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6 Reasons to Write a 2nd Novel Before Publishing

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6 Reasons to Write a Second Novel before Publishing the First

Anybody Can Write a Novel

Chapter 7 “From Story to Art” – Section 5 “A Second Novel”

With Links to Supplementary Material


After writing my first novel, I gave it to my writing instructor so that he could see what I needed to improve. This process took a long time... a very long time; and so I decided that the only thing to do was to work on a second (and then third) novel before I got the first one back. The result? The two first drafts that I created were, by far, better than the eighth draft of my original novel, and my skills increased through writing and editing them, more than through the entire process of writing my first novel. Today, I'm going to explain why this happened, and make a case for why all beginning writers should write a second novel before trying to publish or finalize their first.


Reason 1: A writer's first work comes from the vision of an amateur.

Each of us became a storyteller because we had a story in mind—the product of sleepless nights, daydreams in class, and an obsession that gave us the determination to finish that first story. However, all of those dreams, that planning, and those ideas were the product of our lowest point in writing skill. While it is possible to heavily revise this first story to be something wonderful, we must somehow attain a greater level of skill than what we began with, in order to do so.


Reason 2: For the sake of the story, we need to gain emotional distance from the first novel.

Because it is the result of passion and devotion, and because it is our first story and the culmination of everything we've ever wanted a story to be, we love this first novel deeply. For most writers, it is difficult and even painful to hear any negative critiques, and much less to implement them or make them ourselves. But if we intend to make it into the story we want it to be, we need to gain distance through time and by putting that first story out of our minds.


Reason 3: Our second story is more of an open sandbox and a place to learn.

When you write a second novel, you are more free to have fun and learn. When I wrote my second and third novels, I found myself able to implement all of what I'd learned from professional writers about plot points, planned outlines, carefully crafted characters, thoroughly designed worlds, and even tools of grammar and writing style. All of these had felt so threatening to what I had envisioned my original work to be; but in my second novel, they were helpful tools that made my story infinitely more dynamic and artful. By implementing those tools in my second novel, I quickly began to imagine how I could apply them to make my first novel even closer to way I originally envisioned it to be.


Reason 4: Through the second novel, we learn to look at our writing as a craft.

Because I had more distance from my second novel, and could view it more like a work of art that I was free to play with and modify as I thought objectively best for the story, there was much less fear in letting others look at it and in listening to what they thought would improve the story. Most often, their suggestion were not only correct, but surprisingly similar to the advise that I had not been able to accept in regards to my first novel. And by applying their suggestions, I gained confidence in my ability to radically change the story for the better—something I originally lacked.


Reason 5: We make our first story more powerful by writing and revising a second one.

Attaining the skill to improve your first novel, gaining emotional distance from it, learning new skills from a new novel, and learning to implement them for objective improvement to the story, will all ultimately serve to make your first novel better than it ever could have been, before. Furthermore, you teach yourself patience and discipline—to never try to pass off your work as ready until it can fully be the story that you envisioned, as well as the novel that it deserves to be.


Reason 6: Even though it's different, you'll also fall in love with your second novel.

I've never had children of my own, but I've always heard good parents talk about how they love their children in their own ways, for exactly who they are—not preferring one over the other. And, to my great surprise, the same could be said for a story. Yes, my first story was the result of passion and obsession, and it is still far more linked to my emotions than I would like. However, my second novel taught me how to write with greater precision, and how to have fun doing it! And my third one taught me how to plan and write everything with purpose. For that I do find that I love all three exactly for what they are and with no less fondness for one than for the others. And, in reading my experiences and reasoning for writing my other novels before finalizing my first, I hope you will also share in this experience and attempt this exercise which has caused me to see so much improvement in my writing.


Feel free to comment with other suggested resources. Any questions about writing? Things you want me to discuss? Comment or send me a message and I will be glad to reply or feature my response in a later article. If you enjoy my reviews, please feel free to share my articles with friends, add it to your favorites, become a watcher on my page, or send send a llama my way!


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After writing my first novel, I gave it to my writing instructor so that he could see what I needed to improve. This process took a long time... a very long time; and so I decided that the only thing to do was to work on a second (and then third) novel before I got the first one back. The result? The two first drafts that I created were, by far, better than the eighth draft of my original novel, and my skills increased through writing and editing them, more than through the entire process of writing my first novel. Today, I'm going to explain why this happened, and make a case for why all beginning writers should write a second novel before trying to publish or finalize their first.


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