Six Reasons to Write a New Book

I’m a member of a few writers email loops. This week someone posted a note on one saying how frustrated she was with how hard it is to get published. She’s done all the “right” steps, garnered some praise and some interest, yet after x+ years does not have a novel with a nice shiny cover to show for it. She is a professional non-fiction writer, so it’s not like she is a disgruntled newbie wondering why she’s not the next great thing.

I think so many of us could have written that letter. I could have written that letter.

Indeed, her heart-felt frustration touched a lot of people. It has been the topic of discussion for the past few days. Lots of people have encouraged her to keep trying, noting that this is a hard business. The rare exception gets all the publicity and we wonder why we aren’t on the fast track like that person. So much happens behind the scenes in publishing that seeing a book on the shelves is almost magical. You write a book. Poof! It’s in the bookstore. Doesn’t seem like work at all.

The writer said she has been trying to get a particular novel published for years. She’s been editing, revising, and submitting. She has received varying degrees of interest. Still no sale.

What’s the best advice to an aspiring novelist, one who is so close to making a sale she can feel her hands wrapping around the contract, but it hasn’t happened yet? Write another book. Not a sequel. Something fresh. Something current. Something that you couldn’t write five years ago.

Seems kind of obvious. Why wouldn’t someone start writing a new book? Because starting a new novel can be daunting. If you’ve written one before you know how much work goes into it. You want to make sure your new idea is worth pursuing and laboring over.

The good news is the more you write the stronger your writing muscles become. Though the work is hard, you’ve been there before and you are better at it the second (third, fourth) time.

A good book is the combination of a great idea and great writing. Stretch yourself again and again as a writer, as an artist, until you hit on that magical combination. If you stop now, you’ll never get there.

Here’s a list of reasons (I tell myself) to write a new novel even if you (I) haven’t sold the first yet:

1. If you don’t keep at it, know that other people are putting in the time and they will gladly get published before you do.
2. You are a better writer now, so write a better book.
3. Agents don’t want to see the same book again and again even if you’ve changed the main character’s name and hair color.
4. You can’t sell what you haven’t written.
5. You need the practice.
6. Your big book/ favorite character is in you somewhere. Your Anne of Green Gables, your Narnia your ____________. Keep writing until you find it.