Bridget McNulty

The No Excuse Novel.

// October 13th, 2008 // Downloads, Inspiration, Life (and the living of it), Strange Nervous Laughter, Writing

So this is my Big Secret: The No Excuse Novel. www.noexcusenovel.com

It’s an inspiring six week guide to (finally) writing that novel. I’m very excited about it.

Basically, I took all the questions from people who have emailed me in the last year or so, and wrote a writing guide around them. It’s in six parts – one per week – and each part is a very pretty PDF with advice and anecdotes, inspiration and homework. Each week focuses on a different part of the writing process – from getting started (how to get ideas, how to find your voice, how to create a writing schedule) to working through writer’s block, learning how to share your work, and some of the nuts and bolts of writing – metaphor, cliche, all that fun stuff. It was such a pleasure to write, because it made me realise how much I’ve learnt in the past couple of years – how much I wish I’d known all of this when I was writing Strange Nervous Laughter, and how much easier it made writing my second novel (Spectacularly Ordinary, which is still in the rough draft stage).

I think so much of the writing life is making the decision to commit – to do this thing, no matter what. No excuses. But sometimes we need a hand to drop the excuses. That’s what this guide is all about. As well as the course material every week, those who sign up get one-on-one email correspondence with me, during Week 3 and Week 6, to ask any specific questions. And they get access to a locked section on the website, with a Forum to chat to other writers, and a downloadable e-book on Marketing and Publishing. And, of course, a Writer’s Certificate to fill in and sign… a tangible promise to commit to writing.

I’m really pleased with the whole thing. I’ve been working on it for the past couple of months, and it’s ended up just as I’d hoped… Part of my reasoning for doing it was also that there are so many people who want to write, but can’t afford to pay the exorbitant prices that most writing courses demand. I’m only charging $50 (or R400, depending on the exchange rate!) so it’s affordable for most people.

So if you know anyone who keeps saying, “I really want to write a novel, but…” – send them my way!