How to know whether to abandon a novel?

[CatFearer]

I'm trying to write my first novel.

I've been struggling with it off and on since Jan 2019, and I'd written various iterations of the first few chapters while I tried to work out story direction and genre etc.

I eventually settled to write a new version of it and am now 23k words in. I've kept notes of what happens in each chapter and can now see very clearly that what I've written is weak, there's no real conflict, no key question for a reader to keep reading to discover the answer.

I've always been clearer on the plot for second half of the book, and that half will have more conflict. But I can't seem to write myself there in an interesting enough way. I don't want to start writing the second half of the book without having written the first, my mind doesn't work like that.

I'm thinking maybe my idea is just weak and unworkable and perhaps I'd be best abandoning it and coming up with something new where the story is stronger from the outset.

But then the other approach would be to keep writing shite in the hope I can get myself to the better second half of the novel, then rewrite the first half later, hoping I have some brainwaves by then on how to improve it.

What would you do?

Just write it. Don't get hung up overthinking it. Worry about what's wrong with it/whether the story works later. It'll be much easier to sort out the problems once it's written and you can see the shape of the whole thing. You can always cut out parts of the beginning then if you decide you need to. Even if you then decide it's no good, you'll have learned far more by keeping on and finishing it than you will by abandoning it part way through.

I firmly believe that the only way to learn how to write a novel, is to write a novel. And then another one. And another....

Thanks UserEleventyNine, that makes me feel better about carrying on despite it being crap! I have learned masses already about what not to do next time I write a novel.

I had a good session last night with some post it notes, jotting down various new ideas and questions and different ways I could tell the story. I also did an interview with my MC to find out more about her. I feel like I've at least got some movement on my block / stuckness now, even if I'm not convinced I've nailed the right direction yet.

Good thoughts VitreousHumour re the naive protagonist at the start.