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Hello and Merry Christmas everyone! It's hard to believe the Christmas season is already upon us. It's always a busy time, with gifts to buy and wrap, decorating, school (madness) fun, festivities, and of course, lots of time spent with loved ones. My entire family will be home for Christmas, and I am so excited to enjoy the holidays with them! This month in "A Writing Journey: When Shadows Fall", we will explore the issue of problem solving as well as the low point that inevitably comes with writing a story. Previous newsletters and prior segments of my writing journey can be found here at my website's exclusive email archive. As always, a bonus kitty picture (or two!) is waiting for you at the end of this newsletter. 😊 |
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November has been reasonably productive, despite a week of sickness that put me behind schedule. I filled out my request for cover art early in the month and have been busy editing since. I've finished going through the changes suggested by my editor, made some tweaks to the book to update the worldbuilding and better prepare the way for the sequel, and read the entire novel out loud to make sure it was all flowing properly!
Although there is always more work that could be done, I believe the book is ready for the next stage. I'll be sending it to my proofreaders soon, in hopes we catch all the little mistakes I'm bound to have missed!
I also squeezed in some formatting research via a trip to Chapters, where I took pictures of the formatting used in current YA fantasy books to use as a reference when the time comes. I may have also left with a new book or two...
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Now that the editing is complete, I'll send the book to my proofreaders and then begin formatting while waiting for their feedback. I've purchased a formatting software called Atticus, which I will use to prepare the book for publication. There's lots to do at this stage, as I have to add in all the front matter and back matter (dedications, acknowledgements, maps, title page, bio, etc.) as well as working with the font, chapter headings, spacing, and so on. Thankfully, the program is designed to make this process as simple as possible, and there are many Youtube videos I can turn to for advice!
I should be getting my first sketch of the cover art soon, and I plan to provide feedback on it as quickly as possible so that we can keep things moving! If there is time, I'll try to do some marketing and perhaps some work on the map, though my priority will be formatting.
I should also mention that between celebrating my 30th birthday and reserving most of the last two weeks of the month to enjoy time with my family, I'll have significantly less writing time than usual this month. As such, I'll be putting "When Shadows Fall: A Writing Journey" on hiatus for the month of January in order to save some time. Part 6 will release in February!
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Miss the previous segments? |
Part 5:Problem Solving and Despair
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This month's discussion of the writing process is a bit unusual, as we look at two very different aspects of writing; one a necessary part of the process, the other a detriment to it.
You might recall a writer's meme I referenced previously, in which the writer goes from saying, 'hey, this is really good' to 'hmm, I guess it needs some work' to 'this is trash' to 'I am trash' to 'I guess it's okay' to 'hey, this is really good!'
This may sound like an exaggeration, but as a writer, I find it painfully relatable. Writing is an exhilarating pursuit, but it has its ups and downs. Ideas that thrill you one day may feel lackluster the next, and scenes that once amazed you can look amateurish a few months later. Inevitably, these perceived failings in your work somehow translate into seeing yourself as a failure. I can't tell you how many times I've wondered if I have what it takes to be an author, or have contemplated giving up because I just know I'll never be good enough.
So what does any of this have to do with problem solving? Well, problem solving, as it turns out, can often lead to such lows. It is a very necessary part of writing a book, as many problems arise that need addressing (especially for a discovery writer!). You may need to solve issues with the timeline, figure out how to write your characters out of tricky situations, address problems with the worldbuilding, and so on.
For me, problem solving usually involves long brainstorming sessions. I'll open a new text file on Scrivener (or a new Google Doc) and write out: 1. the problem I am trying to solve, 2. why it's an issue, 3. possible solutions, and 4. how I would incorporate those solutions, their pros and cons, which option is best, etc. Often, I explore new possibilities by asking myself 'what if' questions. Other times, I do my brainstorming on paper, where I am able to better visualize my ideas. If brainstorming isn't working, I may go for a walk to mull things over. Something about the rhythmic movement seems to stimulate the brain, and it's amazing how often the pieces just click into place once I start moving!
This process can be a lot of fun; nothing feels quite as rewarding as coming up with a clever solution to a problem that previously stumped you. Sometimes, I find the pieces of an answer are already present in the story, and I just need to fashion them into a solution. Other times, new ideas and characters reveal themselves, and adding them into the story breathes new life into the project.
