OLD POST ALERT! This is an older post and although you might find some useful tips, any technical or publishing information is likely to be out of date. Please click on Start Here on the menu bar above to find links to my most useful articles, videos and podcast. Thanks and happy writing! – Joanna Penn
I started with writing non-fiction because I needed to change my own life. Writing self-help enabled me to do that.
But then I was freed to write with more honesty. To actually investigate the topics that interested me in a story. I started my first novel, Pentecost, during NaNoWriMo in 2009 and now it has sold over 40,000 copies. My life has been changed even further by my fiction. But I know how hard it is, and so does Ali Luke.
I've known Ali as a fantastic blogger for several years now and I have been so excited to see her independently publish her fascinating novel, Lycopolis. Both of us will tell you that it's well worth pursuing your fictional dream.
I write both fiction and non-fiction, and I can tell you now that the easy money is in non-fiction.
Fiction is hard to do well. With non-fiction, you’ll probably be successful if you just can write clear, simple, direct instructions. With fiction, you need to be able to do far more than string together a sentence.
Fiction is tough to sell. It’s easy to find people who want non-fiction content – companies needing web copy, charities needing brochures or letters, blogs needing regular posts. No-one’s going to commission you to write a novel, unless you’re already well-known.
So why write fiction at all? If it’s hard to do, and unlikely to make you any money in the immediate future, is it even worth bothering?
Yes. Yes, and yes again. Here’s why you should start, carry on with, or finish your novel:
#1: You Enjoy It
Your life probably involves an awful lot of activities that you do because you have to or because you should… like going out at 7am every morning for your day job, or washing the dishes, or refraining from eating three slabs of chocolate cake at a sitting.
But there is nothing wrong with doing something simply because you love it. If you enjoy writing fiction – if it brings you alive, makes you happy, keeps you sane – then that’s a good enough reason. It’s more than good enough. And don’t let anyone convince you that it isn’t.
#2: You’ll Grow as a Writer
It’s much harder to write good fiction than good non-fiction. To make a novel really work, you have to master a whole range of elements, from the big picture of story construction and character arcs to the tiny details of choosing the perfect words for every single sentence.
In the process, you’ll become a better writer. You’ll learn far more than you would if you just churned out easy, mindless non-fiction pieces on topics that you already knew inside out.
#3: You’ll Learn Things You Never Knew About Yourself
You won’t just learn about writing as you go through your novel: you’ll learn about yourself. Fiction is a great way to explore your thoughts, emotions and beliefs. The characters, themes and situations that come up in your work will give you a new take on aspects of your life and yourself.
This one might not always be positive (part-way through writing my novel Lycopolis, I realised that I have rather more in common with my antagonist than I’d like!) – but it can definitely be a great way to get a better handle on who you really are, and who you might want to become.
#4: You Can Reach People in Different Ways
I love writing non-fiction; most of the articles I write are aimed at writers, and it’s always lovely to get a comment or email saying how much a particular piece helped someone. But while a non-fiction piece can be useful or even inspiring, it’s fiction that really has the power to get deep into peoples’ hearts and minds.
I’m sure you can think of novels that have stuck with you for years … perhaps ones that you go back to again and again, when you’re feeling down, or ones that completely changed your outlook on something. Stories and characters have the power to engage our emotions, and by writing a novel, you have the opportunity to engage with your readers in a deep, abiding way.
#5: You Have Control Over Publication Now
In the past, publishing a novel meant either submitting to agents and publishers and hoping for a lucky break, or paying for thousands of printed copies and trying to sell them yourself.
Today, ebooks and print-on-demand have revolutionised the publishing industry. If you can’t find an agent who loves your work enough to represent it, or if you simply don’t want to spend months or years trying to get published, you can get your novel into online stores almost as soon as it’s finished.
Of course, the indie route isn’t for everyone, and traditional publishers are still hugely important. But as a novelist, your options are wide open. If you want to see your novel in the hands of readers, you can write in the confidence that you’ll be able to achieve this.
#6: You’ll Never Know What Could Have Been
If you don’t write your novel – if you let that idea turn to dust, if you leave those first few chapters in a bottom drawer – then you’ll never know what might have been.
Perhaps that novel could have been the first step in a whole new career.
Perhaps it would have been a best-seller.
Perhaps you’d have touched someone on the other side of the world.
Perhaps your novel would still be in print five hundred years from now.
Ten, twenty, thirty years from now, you could look back and see what you’ve achieved as a novelist … or you could look back and wonder what might have been, if only you’d had the courage to keep going.
