How to Write a Novel (From Someone Who’s Still Trying)

Think of a great idea.
Start writing.
Erase what you’ve written so far and start again.
Rethink the idea and start making notes on it.
Lose half of the notes.
Buy a notebook for the notes you still have.
Write the first sentence.
Delete the first sentence and write it again.
Write some notes.
Work on the story.
Write more notes.
Keep working on the story.
Write the last sentence.
Sit back and smile.
Leave for a few hours and come back to read the story.
Decide it’s terrible.
Create a new draft and begin rewriting.
Make more notes.
Finish next draft.
Read over it.
Find a plot hole.
Make a new draft.
Rewrite.
Make notes.
Fall in love with the struture of a book.
Create a new draft.
Rewrite using the same structure.
Find character inconsistancies.
Create a new draft.
Rewrite.
Finish draft.
Repeat reading and rewriting until thoroughly frustrated.
Put novel away for a few months.
Get it back out.
Read and rewrite until ready to give up.
Read and rewrite some more.
Let friends read it.
Rewrite based on what they say.
Reread.
Rerewrite several times.
Decide it’s ready.
Reread again.
Make changes and rererewrite a few more times.
Decide it’s ready.
Decide it’s really not.
Repeat.

Note: Add in moments of procastination whenever convenient. 
Reccomended methods of procrastination:
-Leave tv on while writing
-Observe birds outside the window
-Check Facebook  
-Write blogs about how to write a novel

Avoid pondering next novel while working on current novel. It can lead to frustration, confusion, and incorporating rogue characters.

Publishing process is another thing. Finish the novel first.