The Soul of a New Novelist


Winner! National Novel Writing Month
There are three rules for writing a novel. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are. ~ W. Somerset Maugham, English novelist

As some of you know I started writing a novel on November 1, 2002 as part of an annual event called National Novel Writing Month. The goal of this international challenge is to write a short novel in English of 50,000 words during the month of November.

The good news is that I crossed the Finish Line about 2:30 A.M. on Monday, November 25, 2002. I started late-on November 13th rather than on the first as I was not sure I had enough stamina for this "marathon." I wrote the whole novel-half-baked as it is-in just under two weeks, surprising even myself mightily.

Thirty days, about 1700 words a day, sounded intimidating enough, but God knows how I did it in two weeks, averaging about 3500 words a day. My lowest word count was about 2500 words one day when I was falling asleep staring at my monitor and my highest count reached a stratospheric 6500 when I went to bed at almost 4:30 one morning.

I do not know what possessed me to take on this daunting challenge. To be truthful the longest thing I had ever written was probably not over about 5,000 words. I am known for cutting and polishing my prose and often writing excruciating slowly, which probably explains why I am known for writing short essays and poems rather than novels and longer non-fiction. As I explained in an earlier essay, Suite Dreams, a piece of writing in which I was probably too honest for my own good, I explained that I am probably not in journalism today due to those traits, distilling my writing too much and not turning out enough copy.

However, I have learned through some painful lessons that you just have to go for it sometimes. About the only thing I like about Nike-other than Michael Jordan and the fact that it is centered in Beaverton, Oregon where I live-is their slogan. To tell the truth Jordan's ego is beginning to wear on me a little, and I do wish a company so creative and prosperous could have a little bit better attitude about their Asian factory workers, but I have come to respect truly their injunction to Just Do It!

There are times in a person's life when they must reach a little beyond themselves if they are going to accomplish something they really want to do, make just one little dream happen. What is the old adage:

The copyright of the article The Soul of a New Novelist in Care of the Soul is owned by Thomas James Martin. Permission to republish The Soul of a New Novelist in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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