Writing a Novel

            Writing a novel is something that I’ve always wanted to do. I have started several times only to abandon my work before I finished. I even got half way through a novel before I stopped working on it. I have always had this idea in my head that I should just be able to sit down and write a novel. I mean if J.K. Rowling can do it, why not me? I find out each time that planning is very important when writing a novel.

            I know this is a departure from my usual blog posts but it is important to me so I am going to write about. Who knows it could be kind of fun to see my mental anguish on paper as I work through the process. I am going to try to write a novel, again. I am really starting to take writing seriously and so I think I need to get this done. It might not be the best novel in the world, chances are very good that it won’t be, but it will be a novel that I wrote. It will be the fulfillment of a long time dream of mine to write a novel. So I have made a plan this time and have scheduled time to work on it every day. Now my only problem is, what is my novel going to be about?

            I have had some characters in mind ever since I started writing back in high school. I have even had a bunch of good ideas. All those ideas are scattered on a million different sheets of paper in several different locations throughout my house and on my computer. Some are even online. Where do you start? Do I formulate characters? How about a plot? What about villains? What kind of setting is it going to take place in? These are just a few of the millions of questions that all must be answered before I can write my novel.

            So why am I writing about this here on my blog. Well, first, I want to share my ideas with people and get feedback. This will help keep me honest in my writing. Next, it helps me think. Writing has always been a good way to help me think about something. I also thought that it might be interesting to someone, somewhere, at some time. Maybe no one will care until the novel is finished. Maybe I’ll gain a following. All this is the future, unknown and uncertain but full of value. So like the archetypal hero I will go into the underworld, slay the dragon, and take its gold. Who knows if the dragon will eat me, it has beaten me in the past, or if I’ll return with the gold to share but either way I must press on. Wish me luck.