How are  novels written? This question has been asked for years. How do you write a novel? Well, everyone writes it differently, so there’s no concrete rules. That’s the hard part; you have to figure out how to write one on your own. However, there are methods to help writers on their journey. They are as different as the types of books on a library shelf. Ideally, a writer tries several, sees what works for them, or takes a little bit from each process and creates their own.

There is no right or wrong way to write a novel. It can be written with one sentence a day or 5,000 words a day. It can take ten days or ten years to write. It can be written in a word processing document on the computer or with a pen or pencil on paper, lined or unlined. It can even be written in crayon on the inside of cereal boxes.

Author, Diana Tibert has been writing fiction and nonfiction for decades. She’s written flash fiction, short stories, novels and epic novels. She’s found what works for her, and now she wants to share it with you.

We asked Tibert to share her thoughts on her upcoming book, Write that First Draft Free Style. Here’s what she had to say.

You’ve heard the advice: plot, plan and outline. Every great book has gone through the process. Except the ones that haven’t. I confess: I tried. I tried again. I’ve dabbled. Each time I’ve failed and became so frustrated I wanted to give up on the story or stop writing. But I was determined, so I kept writing, ignoring planned scenes and outlines.

That’s when I discovered, I am truly not a plotter; I write free style without a net (outline).

Stay tuned to learn more about this book in the coming months. No date has been plotted for release, but we’re forecasting this winter.