Novel Blog - Writing The Great American Novel

I've been reading a few writing blogs this morning. One particular post mentioned an author's struggle with "how to start a novel".

As a reader, I like stories that jump right in with both feet. I remember reading a mystery novel last year that started with a long and drawn out description about the weather. The main character was sitting in his office and looking out the window. The scene described him perspiring and being uncomfortable "all couped up". The author then spent the next 300 pages detailing this lawyer's activities driving around Los Angeles conducting his lawyer business.

I enjoyed the book immensely and would love to write one half as successful someday, but I never really imagined that an author might be smart enough and talented enough to try out three or four different "methods" or "approaches" to starting the story before settling on one in particular.

I'm smart enough to know that what works for one best selling novelist won't always work for the beginning writer, but it's given me something to think about when I start my second draft.