This week, make time for your novel. Go back to those notes, or those first few chapters. Write the first few brave words, or dive back in where you left off. Make a commitment to finish: you could complete the draft of an 80,000 word novel within a year, writing just over 1,500 words a week.
And if you want some support (or if you want to share your own reasons for writing a novel) then just leave a comment below.
Ali Luke is currently on a virtual book tour for her novel Lycopolis, a fast-paced supernatural thriller centered on a group of online roleplayers who summon a demon into their game … and into the world. Described by readers as “a fast and furious, addictive piece of escapism” and “absolutely gripping”, Lycopolis is available in print and e-book form. Find out more at www.lycopolis.co.uk.
You can also watch an interview with Ali about combining writing fiction and blogging for a living here.
My review of Lycopolis:
I'm not a gamer but I was fascinated by the dual worlds of this novel. I enjoyed the fast paced suspense of the ‘real world' segments of the book but was also interested in how the online gaming part of it worked. I like a supernatural side to my novels and the way the nightmares were enmeshed in the game and the character's real lives was skillfully done.
*What keeps you reading?*
The book opens with the summoning of the demon but it doesn't seem to have any impact. Certainly there's nothing in the real world that changes. But then, page by page, it manifests in different ways even to the physical attack of wolves. You keep reading to find out what happens to the characters, particularly Kay and Edwin, the most sympathetic players. I read this in two sittings so it certainly held my interest!
Image: Flickr CC / Lauren Alyea
Doug says
… or you could look back and wonder what might have been, if only you’d had the courage to keep going.
OK, now you got me to finally start writing that novel I’ve been planning for years.
Ali Luke says
Doug, I’m thrilled! 🙂 Honestly, getting started is the hardest part. Once you’re over that hurdle, the rest is downhill. Best of luck with your novel (and come back and let us know how you get on, won’t you)?
Joanna Penn says
It’s definitely worth writing that novel Doug – and you’ll be surprised at how the creativity starts to flow once you open the floodgates!
JanO says
Nice! While I may say it is lack of a solid idea or time to spend on what I’ve secretly deemed “luxury writing,” I suspect it truly is my own fears that keep me from doing it. Thanks for ripping away a few of my fears today …
Ali Luke says
Thanks Jan! It *is* tough to find the time, but I hope you can carve some out. I reckon we all deserve a bit of luxury writing. 🙂
Turndog Millionaire says
How very true
Fiction is an art form, and although non-fiction can bring a great deal of joy (I also really enjoy writing in the more relaxed, natural manner too), it’s not a deep meaning art like fictional work is.
I haven’t had chance to work on my fiction book for a few weeks, and i cannot wait to get working on it again.
Some great points. thanks for sharing 🙂
Matt (Turndog Millionaire)
Ali Luke says
Thanks Matt! Hope you can get back to the fiction soon … I think even just an hour a week can make such a different (not only to the work itself, but also to the writer).
Ali Luke says
A huge thanks to Jo for being the first stop on my virtual book tour … it’s always lovely to guest post on The Creative Penn (such awesome readers!)
Joanna Penn says
You know I love having you Ali!
Poetry of Persuasion says
I don’t seem to be able to write linearly. A scene or chapter will come to me and just spill out as fast as I can write it, but the next one will be a completely different part of the story. So I wind up with scene 83, then 47, then 9, etc., & I am drowning in bits and pieces. Anyone else have this? Any suggestions for me?
Eva says
How about keeping the bits and pieces like a puzzle? Maybe you can use note cards to just track the high points of each piece you’ve written. At some point you may want to physically lay them out in order (9, 47, 83) to see where you need the connections. It’s like you have the walls and now you need to connect them with ceiling beams to make one coherent structure.
I’m not very linear myself but once you see the sections, you can kind of see where/how they’d connect.
Ali Luke says
I think Eva’s suggestion is great. 🙂 And if you want a version of that on a computer … Scrivener has a system of virtual index cards — you can write a scene description on a card, and it’s linked to the text of the scene itself. So when you shift the cards around, your scenes end up in the right order.
Joanna Penn says
This is also how I write, and Scrivener is the best tool for this. You can write in scenes and arrange them later. I am currently writing a scene about two thirds in but I don’t know how it connects to the before that or after that 🙂 I clean that up in 2nd draft. I think this way of writing must be quite common as Scrivener seems specifically designed for it.
