Disaster and Novelists

I'm posting a link to an article by Kris Saknussemm, one that I think is concise and helpful regarding how to avoid Total Disaster as a Novelist. I'll leave the meat and potatoes for you to read for yourself, but two important things I gleaned from the article are:

1. Don't Experiment. Check to see what section your novel will be found in the bookstore, what author your work resembles, and be able to describe your book in three sentences or less.
2. Read your work aloud. If I've learned anything from the Borders critique group, it's the importance of reading your work to others. Not only do you pick up on things you missed when you wrote it, but you can then determine if your story flows and makes sense.

Here's the link: Five Tips