Can ANYONE write a novel?

Yes, anyone can write a novel. It takes, mostly, lots of typing. And then lots of revision. I would be so bold to say there is no writer type, just people who are writing books, and those who are not writing books. The follow-through is everyone's biggest obstacle. Employ the BIC (Butt In Chair) method and prose will happen.

edit: I should probably add that there is a difference between writing a novel and writing a good novel.

Do you mean can anyone write a novel or can anyone write a publishable novel that's worth reading?

One of those questions is answered yes, the other's a big no.

Take a guess which is which.

I want to write a novel, but I've always wondered if I could ever be the "writer type". I think my biggest obstacle will be focus and follow-through.

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The only type of writer is the type that likes to write.

I don't do commitment and I'm horrible at focusing on anything unless I become utterly obsessed, but even that will only last a few days at most.

I never thought I could "write a novel" and, in my estimation, I haven't yet--it needs more revision and might never be published--but the draft is finished. It's there.

It took me four years of intermittent spates of "inspiration" and laziness, deleting false starts over and over, losing interest and regaining it, giving up and changing my mind, forgetting it existed and gravitating back to it again. It was slow, and it was difficult, and what came out of that didn't make a ton of sense, but...it happened anyway.

I'm not a veteran or a successful writer or anything, but in the barest sense of the words, I wrote a fucking book. And that's more than I ever thought I could do.

Just try. If you don't like it, or it doesn't work, then that's how it is. But if it strikes you as enjoyable at all, then hot damn you've got a shot.

As far as actually getting a novel published goes...someone else will have to tell you about that.

See Ratatouille: Not everyone can become a great artist, but a great artist can come from anywhere.

ashlynnb said:

I'm just curious what everyone's thoughts are. Do you think that nearly anyone (with a firm grasp of language) could write a decent novel, given enough time, focus, editing, and input from others who are proficient at the craft?

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Most people, even those who talk about wanting to write, won't put in that time and focus. That right there is one of the differentiators of those who theoretically could but never will and those who actually do.

ashlynnb said:

Or does it take someone special, destined from birth to pen the next great novel? (a little dramatic, but hopefully you have an idea what I'm getting at).

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I wouldn't call it destiny, personally, but yeah there's a difference between those who do and those who say they'd like to. My dad is always saying he'd like to write a novel. Then he says, "But I don't know the punctuation and stuff." I tell him he can learn what he doesn't know. He shrugs. He doesn't really want to. That's most people who talk about writing.

ashlynnb said:

I want to write a novel, but I've always wondered if I could ever be the "writer type". I think my biggest obstacle will be focus and follow-through.

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What's the "writer type"? If you want to write then write. Writing will make you a writer. That's it. Yes focus and follow through can be hard sometimes. Same goes when trying to accomplish anything.

No, I don't think anyone can. You can have the best editors, peer reviewers, beta readers in line and it all comes down to whether or not you can actually finish it (and begin it, and maintain it throughout).

And that's just the writing of the book.

Selling and being successful relies on the same tenacity, ability to write a good query letter and perseverance/patience.

I suppose anyone "could" theoretically, but it's like good intentions . . .

and the road to hell . . .

and you know the rest . . .

The only way to find out is to start writing.
It might not be great (most first novels aren't great), but if you write one, you'll know you can do it, then you can write the next, better one. The only way to know if you can is to try.

Let's look at it this way.

Anybody who can string a sentence together and access a computer can spray tens of thousands of words onto pages and call it a novel.

The craft is putting those words on the pages in such a way that other folk want to finish reading the first sentence, then want to read the next sentence and the next and the next and so on through hundreds of pages to the end.

Aye, there's the rub.

There are, in my opinion, a few things one needs to write a novel:
1. Dedication. You have to be willing to put in the effort.
2. A good understanding of grammar. Everyone, of course, makes mistakes or runs across a situation that they're not sure of the rules for, but your grammar should be good enough that your writing is readable.
3. The ability to accept constructive criticism. It's really meant to help you. Those who ignore it stop growing as writers. (Note that this applies only to criticism that is constructive. If someone makes a comment like "you suck," feel free to ignore that.)

All of those things can be learned though. So, although writing comes more naturally to some than others, anyone can do it.

Yes, anyone can technically write a novel-length creative project that is grammatically proficient. But I think some people forget fiction is not journalism. Having written news copy for a few years, I do believe anyone with a semi-decent grasp of English could write news copy. Writing isn't even what makes a successful hard news journalist IMO, it's being an aggressive person, getting sources, screwing over competition, being able to put your emotions on hold to obtain and recognize great quotes. The writing is formulaic, punchy, often unoriginal (think of sports puns), and heavily edited by multiple people. Sometimes the only bit of your articles people read are the headline, not even necessarily written by you, and the lead. If you win the lottery of readers they'll "turn to page such and such" midway through a story.

Fiction, on the other hand, doesn't have one formula. Can anyone do it? If they have the drive and stubbornness not to give up, and to learn from each new mistake (what I think some people mistakenly call inborn talent). The artistic part, though, and whether it is successful really does depend on the individual's sensibilities of their work and their audience, I think.

ashlynnb said:

I want to write a novel, but I've always wondered if I could ever be the "writer type". I think my biggest obstacle will be focus and follow-through.

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I would love to be able to sing. It's easy enough, isn't it? Just string a few lyrics together, set the voice to the right tone, and bob's yer uncle, right?

Anyone can sing, right? And anyone can write an entire opera, with a good libretto.

You see where I'm going? That I can't sing worth a damn does not make me bad, or less, or inferior. I don't think everyone can write a novel, not one I'd like to read. And that's all right. It would be a boring place if everyone could.

