What does it really take to write a novel? At ESEA Lit Fest’s Discoveries creative writing workshop, author and 2027 Discoveries judge Ela Lee shared honest, practical advice on everything from trusting your characters to getting through that notoriously difficult first draft. Here are ten key takeaways — whether you’re writing your first page or your tenth novel.
1. Trust the process (and your characters!)
You don’t have to know everything before you start. In fiction especially, characters can surprise you. Sometimes you only discover who they are, what they want and where they’re going by putting words on the page. Trust yourself enough to let the story unfold.
2. Protect your writing time
Writing rarely happens simply because there’s suddenly plenty of free time available. Ringfence the time you do have and treat it as a priority. That will look different for everyone, depending on work, family and other commitments. I wrote Jaded while working 90-hour weeks; proof that there’s no perfect set of circumstances for writing a book.
3. The only way out is through
This was advice I received before I finished my debut novel. It’s simple advice, but it can be surprisingly hard to follow. The middle of a novel can feel particularly daunting: you’re around 50% through, the initial excitement has faded, and there’s still a long way to go. Keep going. The only way to finish is to write your way through it.
4. Your first draft doesn’t have to be perfect
Think of your first draft as a skeleton. You can flesh it out later. The first drafts of my 90,000-word novels have been around 50,000 words — and that’s okay. The job of the first draft is to give you something to work with.
5. Remember: it’s a marathon, not a sprint
Big word counts can be intimidating. Instead, make the goal smaller. Simply, finish the next scene. Write the next 100 words. Or just get something down today. Small steps add up.
6. No one else can write your story
There is only one person who can write your particular story: you. Rather than finding that daunting, use it as motivation. Your voice, perspective and imagination are precisely what make the story yours.
7. Find the process that works for you
There is no single correct way to write a book. Some writers plot meticulously; others discover the story as they go. And your approach might change from one book to the next. Find your own practice rather than trying to force yourself into someone else’s.
8. Give yourself space before you edit
When you finish a first draft, resist the urge to immediately start fixing it. Take a break. Creating some distance from the manuscript can help you return to it with fresh eyes.
9. Return to your manuscript like a reader
When you return to your manuscript, read it from beginning to end as though it’s a book written by someone else. Take stock of the shape of the whole thing. Then ask: what is this book actually about? What do I want to communicate? And have I managed to get that across?
10. Ask yourself: have I taken this book as far as I can?
There comes a point when you have to let the book go. Not when it’s perfect – because it never will be –but when you’ve taken it as far as you can.