Stephen O'Rourke says
Thanks Joanna for an inspiring read! I’ve a feeling I’ll be re-reading your six great reasons time and again. Best wishes, Stephen 🙂
Ali Luke says
Thanks Stephen! And I hope your own novelling goes brilliantly. 🙂
Eva says
What great, positive and uplifting reasons! I often wonder why I “waste my time” until I remember the exhilaration of being in the moment while writing. Thanks for the reminders!
Ali Luke says
Thanks Eva! That in-the-moment feeling is so definitely worth it. 🙂
Joanna Penn says
I shall include my quote from the War of Art – Steven Pressfield – which is on my wall
“On the field of the self stand a knight and a dragon.
You are the knight.
Resistance is the dragon.
The battle must be fought anew every day.”
This is why we resist writing, and why we must 🙂
Nikki says
I’m still polishing the draft of my novel prior to resubmitting to agents or an epublishing place, but I get such a kick when the stats on my fictional blog show that someone on the other side of the planet has been on the page! When (I refuse to stick with ‘if’) the novel is published, I hope to experience the same kick again. 🙂
Joanna Penn says
Remember, you are empowered with options now Nikki and self-publishing is a viable option for global reach.
Fiona Leonard says
I think my best income stream would probably come from asking a dollar of everyone who has ever said to me – “I wish I could write a novel”.
I too went the NaNoWriMo route using it as a good kick up the behind to get my novel finished. It had been an on and off affair for five years, and one solid month of writing finally got it done. That moment of pressing submit on the last day was a wonderful feeling!
I wholeheartedly agree with Ali’s comments about growing as a writer. I think the first book just proves that you can string a 100,000 words together without your head exploding. And that in itself is a liberating experience. Each subsequent work teaches you so much about the craft and about yourself. I’ve just finished the first draft of my third and it is a world away from my first novel. I think the first also gives you an insight into what might be. You either reach the end and simply feel like you’ve ticked something off your bucket list, or else you’re hooked!
Joanna Penn says
I’ve heard from some good sources that it takes 5 books before you really know what you’re doing! I am looking forward to that point 🙂
Fiona Leonard says
If nothing else, by five you are well and truly convinced that this is something you ‘have’ to do, rather than should/could.
Ann Marie Bryan says
Thanks for sharing! All great reasons for writing! I am in the process of publishing my first novel. During the writing process, I rediscovered my love for writing.
Jen says
Thanks Ali for this piece. My youngest son went to kindergarten this year and I decided I was going to write a novel, if only for myself. Like you write in reason #1, it is fun and it is keeping sane (and from volunteering too much or watching too many morning talk shows to fill the time he is away.) And I have learned about myself; how I handle conflict, how I want the story of my life to go. I have no idea what will happen with my novel but the process is worthwhile.
Joanna Penn says
You’ll be hooked Jen 🙂
Leigh Saunders says
Excellent advice, Ali. I stopped writing what I loved (fiction) for many years, writing to pay the bills instead (non-fiction). Oddly enough, it was my fiction writing that led to my non-fiction career, and the non-fiction writing that has now looped back around and strengthened my fiction.
When I finally returned to a story idea that I’d pushed to the back burner for all those years, finishing (and self-publishing) a novel last summer, it almost felt like a reunion, reconnecting with “friends” I hadn’t seen in ages – and with a piece of myself that had been stuck on that back burner with them. Working on another book now, and so glad to have rediscovered my love for writing fiction!
Ali Luke says
Thanks Leigh, and it’s really interesting to hear how fiction and non-fiction have been interlinked in your career … sounds like you’ve found the perfect blend. 🙂 Congrats on the novel!
Karen says
I’m taking your advice. Going back to those first few chapters and diving back in where I left off! I’ll let you know how it goes 🙂
Ali Luke says
Hurrah! Good luck with it, Karen, and I look forward to hearing how it goes for you. 🙂
Claire says
What a great post! Number 6 applies to most “what ifs” but still worth bearing in mind!
Ali Luke says
Thanks Claire!
Freya says
Thanks for this Ali. I always thought writing and marketing non-fiction was tough. Have never looked at it this way.
Thanks for the reminder of Scrivener Joanna, had forgotten about it. Have a Mac now so I’m off to get it 🙂
Ali Luke says
Thanks, Freya! And I hope Scrivener goes well for you … I’m having fun playing around with it myself. 🙂
Sarah says
I started a novel during NaNo 2008, but never managed to finish it thanks to university and now a full-time job. How do you do it, when your life’s so busy?
