Thinking about "new" authors . . . I'm not a bestseller, have no platform to speak of, but I have self-published soon-to-be nine novels, having written eleven.
At writers' conferences, there are multiple classes for just about everything a first-time author wants to ask or learn. Talented bestselling authors address all kinds of writing concerns, techniques, approaches, and matters of the heart concerning writing that novel - be it the first or one of many. There is much to be learned and conferences are a fun bonanza for all kinds of information and making contacts with professionals and other writers at your same level of business.
One of the more important things to note is this: there is no set way to write that novel. You might be an "outliner", you might be a whiteboard jotter, picture posting, chalkboard note-maker, or seat-of-the-pants creator of stories. If I had to make an outline for a story of mine, none of them would've been written. So keep in mind, you are the one God made you to be and you can perfect over time and many, many words later who you really are as a writer and what works best for you.
Find your niche, don't be afraid to take chances, pray your way through the process, and accept the lessons you learn as either valuable or, frankly, a waste of your time.
Also, remember, words are the premium, the critical factor. They are what drive the communication of a story. They are what make readers take notice. They are those "grab you" or "gotcha" providers that send the reader on a meaningful journey glued to the pages of your story. Words matter. They can be simple or complex or lovely or stark - but they make the book what it is.
My Monday Musings . . . on June 13th.
Father, help me to always honor you with my stories. You give them to me, but I must write them. Thank you is never enough. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.