I am definitely a writer-type: I have a moss-green beret, and I know how to use it.

Anyone can write.
But only a select few can be writers.

It's a life style, not a gift.

No.

I think just about all my friends who studied English at University thought that meant they could write a novel. Guess how many of the MSS I thought didn't stink.

Just because you can string a sentence together, doesn't mean you could write a publishable novel.

I believe anyone can do anything with enough hard work and devotion. I also think some things come easier to some people. As for the hard work and devotion, it's a matter of determination. It's for you to decide on having or not having that determination. It's not something destiny hands you.

Hell, I just read an article in Poets & Writers about how many MFA holders can't write novels (having only been trained to write short stories.)

The main thing that will keep the vast majority of potential novelists from producing any novel at all is the disinclination to put in a huge amount of time and effort. Producing a decent novel will take even more time and effort. Publishing and promoting a decent novel, even MORE time and effort.

All but a tiny minority of the potential novelists will simply not do all that work. And why should they? Lots of other things to do in the world.

We haven't even started talking about whether the remaining aspirants have any flare for story and artful (not merely competent) prose.

.

Focus, follow-through, and the ability and willingness to learn from one's mistakes are by far the most important qualities in completing any writing project.

Phaeal said:

Hell, I just read an article in Poets & Writers about how many MFA holders can't write novels (having only been trained to write short stories.)

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Oooh, that sounds incendiary. Is it online? Got a link?

I think, yes, they can, provided they are dedicated enough to write, and don't forget that the beta-readers have to be patient enough to want to beta read the piece they would actually rather throw away.

There will be excruciating amount of grammar mistakes, overdone or underdone sentences, plot which have no sense, and so on, but hey, I believe I started like that. Thing is, I wanted to write enough to want to make effort learning how to fix those things. Non-writers usually wouldn't.

Yesterday a friend asked for my help with his report, and oh for goodness sake it's in our native language but he made so much grammar and spelling mistakes in the first (boring) sentence. I yelled at him before I reached the first full-stop. We are univ students, nearly graduated.

When I first started writing-- twenty years ago!-- I wrote two novels just to get them out of my system. Drawer material. I think practicing at the form in that way is a good idea. (Many authors have done likewise.) Since that time I've written mostly essays, but also a dozen or so stories and a few novellas. Right now I'm writing a novel which began as a novella, but got away from me.

My personal opinion is that art needs form. The longer the work of fiction, the harder it is to carry off. Too many novels, even best-sellers, start out fine but don't know how to end. By the end, everything gets ridiculous. (Usually there's much violence and many bodies.)

To write a novel-- a good one-- a writer should first read the best examples of the form, to A.) get an idea of what's possible; B.) see what's worked and what hasn't worked for other writers. There's much that can be learned from the greats.

Then, you should have something to talk about. Characters you need to portray; dialogue you need them to say; a theme, hopefully, someplace. A plot. An ending or a hint of an idea of how it will end.

Yes, I also believe that a good novelist should know something about life-- whether Tolstoy knowing families, their dynamics, as well as anyone could possibly know them, or Herman Melville knowing everything there was at the time to know about whaling. Or James Gould Cozzens-- a master of form-- knowing everything there was to know about military bureaucracy, which he put into his Guard of Honor.

If you don't have a unique vision, unique style, or unique story, what's the point?

I'm a reader first. As a reader, I look for a new experience. To plunge into a fascinating fictional universe that will tell me something about people, or the world, or myself, that I didn't previously see or know.

Just my inflation-adjusted 1.2 cents worth.

Blitz Book Review
www.blitzreview.blogspot.com

ashlynnb said:

Do you think that nearly anyone (with a firm grasp of language) could write a decent novel...

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No. Anyone can attempt to write, not everyone succeeds. Writing isn't a lifestyle that anyone can assume by wearing the right clothes and saying the right things. Aside from the fact that there is a lot of work involved, a lot of learning, I do believe that storytelling is a gift, like (as max said) singing or painting.

But the only way to find out if you have the gift is by trying. Talking about it accomplishes nothing.

I'd like to answer the question with a question: should just anyone write a novel?

For example: look at these folks I like to refer to as "flash" celebrities (i.e. Amanda Knox, Lorena Bobbit, etc.) who are approached for book deals. Now maybe they don't do the writing (some do, most don't) but they get a book based on their life incidents that thrust them into the limelight. Is it appropriate to have their stories told? Maybe not, but people will read it.

I think we're lucky in the day and age that we live in where anyone can write a novel and post it online for the world to read. It might be complete garbage (I know, a lot of stuff I think is a real gem...others think is a big pile of dog doo) but you do have that freedom now. So good or bad, the answer to the original question is: Yes, anyone can write a novel.

When is a novel "written"? Can anyone create a story that fills up X number of pages to qualify, structurally, as a novel?

And poems, and songs, and short stories, and novellas, yes. Just like anyone can stand up in front of the American Idol judges and sing.

To some level of standards? Well...

Anyone can write 100,000 words if they have the time and dedication.

Making it good however, takes skill and talent. You can learn skill *through reading and writing), but I'm not sure you can learn talent.

But the thing is you don't know if you have the talent until you try, and you certainly won't build the skill unless you practice.

And as for the 'writer' type, I'll admit, I always told stories, even as a little kid. I made up worlds and people in my head and I got all the other kids in on it. But otherwise? I mean, when I was young I always thought writers were some kind of breed apart, and then as I got older I realised they were people with backgrounds and dreams and desires as wide and varied as anyone else. Hanging out here will teach you that.