Some things I’ve learned about writing since starting my novel

by Holly O'Neill

When your lifelong dream is to become a published author, of novels that are as thick as a roll of pennies, the first real step to take is to write novel number one. Having finally achieved that first step towards my dream, I have many things that I’ve learned about writing and myself that are applicable to all types of writing; from novels to short stories, to poetry or nonfiction. And since Not Quite Sure is a magazine dedicated to those who aren’t necessarily so sure of their own abilities, or how to achieve their writing goals, this article is dedicated to sharing my findings in the hopes that it will help you in the way that it would have helped me. 

But first, some context. Hello, reader, my name is Holly O’Neill. I am the founder and editor-in-chief of Not Quite Sure, but I’m also a writer who recently decided to start taking my writing seriously. I started writing draft one of my first ever novel in June, 2024, and am now finished with that draft. I learned a lot from it, including things specific to writing long pieces that have multiple chapters, settings and characters, but also about writing as a whole. It’s a really strange sensation to go from writing sporadically and not thinking that you’re ready to try anything ‘serious’ to suddenly talking it so seriously that the road to publication is on your mind. Therefore, I have a lot to say about the topic that will hopefully help some of you to pick up your pen, boot up your computer, or send Not Quite Sure your work. 

The main takeaway I have from the whole experience, and one I encourage you to try, is writing consistently. Apart from a few days of assigned breaks (which will come up later), I wrote every day for over two months. I usually wrote between 1,000 and 1,500 words which was well within my own ability and never felt like a struggle to do. The point of writing consistently therefore is to write often, as much as you can, but within your own abilities. You might write thousands of words or a few hundred, but doing that with consistency will have you improving as a writer. This is because writing is a skill, and like all skills that you may have, writing has to be practised in order to improve it. Writing as much as you can will get you to use your skills and become more aware of your writing voice, more confident in your ability to produce words, and will produce work that you can edit and share. It all helps to improve your overall writing talent and make you a lot more comfortable with yourself as a writer. If you’re uncertain in your own abilities, I recommend it a lot. 

The second thing, as I mentioned earlier, is taking breaks. Taking a break can sometimes be tough. You might constantly think about writing and feel guilty for stepping away, or ‘wasting’ your time. But taking breaks is actually a big part of the process. Burnout is a very real issue and particularly with creative skills, like writing, it can manifest in very unfortunate ways if you aren’t careful. Writing every single day or setting huge targets may seem okay at the time, but it most likely will lead to you developing writer’s block or generally feeling burnout. You may even worry that you’ve lost your gift or passion. This is normal, though scary and uncomfortable to experience. Simply take breaks. I personally chose to set a writing target for each month. After I hit that target I would take the remaining days of the month off, and give more time to my other hobbies. By the time I returned to writing, I was eager and better off for the time spent away. You may just take weekends off, or start writing and stop if you aren’t in the right headspace. But breaks are essential and even when you feel you’re able to keep going it is worth taking one just to make sure. 

Other useful findings, which I believe have genuinely improved my skills, include finding a good space and time to write. This will be different for everybody and it’s important that you give a few different places a try. Some people benefit from public spaces like cafes, where background noise and food services can keep them working peacefully for hours. You may also find you prefer silence, in which case a library or similar space may allow you to focus on your work without distraction. If you like getting out of your own space, both physically and mentally, then you may be best going to a park or another outdoor space where you can sit at a bench or on a blanket, watching the world and creating your own. Personally, I like my own home. Sitting at my desk with my cats occasionally popping in to say hi, reminding me to get up and stretch every so often, and being able to transition from writing to language learning to reading seamlessly by having everything spread around my desk, that’s what works well for me. But the time in which you write is also important. A workspace that allows your creative juices to flow is great, but if you’re there and it doesn’t seem to be working then the issue may be temporal. Some people like writing during the morning, some in the evening, some at night. Perhaps your moods dictate when you’re best at getting the words down. Figure out what works best for you and try to make a schedule so that you’re making the most of the golden time and place where your work feels at its strongest. 

I also learned about the practical side of writing. Planning was never my thing, but it led to plot holes and discrepancies. These things can be fixed easily enough but they can slow your writing down if you have to stop mid-session to check your facts, then it can really dampen the whole vibe and eventually might wear you down. Planning, if it isn’t your thing, will help you later on and doing it before you start, thoroughly, will help you get to do more of the fun writing stuff without unnecessary stops. This also goes the other way. If you love planning but haven’t yet started writing and don’t feel ready to, try writing anyway. Some people struggle to plan and some struggle to write, but the best thing to do is push yourself a little so that your overall experience of writing is a little bit more well rounded. It will often work out better, and if you find out that planning slows you down, or that you aren’t ready to write yet, then you can stop, knowing for sure that you tried. 

The way in which you write is also very important. If you like handwriting things then you shouldn’t feel forced to write things digitally just because it’s what you see other people doing. Personally, I feel better when I write on a computer because the keyboard reminds me of writing essays in school which sets me in a rhythm faster, and it generally allows me to leave my work at my desk. It also uploads everywhere automatically so if I ever happen to be somewhere where I can’t access my PC, I can use my phone or a tablet or laptop to do my writing or add to my planning notes. I also like having a word count that is easy to see since I find myself struggling with pacing otherwise as my handwriting varies in size unpredictably. It’s best for you to write in a way that feels right, though, and there’s benefits to all forms. Just don’t be afraid to do what works for you, even if other people find it weird or ‘unprofessional’. Using whatever software or app you use is valid, using a pencil or pen is valid, and writing on a DS is valid (impressive, even). Fine tuning your way of writing to your own tastes will elevate the experience and increase your productivity, so don’t feel bad about trying out different things or routines to figure it out. 

There’s so many different things to writing, and actually doing it properly with the intention of sharing my work has drastically changed the way I view it. My comfort level with it has grown and I feel more confident in my work now. It’s really become a focal point of my life rather than just a little hobby I do with a dream that I was not getting any closer to. If you’re worried about your skills or experience, just get started anyway. The community we’re building at Not Quite Sure is one where everyone should feel safe to try, safe to write, safe to send their work. We hope we can help you all grow and that this post has been helpful, but most of all we hope that you’ll trust us with your work, because we’re very excited to read it.