Starting a new novel should be called starting a new manuscript. Or starting a first draft.
When you’ve been editing and rewriting a manuscript for a few months, you forget what it’s like to start again.
There’s an element of fear. Can I still do this? Will it be any good? This is largely fear of the unknown.
I have to remind myself of the basics.
- Record word counts
- Just keep going
- Bum + chair = manuscript
- Don’t try to perfect a first draft
- All writing is rewriting
- Through writing, the story comes alive in your mind