Writing a Book or Novel: What to Expect When Writing Your Book

Writing books, songs, poems, or any other kind of literature has been a part of the human race for centuries.  That doesn’t mean it’s easy.  To some, like me, the gift comes naturally.  Others have to work very hard to develop the skill.  Not everyone wants to become an author, a journalist or a poet, but there are many out there who will try their hardest to make their dreams come true.  I am here to offer insight to the world of writing, and right now, I will explain to you some of the things to expect while writing your book.

1) Writer’s Block

Quite possibly one of the worst things to befall a writer is Writer’s Block.  Any of you writers who may be reading this know very well what it is.  For those who don’t, Writer’s Block is a period of time where an author cannot think of what to write next.  They literally get stuck, and they can’t write for a while when in this mode.  Writer’s Block can last from a few hours, to days, to weeks, or even months.  Often, good projects can go unfinished because of this problem.  Beware Writer’s Block, and try everything that you can to extinguish this loss of thought before it ruins your story!

2) Criticism

Yes, this is a problem to some, and a blessing to others.  Some people, like me, love to have other people critique their work.  Others get emotional or just reject everything that the critic says.  You can’t let critics get to you.  Critics base their comments on both personal preference and knowledge that they have gained over the years.  Listen to them, and you will not only find out more about your book, but you will also learn about the personal preferences of the critic.  It is good to listen to your audience, and it’s better to listen to your critics.  Don’t take criticism hard, because it is as much a learning experience for you as it is for the critic.

3) Sore Hands and Eye-Strain

Depending on whether you use a pencil or a computer to write your stories, these things can vary from person to person.  Someone who uses a computer is more likely to have worse eye-strain and hand soreness than someone uses a pencil.  Nevertheless, both problems apply to both the user of the pencil and the user of the keyboard.  Eye-strain results from staring at the screen of a computer or a white piece of paper in bright sunlight for too long.  Take a break every now and then from the computer screen or sit in the shade for a little bit.  Eye-strain is painful, and can also result in mammoth headaches.  Soreness of the hands seems to occur more readily in the use of the pencil than the keyboard.  That is because you are working many muscles in your hands at once just to hold the pencil, and many more to write with it.  The use of keyboard too much, though, can cause something called CTS, or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.  Allow your hands to rest as well as your eyes.  Take a break, have a snack, or play a game to relive tension in the muscles.  Just relax for a little while, and you can stave off these painful after-effects.

4) Rejection

As much as we hate to admit (or not, depending on who your are), some of the stuff we read just isn’t satisfactory.  When submitting your work to a publisher, don’t be afrid of rejection.  Certain publishers are more lenient in their criticism than others, so finding the right publisher is key to your success.  Rejection doesn’t always some from publishers, though.  Anyone who reads your work can reject it in their own way, even if it isn’t obvious at first.  Just keep trying new things until you find what people really want in a story.  Find the right group to sell your book to, and you can become a huge success.

I hope that these tips help you out in your writing career.  Whether you be new or old, experienced or not, these things happen to everyone who has stepped into the world of writing.  It is a large world full of possibilities, but can you stand up to the test?