being a novelist is tough work

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I love to write because I love to express myself. However, the toughest thing about being a aspiring writer is writing a novel. My first novel is The Ballet of Lucinda Cossette. It's about a autistic girl navigating through her life. However, I got rid of it because it not only does the novel does not have any feelings or inspiration, it was more of a sarcastic spoof book than a young adult book. So, for now, I am writing songs and poems. As for the novelist thing, I have made some ideas for new books. Each one captures the characters, plots, settings, issues, and emotions. That's when they pop up constantly! Until then, to prevent writer's block, I need to focus on school and studies and relax to keep my ideas flowing. At least, until whenever I'm on school break. So, what should I do? Should I keep pursuing a new novel or risk everything? Any questions or comments?

You are right about it being difficult. I've tried to spread the word about my series on here and DeviantArt and so far I haven't gotten much of a response.

I almost deleted all of my series the other day, but then I realized how stupid I was being. I had to say to myself "you've already completed your first novel and you've already started your second. You might as well finish what you started."

When I was a teenager, I wrote a series that sucked because I didn't know what the hell I was talking about and I now that I'm in my 20s, I've studied and experience enough stuff to the point where my writing doesn't sound like something that was written in one day and one of them was literally written in a day.

My new series sounds more like something to actually be proud of rather than something that would make me a laughingstock in my genre.

Don't give up hope

I'm re starting a horror novel I'm so far calling With A Savage Grin, which I had lost when our last computer went to heaven. Prior to that, I had been concentrating on short fiction, but suddenly got inspiration to go back and do the work of rewriting again. Yes, it can be hard, but any creative writing can also be exhilarating. This time, I have the chance to avoid the mistakes I had made, such as letting my secondary characters squeeze out my main protagonist, and by disciplining myself in keeping to my primary story line.

I understand entirely.

I wrote a really childish novel when I was young and high. I'd moved out of my parents for the first time, had 3 working(ish) TV channels and no internet. The only things i had to pass the time was drugs and a laptop, so i wrote. i knew it was utter s**t at the time and my opinion of it has not changed but I'm still sort of happy about it. It embarrasses the hell out of me if anyone ever mentions it, because its utter garbage. The protagonist is a northerner who gets the power to do whatever he wants, its sort of northern anime where people talk with Yorkshire early 2000s vernacular. he mainly fights people in ludicrously choreographed fights and makes full English breakfasts. As much as it embarrasses me I can't help but laugh at it.

Though now I'm studying English I've lost the joy of writing for fun, now writing is more a process of expressing concepts that i learn about in short stories. Its rewarding but i miss the drug fueled randomness, I'm never going to be a big author, my aim is to be a librarian who writes for fun. Its the closest i can hope for as I'm terrible with syllables so my poetry is all expressive rather than formal and i don't write things for people to enjoy reading as its usually just some pseudo-experimental jibberish.

I still dream though, and each time I start something new i always hold the feeling that this is special, that this is inspired, that this one work will change how people think forever.

Writing is just fun.

Aperta Verbum
http://apertaverbum.weebly.com/

I listen to music when I write, but I don't listen to music that I can relate to. I listen to music that goes along with my story line and my character's personalities.

I have a character that has a difficult situation with his family especially his father so I listen to this one song that reminds me of a crappy relationship with a family when I write the chapters where he encounters his father.

My strategy is to detach myself from my characters and story line because if I put my personality and feelings into my characters I might as well write an autobiography

My main problem is with dialogue. I am worse than George Lucas at writing dialogue (maybe it is because I am anti-social), which is why the story I am writing (which I think would be a novella if it was ever finished) has been on hold for over 8 months. Besides, my mind is a little messed up, which makes it hard to organize my ideas in a non-convoluted way (as evidenced by this post, with all the parentheses breaking up the text flow). Honestly, the kind of writing that would best fit my thought process is something like House of Leaves, but I do not think it works with the story I am trying to tell, which is best summed up as an adventure tale not unlike Indiana Jones set in a fantasy world technologically and culturally similar to our own.

I posted the first few paragraphs on Figment and the two people who saw it seemed to enjoy it, but most of what I wrote after that (unpublished so far) has gone downhill. After a few months of inactivity, I deleted my account and now I spend my time trying to get myself to write anything.

You guys are all right. I shouldn't give up on my writing because I don't know how to write a novel. With the right motivation and atmosphere, I can do write a good novel. Thank you all!

i've been trying to get published, get representation to get published for years....
this year...i think i might just self publish...

*pre-disclaimer: I am not a professional, nor have I any published works...

I write more for enjoyment than publication (though publication and remuneration would be good), and I find that if it's a good idea, the characters will seem natural, and the course of events will be obvious. I have maybe 5 "unfinished novellas", but they're complete in my imagination.

I would say don't try to write a novel, try to write a story. If it's a good story with enough body to it, you might one day say yes, that's a novel.

If you're trying to write a book, sit down and type 1000 words per day. If you're trying to write a story, write when it comes, and don't when it doesn't.

At the moment I am trying a sci fi novel up but nobody wants to read it, it is a bit depressing:( but the few that do say it is going great!!