24. Sidestep These 4 Novel-Writing Pitfalls for Success

STS EP 24

-Four Mistakes to Avoid[00:00:00]Nicole Meier:Every writer's journey is unique, and comparingyourself to others can be discouraging and counterproductive. You never knowwhat work someone else has done behind the scenes, what breaks they had inthe business, or what challenges they've had to overcome. In other words, don'tcompare your beginning to someone else's end.[00:00:28]Nicole Meier:Welcome to Steps to Story, the show that helpsaspiring authors turn their ideas into action and transform their dream of writinga book into a reality. I'm your host, Nicole Meyer, multi published author andcertified book coach. I spent the first part of my fiction writing career desperatefor guidance that was unavailable to me.[00:00:50]Nicole Meier:I wrote draft after draft. Flying by the seat of mypants, with lots of passion but little guidance. Thankfully, there was a writingcommunity that opened its arms and welcomed me. This community sustainedme. But when it came to strengthening my novel writing process, I wasdetermined to find a better way.[00:01:11]Nicole Meier:One that didn't involve piecemeal strategies. andconfusing courses. Now, more than a decade later, I'm serving my younger self,who yearned for support while writing a book. If you're an emerging authorseeking guidance, this podcastis for you. Are you on the list to get my novelwriting guide? I designed this workbook to take you through five essentialstrategies that will level up your novel writing process.[00:01:41]Nicole Meier:Grab your free copy at NicoleMeyer. com forwardslash crafting greatness. That's NicoleMeier. com forward slash craftinggreatness. Crafting greatness, or at the link in the show notes.[00:02:02]Nicole Meier:Hey, hey, hello and welcome. Today we're diving intofour crucial mistakes to avoid when writing your novel. So while there is noquote wrong way to write your book, because your writing process really shouldbe your own, and what works for some people doesn't necessarily work forothers, I can tell you as a book coach, I can confidently say there are certainmistakes to be avoided in your process.[00:02:26]Nicole Meier:Avoiding them will save you from what I call hairpulling iterations on the back end. So whether you're a seasoned writer or juststarting out, steering clear of these pitfalls canmake your writing processsmoother and more enjoyable. So I would say grab your coffee or tea and let'ssettle in. Let's get started.[00:02:46]Nicole Meier:All right, let's start with mistake number one, and thatis not having a roadmap. Boy, have I been here before. Let me tell you. Let'sjust say on my debut novel way back in 2014, I wrote it completely by the seatof my pants. I had zero idea who or what would show up on the page every timeI sat down to write.[00:03:08]Nicole Meier:It was prettyfun until really, it wasn't. That's becausewriting a novel without a plan is like setting out on a cross country trip withouta map. Sure, spontaneity can lead to some great discoveries, but more often thannot, you'll find yourself lost and frustrated, and nothing zaps your creativity likefrustration.[00:03:28]Nicole Meier:A roadmap for your novel doesn't have to be a rigidoutline. It can be as detailed or as loose as you need it to be. Some writers preferdetailed chapter by chapter outlines, whileothers might just have a list of majorplot points or character arcs. The key here is to give yourself a direction tofollow.[00:03:49]Nicole Meier:Alright, imagine you're writing a mystery novel.Without knowing who the culprit is, or how the protagonist will uncover thetruth, You might write yourself into a corner. Planning ahead allows you toplant clues and red herrings strategically, creating a more compelling andcohesive story. So I would encourage you to take time before you dive intowriting tosketch out your roadmap.[00:04:15]Nicole Meier:Your future self will thank you. By the way, if you'rewondering about a manageable way to outline your story, go back and check outepisode number 20 of my podcast. Inside that episode, I'm answering writersquestions, specifically, my favorite way to outline your book in the form of astory roadmap.[00:04:36]Nicole Meier:Let's move on now to mistake number two. And thatis rushing the process. This is another pitfall I have fallen into more times thanIcare to count. But as the old saying goes, writing a novel is a marathon, not asprint. As a writer myself, I can relate. It's tempting to want to get your story outas quickly as possible because we're excited about our premise.[00:05:00]Nicole Meier:But the harsh truth is, is that rushing can lead tosloppy writing, plot holes, and underdeveloped characters. Rushing often meansglossing over good elements of story structure. If a writer is racing to the finishline simply to chase the muse, it can bedifficult to go back and structure thestory.