When J.R.R. Tolkien first began penning The Hobbit, did he know where his children's story would lead?
When J.K. Rowling, a single mother living on welfare, famously sat in a Scottish cafe writing out the first words of the initial Harry Potter book, could she have even dreamed that one day her story would make her richer than the Queen of England?
Every published author has a first novel. Some are beginner's work and drop out of sight and mind. Others immediately establish their author to be a literary force and create characters that come alive in the imaginations of readers.
During National Novel Writing Month, all would-be authors are encouraged to stop dithering and planning and delaying and to begin writing.
Here's a list of Famous First Novels from the New, Best & Fun page to provide inspiration.