A new masterpiece began when next journal beckoned. I would tell myself this was "it": story that would be published (I could justify any expense for an inspiration fix).

It was last spring I had "Aha" moment. It came in Wal-Mart. Shopping with my 7-year-old daughter -- a blossoming writer -- she insisted I buy her a brightly covered journal.

"Why do you want another one?" I asked. "You've got a ton you haven't written in."

"I know," she said, "but I need it to write a story."

"It doesn't matter what you write on," I said, sighing at extravagance. "If you really want to be a writer, anything will do."

"Aha!" I thought, hearing my own pithy wisdom. I bought her journal -- she'll learn her own lessons, her way -- and came home. Grabbing an ordinary legal pad, I wrote a piece with an ending, which finally made it to publication.

It didn't make me famous, but it was a start. I proudly cut out clip -- and stuck it in my journal.

How do you eat an elephant, or write a novel? In small chunks. So set daily goals for yourself. If you write, say 500 words a day, a first draft of your manuscript will take 120 days or 4 months. If you write 1000 words a day, you will halve time: it will then take only 60 days. So set daily goals - at least two hours writing. Then STICK TO IT.

PLAN THE NOVEL: Jot down plenty of notes. What characters do you want in it. Draw up a flow chart to help you develop a plot. Then draw up a chronology (big word) of plot: eg. when were characters born, where did they go to school, marry and other major events in their lives, etc? It's difficult to remember everything, when your mind is racing ahead. A chronology helps you to keep on track, like ensuring that ages of characters correspond with events. Remember: It doesn't matter WHAT you write - just as long as you START WRITING. But first there are some decisions to be made: Whether to write in first, second or third person? Also from whose perspective? What tense? What is structure to be? There must be a strong foundation, so that your novel does not 'fall down'. What is climax? Stretch significant events central to story and shrink unimportant ones. Describe events significant to main theme in detail. Don't have too much description of a character, who appears only once in story. Sort out plot as you go along. I go for walks along deserted beautiful beaches here and I daydream. Ensure that your novel has a RHYTHM of it's own and events move forward steadily in a logical sequence.

Find a comfortable place to write, although I think that an inspired writer can write anywhere. Tolstoi apparently wrote in village square; because expressions on faces of passing parade inspired him to write.

Finally, I believe that nearly everyone can write their own book. If that's your dream, what's stopping you? Just go for it.

YOU CAN DO IT

HAPPY WRITING THAT NOVEL

"Whatever, you want to do or dream you can do, hardest part is making a beginning. Once you take that first step in following your passion, rest will follow naturally... and lead to who know's where."