[00:05:20]Nicole Meier:Instead, as an author writes forward, they need to bethinking, at least on some level, about things like a protagonist's scene goals.character motivation, and a cause and effect trajectory. These are just a fewstory elements in a much larger picture, but of course no one needs to be perfectand nail everything all at once, trust me, but rushing usually means skippingpast much of the building blocks of a novel, and honestly the result is a storythat falls flat.[00:05:52]Nicole Meier:All right, I'm going to pause here and repeat myself.Your first draft doesn't have to be perfect. Give yourself permission to playaround, experiment, make discoveries, but also take the time you needtodevelop your ideas fully. If you push too hard and meet an unrealistic deadline,if, say, an agent pitch session or self publishing date comes up, you might endup burning out and losing your passion for the project.[00:06:23]Nicole Meier:I encourage you to set realistic goals and create awriting schedule that fits into your life. Whether it's writing a certain number ofwords per day or dedicating a few hours each week, find a pace that works foryou and stick to it. Your writing will be much stronger for it. Let's move on nowto mistake number three, and that is writing as if someone is looking over yourshoulder.[00:06:47]Nicole Meier:This can be paralyzing and stifle your creativity. Youmight worry about what others think, if they will judgeyour ideas, or if yourwriting will be good enough, but I'm here to tell you that's not going to serveyou. I, too, have written a draft this way, and my beta reader called me out on it.That's because readers can tell when a writer is being guarded or holding theiraudience at arm's length for fear of revealing something too personal, too raw,or too controversial.[00:07:15]Nicole Meier:Reminding yourself that readers want to be let insideyour character's head and to That they want to connect and build empathy foryour cast will ensure you write the story that's on your heart and, in essence,bleed it all out onto the page. With this inmind, it's also important to rememberthat your first draft is for your eyes only.[00:07:35]Nicole Meier:This takes some pressure off, right? Give yourself thefreedom to write without judgment. Let your ideas flow and don't worry aboutediting or polishing until later drafts. This will help you tap into your creativityand produce a more authentic and original piece of work. Once you have a soliddraft, then you can start thinking about feedback and revisions.[00:07:58]Nicole Meier:But in the beginning, it's just you and your story.Embrace that freedom. Now, I'm moving on to mistake number four, and thisone's a big one. Comparing your progress to someone else's. Every writer'sjourney is unique, and comparing yourself to others can be discouragingandcounterproductive. You never know what work someone else has done behindthe scenes.[00:08:24]Nicole Meier:What breaks they had in the business, or whatchallenges they've had to overcome. In other words, don't compare yourbeginning to someone else's end. It's easy to look at another writer's success andfeel like you're not measuring up. But remember, you're only seeing theirhighlight reel, not the real behind the scenes struggles and setbacks.[00:08:48]Nicole Meier:Focus on your own path and celebrate your ownmilestones, no matter how small they may seem. I would say set personal goalsthat are meaningful to you and track your own progress. Celebrate yourachievements and learn from your setbacks. Writing a novel is a personaljourney, and theonly person you should compare yourself to is the writer youwere yesterday.[00:09:11]Nicole Meier:I'm going to say that one more time. The only personyou should compare yourself to is the writer you were yesterday. As a recap ofthis list, remember,avoid these four things. Not having a road map. Rushing theprocess. Riding as if someone's looking over your shoulder. And comparingyour progress to someone else's.[00:09:33]Nicole Meier:Keep these tips in mind and you'll find the writingprocess muchmore rewarding and enjoyable. And finally, if this episode has gotyou thinking you'd like help in the form of craft, community, and coaching inyour novel writing process, I've opened up my waitlist for my fall Steps to Storynovel writing program.[00:09:51]Nicole Meier:So if you're curious, visit stepstostory. com forwardslash program. I'll also put some information in the link in the show notes.Okay, thanks for tuning in, everybody. If you've enjoyed this episode, don'tforget to subscribe and leave a review. I'd really appreciate it. Until next time,happy writing.[00:10:15]Nicole Meier:If you want to check out my coaching programs forfiction writers, visit NicoleMeier. com. That's M E I E R. And if you like thisepisode, I'd love you to take aminute to leave a rating and review for thispodcast. This will help more writers like you to discover the show. and to getgoing on their writing journey.[00:10:35]Nicole Meier:Thanks so much for listening. Until next time, happywriting, everyone.