How to finish that novel

It is one (very good) thing to have a great idea for a novel; it is another to start writing and keep writing until you finish it. This article offers some tips on how to do so.

1. Follow a plan

Most writers find that having a plan for their novel helps them to complete it. I don’t mean that you have to know every twist and turn and every side character but I think you do need at least a rough outline. This will keep you on course but also, when you are midway through your novel and starting to wilt, you can check your plan and see where you intended to take the reader. You will want to keep writing until you get there.

2. You don’t need to write events chronologically

This is the one piece of advice that I wish someone had given me years ago. I’ve started many novels, full of enthusiasm, but on hitting a slow part in the middle, have abandoned them altogether. ‘I had such a great scene planned for later,’ I would think, ‘but I’m not there yet.’ Once you realize that you don’t need to write everything in chronological order, you can go ahead and write that scene. Odds are you’ll be so delighted that your writing is flowing again, you’ll be able to go back and complete the earlier sections.

3. Use placeholders

Writers often find themselves with an apparently insurmountable plot hole which stalls their writing. The solution here is to use a placeholder and simply keep working. So, for example, if you need to get a character to their friend’s house at midnight but cannot think of a way to get them there, leave yourself a note outlining the issue and then carry on writing what happens to this character after midnight. You’ll be amazed how often the answer to the plot hole will come to you if you just keep writing.

4. Take feedback

Accept critiques from trusted sources. If several readers say the structure is confusing, or that a character is flat, or the dialogue isn’t credible, chances are they’re right. Your endeavour to fix the issue will ensure you carry on writing.

5. Notes before bed

A last, very practical tip for those struggling to keep writing their novel until it is finished is to keep a notebook beside your bed. Before you go to sleep, write a couple of new lines (from anywhere in the novel – see point 2) and when you return to your desk, type these lines out first. Inevitably, they will lead to more.

Remember: the first draft has to be finished before you can edit it, so keep writing until it’s done. Don’t be sidetracked, don’t be discouraged, don’t put it away when the going gets tough – write through it and keep going until it is finished. Only then will your great idea for a novel be transformed into a great novel.

Elissa will be in conversation with Stef McCartney, of the Feminist Book Club Glasgow, at Watersons Arglye Street, Glasgow, on 20 March to launch her new novel, Graffiti Girls. Check out the event(this link will open in a new window).