10 Common Misconceptions of the Wannabe Novelist, #2

See Part 1. #2: I know how to tell a good story. I don’t need these novel-writing rules. I’m always amazed when I hear that someone invested hundreds, if not thousands, of hours into writing a novel before studying how novels are written for today’s market. Yet it happens. Just ask agents and publishers. But why? Is it because of arrogance or ignorance? Or maybe a little of both? In my last post I addressed the absurd notion that whatever comes from the heart must be untouchable. I think sometimes newbie authors can become too enamored with their own words. They reveal how thin-skinned they are by how quickly they bristle at the slightest negative remark about their work. But constructive criticism is how all of us grow. It’s a true maxim that sometimes we can’t do something right until we learn what we’re doing wrong. In fact, it’s often…

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