This Year You Write Your Novel by Walter Mosley
This Year You Write Your Novel is a spectacular book. It’s well-written, has clear examples, and keeps on message all throughout. For anyone looking for general notes on writing better and utilizing parts of story, this book is full of tips and tricks delivered in a fun, succinct fashion. It’s a very short book that’s packed with information, and I would recommend it to any up-and-coming authors in a heartbeat. All actionable information can be found on pages 9, 12-13, 34-35, 36, 37, 39, 66, 67, 68, 81, 87, 92, and 94.
Mosley runs over the basics of writing, from point of view to showing rather than telling, then jumps into how to keep a writing schedule and finish a novel in a singular year. He uses fantastic examples and never loses focus. He goes into stages of revisions, how to be okay with changes, and even when to stop editing. The book is exactly as long as it needs to be and is a great guide for anyone looking to start and finish a novel.
On page 9, Mosley says to set up a daily writing routine. He suggests writing for an hour and a half each day, though the only really important thing is that you set the time aside and stick to the schedule. Pages 12-13 warn writers not to back away from characters or content based on real life for fear of what people might think. “[W]ait until the book is finished before making a judgment on its content. By the time you have gone through 20 drafts, the characters may have developed lives of their own, completely separate from the people you based them on in the beginning.” Page 13 also specifies that “…once you decide to write every day, you must make yourself sit at the desk or table for the required period whether or not you are putting down words.”
On pages 34-35, Mosley says to add emotions and physical sensations, like touch, taste, and smell because “[m]aking emotions physical or imagistic helps bring your reader more deeply into the story” (36). Similarly, making characters have ordinary experiences (e.g., not wanting to get out from under the covers in the morning because of the cold) makes them more relatable to readers (37). He also says to be “true to the metaphors you use. If a man is a lion, leave him that way. Don’t make him into a wall or wind, too. This is called mixing metaphor—a sure way to lose your reader” (39).
Page 66 states, “The only thing that matters is that you write, write, write. It doesn’t have to be good writing. As a matter of fact, almost all first drafts are pretty bad.” Page 67 goes into writing consistently, clarifying that each morning, “I read what I wrote the day before, making only the most superficial changes , and then continue on my way. This is all you have to do. Sit down once a day to the novel and start working without internal criticism, without debilitating expectations, without the need to look at your words as if they were already printed and bound. The beginning is only a draft. Drafts are imperfect by definition.”
Mosley also says, “Stick to your schedule. Try to write a certain amount every day—let’s say somewhere between 600 and 1,200 words. Do not labor over what’s been written. Go over yesterday’s work cursorily to reorient yourself, then move on. If you find at some point that you have lost the thread of your story, take a few days to reread all you have written, not with the intention of rewriting *though a little editing is unavoidable) but with the intention of refamiliarizing yourself with the entire work” (68).
When editing, he says to “…cut out all extraneous repetition of words and phrases” (81). During developmental edits, Mosley states, “You must investigate each sentence, asking yourself, ‘Does it make sense? Does it convey the character properly? Does it generate the right mood? Is it too much? Does it get the narrative voice right?’” (87.) On page 92, Mosley cautions that, “a novel is not a play. Don’t house your entire story in conversations. Don’t try to contain the whole plot in dialogue.” And finally, on page 94, Mosley recommends you record yourself reading your book aloud, then listening to it. It helps you hear what you meant to do and where you fell short.
And now, as far as actionable information goes, you’ve read This Year You Write Your Novel. If you liked this and found it useful, please share it on your socials and with your friends. You can sign up for my newsletter by scrolling down. If you have any books you’d like to see on Too Busy for Books, you can contact me here. I’d love to hear your recommendations!
Thanks for reading,
--Jack