Laura Bennet – Author

I wrote my first novel in high school.

Well, okay, so I didn’t exactly write an entire novel; it was more like twenty pages and a little character development. The idea, birthed from my addiction to romantic fiction, sprang from my pencil (yes, pencil) onto the lined pages of my spiral bound notebook (my writing tool of choice). Give me a break. That was in 1975! Who knew one day we’d have laptops and iPads??

I didn’t know anything about writing a novel except from what I’d read. I knew I longed to grace a page with words that would thrill, inspire and change lives. But what began with lofty dreams ended the moment I became stuck with technicalities. How could I create a scene to scene plot that made sense and moved the reader into the story and through an adventure? Even as I learned about rising action, climax and resolution, I had no clue how to make it work in the context of an actual manuscript. My creative beginnings ended as abruptly as they commenced.

Sometimes I feel as lost now as I did then.

I’ve attended novel writing classes at Mt. Hermon (thank you James Scott Bell!) and studied my notes from numerous workshops. CD’s have poured forth wise words of writing technique while I’ve driven to various meetings with fellow writers. My eyes and ears remain open and attentive as I listen to authors share their secrets of hard work (thank you Sherry Kyle, Karen O’Connor and Susanne Larkin). I peruse author sites and read the Writer’s Guide. But sometimes, I feel like such an amateur still. I guess I still am.

I want to write a really good novel.

I always said I’d never write a novel until I could write as well as my favorite author, Francine Rivers. Her books change your life. I’ve never read one that didn’t bring me to tears of revelation, healing and joy. In a novel! To write like that takes dedication, hard work and the hand of God. But I guess every author has to start somewhere.

So I’m writing a practice novel.

Since the only way to learn to write is to actually put the words out there, I decided to try. The plot overall is easy enough to create, but I get hung up with the scenes. I tend to tell too much, I think, instead of letting time pass and jumping into the story like one might have leapt onto a slow moving train in days past. Sometimes the characters run away with the story and do things I’m not ready for which leaves me questioning whether I know what I’m doing at all.

I guess the point is that being a writer means writing. Yes, learning all I can is helpful, but unless I put into practice that which I’ve learned the learning will be pointless. I love to hear the stories of other writers’ struggles. It makes me feel less an amateur. Care to share?