I currently write short stories and have tried getting into writing novels. I get to about page 30 and either lose patience, can't pay attention or just lose focus. Or, if I can keep my head in the game, I find that my idea just isn't big enough to span hundreds of pages. I do find lately that my short stories are slowly growing in word count unintentionaly. I was just wondering how some writers build the stamina to make an idea into a novel and stay focused while they work at it.
Well, for me, it often helps to get the storyline together before writing (as a sort of summary), and work according to 'scenes', or just that summary. For the rest; I think everyone loses patience/confidence/will when they have made a decent start. That's part of the art of writing a book. You need to have discipline to finish it, but don't write when you don't feel like it. Just try to discipline yourself to making it fun, or something.
one of the first things a person needs to have in order to become a successful writer is 'will power'... that's as important as talent... maybe even more so... and no one can give that to you, there are no handy little tips that will help you get it... you have to develop it on your own... that's what provides the 'stamina' it takes to write a novel... so, if you really want to go from writing short stories to turning out novels, just give yourself a kick in the rear and get to work! as for developing an idea into a plot that will sustain a novel length work, try outlining first... as you write down the basic premise and then see where it wants to go, your storyline should begin to take shape...
