Currently reading - My Zombie Valentine by MacAllister, Fox, Mancusi, CashOkay, I've made the decision to write novel-length fiction. But what do I know about it? Well, other than putting a bunch words on a few sheets of paper.
In order to have a plan, I need to be knowledgeable enough to make the plan. That means education. C'mon, would you really trust a guy who didn't have the slight clue about human anatomy to operate on you?
Again, be brutally honest with yourself. How much do you know about point-of-view, scene hooks, chapter hook, dialogue, or plotting? And are you willing to put in the time and effort to learn these things?
Very few of us start out knowing anything, much less everything we need to write a book. Take writing courses, either in person or online. Pick up a how-to book. Join a local writer's group. If there's not a group nearby, then join one online. There's tons of resources out there. Here's a few of my favorites:
Writing the Break-Out Novel by Donald Maass (Terrific book!)
Romance Writers of America (Great educational programs)
Backspace: The Writer's Place (Wonderful online community)
How to Write Science Fiction and Fantasy by Orson Scott Card (The man's personal issues aside, good reference on world building)
The Everything Guide to Writing a Romace by Christie Craig and Faye Hughes (Okay this is a little ego trip since I'm mentioned in the acknowledgements.)
As always, many of the blogs listed on your right offer great advice as well.
Tomorrow, we'll talk about the time commitment.
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