How are novels created?

Strange that I come across this question... I am trying to write a novel. I come from a long line of storytellers and I have alot of really good Ideas. But, once i start to place my words upon the page they lose even my intrest! Authors spend years on their novels and I know why. My first draft of my first chapter was garbage the characters were all wrong and there was no feeling in the words on the page! It sound so great in your head and then you write it down and it's disapointing! cannot really explain it. ac donald says the author does not write for editors or even their readers he writes to please himself and once that is done he feels ok with someone else reading his work. That takes time.....

I know a novelist that can finish a single novel in just a couple months and another who takes years to finish one manuscript. It all depends on the writer, there's no real set length of time for a novel. It's however long it takes. Me? I don't know how long it takes as I've never actually finished one yet.

It really does depend on the author. It is taking me years to write my two novels. The first one took a couple of years but I have since learned a great deal and know I have to go back and edit it. I asked an author of many published novels how many drafts he does of one novel and he said minimum 4, maximum 9. Editing is the hardest part and can cause you to lose interest (like it has for me - I so desperately want to get it finished but let myself be distracted with other stuff... like MyLot!) Ed McBain wrote so many books it seems like he was churning out 3 a year!

I think this totally depends on the author and the topic. Each person is different and has their own way of doing things and I believe writing is the same. One author may turn out a novel in a few months while another make take years and years - yet they may both be equally good novels.

It's really different for everyone. For established authors especially famous ones, I'm sure its a lot easier and they have support along the way. For amateurs like myself, you just have to write at your own pace and edit it yourself. It is hard to stick to it, but if it's your calling you will get through it.