So #writers how long did it take you to write your first novel? I’ve started a couple novels over the years, but never finished anything. The current idea I’ve been drafting has lived with me in various forms since #NaNoWriMo 2011 so I guess it’s going on 12 years. I’d really like to finish a draft of it in 2023.
@AndyWTaylor So, I start-stopped many novels over the years. Ten years ago, I began keeping them. Two years ago, I took one of them, cleaned it up, split it into different books (it was too long) and submitted the first book to my publishers. I've completed 18 novels since. The key thing, I found, is to figure out the ending and then write toward that. The first draft is supposed to be a mess, so don't let that stop you. The main thing is to allow yourself to finish that book!