Writing anything longer than a few pages is no easy task. Completing a readable manuscript takes consistently hard work and an intense dedication to the craft. Below, I’ve compiled a list of the lessons I learned during the writing of my very first novel. There are certainly no shortcuts, and not every tip/trick will work for every writer, so take this advice with a grain of salt—but if one person reading this learns something from my mistakes, then I feel like I’ve done my job.