ll find the answer you were just looking for.
Is it worth writing a novel?
Yes, there is actually no other possible answer to that question.
And this is probably the one you wonder the most through the whole process of writing your novel.
Writing is not only a way to convey your deepest thoughts and feelings but also a way to instill in your readers, learn as you research, and create the unimaginable. Wouldn’t you like to be recognized for creating amazing worlds or incredible romance stories like your favorite best-selling authors?
As you write, and if you do it with originality, you will create your own brand, one that will undoubtedly stand out from the rest like a fingerprint.
Even if you never become famous, there are few things comparable to the feeling of having created something of your own, of being the master and creator of your own piece of world.
So yes, it is totally worth it.
How long should my novel be?
Well, there’s actually no right answer to this question. First of all, it’s important to mention that the publishing world measures novels by words and not pages. It’s one of the first elements agents and publishers will look at and that can influence their decision to accept or decline a manuscript, especially of a debut author. For example, if your novel is too short, it probably means that it’s not complex enough; or if it’s too long, then your pacing might be off.
That being said, your novel can be as simple or as complicated as you want it to be. Your novel is yours alone, as well as the decision of how many words it’ll be.
However, when deciding how many words your novel will be you need to take into account these tips:
- Check the parameters of books within your genre (for instance, if you are writing romance it’s important to know that they range between 70,000 to 100,000 words long. Something very different happens to sci-fi or fantasy where there is more world-building and therefore more words).
- Control the word count and story pace with the structure of your novel.
- Don’t go over 100,000 words if you are a debut author. Publishers won’t take the risk of publishing such a long novel, cost-wise, for a first-time author.
If you want to know more about word count and how it’s related to genres, I suggest you take a look at this article. It’ll surely make this clearer to you!
How much do writers write each day?
Impossible to know. Each author will always give you a different answer, because the truth is, no law dictates that you must write a certain number of words a day, writing 2000 words a day will not make your book a bestseller. It will make you a gifted writer.
The ideal, and I always say it, is to schedule yourself, set attainable goals, take your time. Writing is not a speed race, so you should not fill yourself with anxiety.
For many writers, writing 500 words per day means they have already done a great day of work. However, for more demanding writers with less than 3000 per day, is a complete delay.
In the book On Writing, Stephen King recommends reaching 1000 words per day or at least trying to approach this number, you can find the link to buy it, as well as a brief explanation of the advantages it contains for novice writers in the following Article.
The truth is that there’s no magic number. Try fining your own rhythm and pace. Remeber, consistency is key.
Can writers become rich?
Of course they can!
This, by the way, is a very difficult task and the odds of achieving it are very low, but as long as there is at least a 5% chance of succeeding, why not give it a try?
If you notice, almost all the great writers: JK Rowling with Harry Potter, Suzanne Collins with The Hunger Games, George R. R. Martin with Game of Thrones, have become famous for their famous trilogies or sagas. Almost all of their books follow in the footsteps of the same protagonist, so be prepared to write a lot.
It is not something that can be achieved overnight. They didn’t make a great fortune when they released their first book. They also had to face a lot of initial rejection and setbacks.
Writing is not the best industry to get rich, there is a lot of competition and profits depend on a lot of effort on your part. But don’t be disappointed, who knows what you can achieve, what would have happened if the great best-sellers had been discouraged? They just do what they love: writing, so why not?
What do authors use to write?
The quality of writing does not depend on the software you use. Whatever you use to write, even if it is pen and paper, it will not affect the quality of the content.
The most common, basic, and useful software used is Microsoft Word, which thanks to Bill Gates is available and totally free on all Windows operating systems. But rather than Microsoft, I suggest you use Google Docs, you will not run the risk of losing information as the content is automatically saved.
A very popular software is Scrivener, for the facilities and comforts it offers, both for bloggers and for writing a cookbook. Perhaps it is somewhat overrated since many of its options are also offered by other processors, however, once you settle into its simplicity you will never leave it.
Hemingway’s editor, another word processor, is helpful for sentence structure and common problem areas: passive voice, excessive adverbs, and poor word choice.
We also have to mention Reedsy, personally, it is the one I like the most because it allows you to manage the writings and convert them directly into EPUB or PDF, it is the free Scrivener alternative so it is easily accessible for anyone.
Is writing a novel easy?
No, it is not and it will never be, I have never heard any writer say otherwise. The truth is that writing, writing well, is a difficult thing, let alone writing a novel and doing it well.
As with any other skill, it will take many hours of hard study and research, of reading, and forging a daily routine. You have to learn how to create compelling characters; how to develop an intriguing plot that always leaves your readers asking for more. You have to learn about structure and pacing, about technique and voice. It won’t be easy… but we can promise you that in the end, it will be worth it.
It will always be exciting to be able to feel the result of your work, the success, the profits, to be able to say I achieved it, and to brag about those who said you could not do it.
You chose writing for a reason, because you love to read, and because you wish some day some ordinary reader would open your book and say: This is my place.
Do you think the most famous bestsellers got their ideas out of nowhere? that they were born with the gift of writing? Well no. They al had to endure a long and arduous road, full of difficulties until they finished the damn book. And in the end, when they see their novel finished, when they receive a comment from a fan confessing that thanks to his writing he wants to be a writer, surely everyone will be able to tell each other at the end of the day… it was worth it.
Can a novelist make a living out of their writing?
There’s really no way to answer this question without breaking your heart, hehe, I recently read in an article the following:
Living as a novelist is simple: you just need a cardboard box, a few dry newspapers, lie down in the box, and voila, you will be living within your means, start writing.
Writing is a profession that will generate income in the very long term, you will need a strong strategy if you want to dedicate yourself to writing.
At least in the beginning it will be very hard to survive without a salary. So, it will be impossible to quit your day job right away. With time and as you develop your work and readership, you’ll probably be able to change to a part-time job. Finally, and after a lot of effort and planning, you make writing your full-time job.
The key to success is consistency, never giving up on slim odds. Today more than yesterday there are thousands and thousands of forums on the internet that pay you to write. The earnings will be minimal, but you will create a repertoire and gain experience. In the meantime, you can continue studying and preparing yourself for the great book of your life.
Or maybe, if you choose to go down the route of self-publishing, where royalties are better, you can create a strategy that can allow you to have more sales. The truth is that making a living as a writer will take some time. The key is to diversify your work as a writer. Maybe you can write several novelettes and sell them on Amazon; write and sell a non-fiction book about writing; sell merchandise related to your work; and send your work to magazines that pay for short stories or poems.
Our advice here is: Focus on your goal, and revise all the ways this amazing world of writing gives you the opportunity of earning some cash. Just don’t quit your day job right away, ok?
In this article, you can find some websites that pay you to write without requiring much experience.
Summing up …
I hope some of your doubts got cleared up. Try finding comfort in the idea that you are not alone in this. Thousands of famous writers have been through the same situation.
Do not lower your expectations, everything is possible. If you really feel in your heart that writing is your way to go, then follow it without getting lost. You won’t know what’s at the end until you get closer and take a look.
If you have any other questions, let me know in the comments. In the next QandA, I will answer them. See you next time!