Lessons from writing a novella I’ll likely never release
I'm on the verge of finishing my absurdist comedy novella, which will become my longest completed writing project.
When it's all said and done, I'll most likely have enjoyed the process far more than the finished product. Because this pending novella will become my longest work, I've obviously had to stretch beyond my writerly comfort zone. So I want to share a few things I've learned from this experience.
1. I should outline longer works.
I often outline short stories—yes, even flash fiction sometimes—so why should I think I shouldn't outline a novel or a novella?
I think of outlining as the logical part of the writing process. When outlining, you're lining up your beats and making sure that the progression of your story makes sense. If this part is taken care of beforehand, then you can focus on your prose during the writing phase.
Reminder: You don't have to do it all at once. Feel free to take writing step by step, because great writing is iterative.
2. It's okay to put a project down and come back later.
I started this novella months ago—maybe over a year ago, at this point. I wish I could tell you that I've been good about working on it bit by bit every day.
But that would be a big, fat lie.
The truth is that I put it down for a few months, when I wasn't in a great writerly headspace. Rather than risk doing more harm by pushing through, I stepped away for a bit and came back later.
And I have some great news: The novella was still waiting for me and it welcomed me back with open arms.
Sometimes you should step away so that you can bring your better self back to the project.
3. Maybe I should juggle multiple writing projects at a time.
Sometimes I want to write, but I don't want to write on that—you know, that one project that's uninspiring at the moment.
Maybe juggling multiple writing projects means that one of my projects is destined to inspire me, similar to one of the arguments for reading multiple books at once (It's under Pro #2).
This approach has worked for the filmmaker Jordan Peele. Unfortunately, I can't find the video to link to, but trust me on this one—I once heard that he was juggling multiple scripts when writing Get Out, before deciding to focus on the script that pulled him in and demanded his attention.
Why make creative work harder than it has to be, right? That's basically how I'd summarize this whole post.
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Links from other sites you should check out
- Five signs that the GenAI honeymoon is over
Generative AI might not be around to write your novel for you much longer. So you still need to learn how to write gooder. - I’ve Written 7 Books...Here’s Why I’ve Never Self Published
I’m leaning toward self-publishing a couple projects, but it usually pays to listen to the other side so you know your decision is an educated decision. - How does Open AI survive?
I’m trying to avoid talking about tech so much these days, but some habits die hard.
Jake LaCaze is working to enjoy the journey, not the destination.
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