4 & 4k: A Gratitude Journal for 10 Minute Novelists

Money Meets Mouth

Before I commit to anything, especially something that purports to teach me, I check credentials. If I want an electrician to wire-up my new kitchen, I am going to look for training, licencing and referrals before I start letting him tear open my walls.

When it comes to writing books, my requirements are pretty much the same. If I am going to take your advice on how to write a novel, you have to have actually written a novel. It should be pretty good one too, even if it isn't in my genre. I want to see what others have said about your novel, and about your instructions on writing.

A quick search of Amazon will produce thousands of hits on How to Write a Novel. I don't really trust the rankings, since there are many factors that can influence that which have nothing to do with the quality of the book.

But I WILL check out your novel(s) as well. For example, I recently had a Beta reader review my novel. What she had to say was instructive and flattering, so my ego was quite flattered. But before I took the advice to heart, I bought her book (I think it qualifies as an Adventure/Romance, but since I don't read in that genre I wouldn't know.) Long story short (I know, it's too late for that) I absolutely love it. It is well written, engaging and tense. Her advice about my writing is supported by skills.

But here is the really interesting part. What if you had written and published a novel or two, and blogged about how you invented a way of writing that allowed you to do so while maintaining a so-called regular life. You are an author (published) and you have a methodology that made you an author. Ok, Check and Check What if then you were approached, unsolicited by a publishing company to writing an instructional book about your methodology. Triple check.

That is what is at the core of THIS group. A book. A book that has proven to be central to the way people do what they have always dreamed of doing, of writing their novel in the midst of their chaos. A book that makes you dig into your memory, psyche and soul to draw out the writer that is in you. A book that not only gives you instruction, but actually permission, to live a fragmented and distracted life so that everyone and everything you love get's it due.

That's a lot to put on the shoulders of one book, but it is bearing up well under the pressure. Write A Novel in Ten Minutes a Day is required reading if you want to write, and you know... have a life as well. If you are a member of this group, and have enjoyed what you have learned here, buy the book. Leave a review on Amazon. And spread the word.

To borrow a phrase from National Novel Writing Month, the world needs your novel. And you just might need this book to write it.

Our penultimate Drabble comes from Sonja Fröjdendal:

One day 4 years ago I trolled around Twitter to see what I could find. Katharine found me and asked me to join her group on Facebook, it was 1 month old when I entered the wonderful world of 10 minute novelists. I haven’t looked back since and I’ve never regretted joining. I met a lot of friends for life through ten minutes and I learned a lot about what not to do writing a book. I was asked to be an admin last year and it has given me a new found respect for Katharine and the other admins.  

(Since joining, Sonja's released 3 short stories in 3 anthologies and self-published a book of poems. What’s next on the horizon for her? 10MinCon18!)