Novelling alone

BBC News article about novel writing: Your Name Here.

Even in the age of MySpace and blogging - where innermost thoughts can be made public without the help of an agent or publishing house - every year thousands of people in the UK start writing a novel.  It is a journey few will finish, so why do they bother?  Every day, in front of computers in the study, in coffee shops and cafes, on kitchen tables and in idle moments at work when the boss isn't watching, someone begins a novel.  It remains one of the most long-winded and difficult of contemporary creative endeavours.  Unlike that dream of being in a rock band, most of the writing process is done in isolation, without being able to bounce ideas off the bass guitarist or the drummer.  Few of those who begin have the discipline, stamina or patience to complete their tomes.

Is this a good time to plug National Novel Writing Month? Novel-writing is a lot easier in company, I have three first draft novels written thanks to NaNoWriMo.  The success rate on writing a 50,000 word novel in 30 days isn't great, but several thousand finish each year, and someone of those novels have been published.