Joanna Penn says
aha, the busy life 🙂
I did write my 1st & 2nd novel while in a corporate consulting job, so lots of hours and crazy life, my tips are:
1) get rid of the TV – that gives you more hours
2) get up at 5am to do an hour before breakfast – even a few times a week gives you 1000 words per session
3) go 4 days a week if you can – that extra day makes all the difference
but it’s really about what you are willing to give up time-wise. I hope that helps.
Sarah says
Thanks for the tips! I tried making more time before, but it seems I dislike my job so much I simply have no energy left to do something else than watching TV in the evenings and sleeping as long as possible in the mornings.
Time for a change!
Ali Luke says
This is a really tough one, Sarah, I feel for you!
Like Jo, when I worked in a day job, I used to get up early and write before breakfast (though I was more like 5.45am than 5am… I’m not THAT much of a morning person)! I also managed to briefly cut down to 4 days/week at the day job, but then things got busier at work again and I was back to 5.
In the end, I quit my day job to freelance, which gave me a much more flexible lifestyle and the freedom to work on fiction at least some of the time. 🙂 This was back in 2008 … and I have no regrets whatsoever!
Something that may or may not work depending on your workplace … can you write in your lunchhour? I did that during a student job one summer (where my computer wasn’t overlooked, and the work was routine and low-pressure — data entry) and it meant I could at least get 500 words or so a day.
Sarah says
I won’t be able to cut down my work days to four, I know that much.
I tried for some time to write during lunch, which I have on my own anyway, since I start work at least an hour before everybody else, but my motivation…
My contract for the current job ends this summer and I’m actually thinking about being unemployed for some months to finally get the novel written. It just doesn’t sound like something I should do (being unemployed, I mean).
Ann Marie Bryan says
Yes … busy life. I can totally identify. I started my novel in 2010 and thanks to my busy life, I completed it in 2012. As Joanna stated – I got rid of TV and started getting up at 5:00 am. I found out that I focused better in the early morning rather than evenings after work. I also did not put too much pressure on myself. I just wrote whenever I had even a little time. Granted, I am a plotter (at this time) but I do make allowance for some amount of free-wheeling (Pantser) as I write. Just keep going and enjoy the experience.
Sarah says
I’ll try, thanks.
I won’t mind if I get to have a few months long break from working, though. 😉 Somehow, I think this unfinished project is keeping me from having any real career to speak of. I keep looking for an easy job which will leave me time to write, only that won’t make me happy.
Doogie says
I’m a little late getting here, but so glad that I made it. This looks like a great site, I’ve signed up for your newsletter.
I’m unsure of writing a novel just yet. I seem to be more inclined to write short fiction. Perhaps if I grow a little taller I might tell taller tales. Speaking of which… Lycopolis is a brilliant, quick-paced, and fun read. I am excitedly awaiting the sequel.
(For those who don’t know Ali Luke… if they surf the Web even a teensy bit they’re sure to find her. Like her novel, her skills in communication, genuine concern for those she interacts with and salient insights into all things ‘blog’ are brilliant. ) If you can’t tell… I am a huge fan of Ali and her work.
Great job, gals…
Sarah says
I was more into writing short fiction as well, until someone got me to join NaNoWriMo. Maybe, if you can’t find another way to motivate you, get started in November! Having to write a whole novel in 30 days certainly leaves no time for fear or doubts.
Ali Luke says
I did NaNoWriMo in 2007, and it was what finally convinced me that I could write around a day job (even though it wasn’t easy..) Hoping to do it again this year … in 2008 – 11, I’ve been at the wrong stage with fiction projects to throw myself into NaNo.
Doogie, thanks for the kind comments. 🙂
Poetry of Persuasion says
Thanks everyone. Ive tried the notecard method before but I’m too much of a tech geek for cards or even printouts to work well for me. I’ll try the software youve suggested. Appreciate it!
Ali Luke says
Any time! I wouldn’t be doing without my software either… 🙂
LKWatts says
I’m getting ready to write my third book, my first work of complete fiction, and at the moment I am doing all the research I can on the elements of great story telling. I have to say I feel a little daunted as my first two books are non fiction, but hopefully once I’ve done the research I’ll find writing the story a little easier.
Ali Luke says
Best of luck! I think that switching to a different type of writing is always daunting, but also usually a huge amount of fun, and a great learning process. I definitely feel that my fiction strengthens my non-fiction, and vice versa. 🙂
NC says
Thanks a lot guys! I have read all the comments above and it answered some of my questions. I can start writing my novel now. This is already bookmarked, just in case that a question/confusion will pop up. Thanks again.
Ali Luke says
Thanks NC, glad that you enjoyed the post and that the comments helped you too. 🙂