But sometimes, the brainstorming fails to yield results, despite your best efforts. Sometimes, you run into a wall, and no amount of banging your head against it seems to make any difference. Instead of rewarding you, the process can leave you feeling discouraged, defeated. The story's shortcomings become magnified in your mind, while the things you loved about it fade to the background, until all you can see are its faults. Your story is trash. And somehow, that must mean you are trash as well.
I wish I could say this was not a part of my writing process, but there isn't a single story I've committed to that hasn't led me to such a moment of despair. The good news? It's always temporary. As certain as I may be that I'm a fraud and my story is terrible, the feelings inevitably pass. The wall that I beat my head against finally cracks, and the once insurmountable problem crumbles to sudden pieces, revealing the clear path forward. Hope is restored, and the passion reignites as I fall back in love with my book. I stride forward in confidence once again, knowing that I may not be as good as I could be or wish to be, but that I'm doing something I love and doing it with all my heart; and in the end, that is enough.
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When it came to When Shadows Fall, there was a precise moment that tested both my problem solving skills and my resolve. One of my main concepts for the story is the idea of emotionry, machinery that (using a blend of magic and technology) runs on human emotions. This concept inspired me to start writing the story, however, after reviewing my early drafts, I found myself dissatisfied with my execution of it. It was such a cool idea, and yet the portrayal of it seemed to fall flat. The way I'd incorporated it didn't always make sense, and I struggled to visualize what it looked like, making it difficult to properly describe. And, though I spent a lot of book time 'explaining' the mechanics of it, I still didn't have a very good grasp of how it worked myself.
I decided to tackle the issue head on with some serious brainstorming. I roped my writing group into the process, sending them write-up after write-up listing all my ideas and problems with the current execution. We discussed it back and forth while I spent days working on drawings and diagrams to represent my ideas. (Evidence included below!)
This process was not aided by the fact that I am not mechanically minded. While I envisioned emotionry making use of gears in a cool way, I didn't really know how to incorporate them practically. I spent hours researching gears and related topics, but though the concepts made sense at the time, I struggled to apply them to emotionry.
I found myself feeling increasingly frustrated. All the hours I'd originally spent on the idea had amounted to nothing, and no matter how much I beat my head against the wall, I just wasn't coming up with satisfying solutions. There were several times I thought I'd cracked the code, only to come back to it a few days later and realize it STILL didn't make sense.
Eventually, it became so overwhelming and discouraging that I despaired of ever writing something that came even close to reaching the full potential of the original idea. I began seriously questioning my skill as a writer, and for a brief spell, I debated abandoning the novel, perhaps even giving up on writing entirely.
Of course, I soon got over these feelings of discouragement. But to be completely honest, even though I came up with ideas that I found reasonably satisfactory and implemented them in the story, emotionry continues to be a thorn in my side. Despite being in the final stages of editing, I spent time just this past week updating some of the terminology and emotionry designs used in book one. And though I'd love to say I am now confident I understand the concept fully and will never again rework my ideas or struggle to implement them in future books, I know it isn't true.
But, though there is still room for improvement, I hope that what I've written will be satisfying to readers (I suppose you'll be the judge of that!) and despite my momentary doubts, I am confident and pleased with the story I will soon be releasing into the world!
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A look at my earliest brainstorming for emotionry: |
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And some of my more recent work: (Believe me, there's LOTS more where this came from!) |
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Stay tuned for Part 6 in February:
Looking to the Future |
Christmas is coming, so if you're still looking for gifts, I hope you'll consider my Redbubble store! There are many wonderful products there, and it's a great way to support a small artist. I've included some pictures below of my personal favourite purchases. 😁 Today (Dec. 7th) happens to be a 25% off sale, so it would be a great time to nab something!As for the new art, I am particularly pleased with my snail queen, and hope to do more in a similar style. 😊
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Clicking on an image will open the sticker version of that drawing. Scroll down and click "view this design on +(number) products" to see all available products for that design! |
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Bonus Round: Some of my Redbubble Products!
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Reading: I mentioned earlier that I may have left Chapters with a new book, and I confess, I wasted no time jumping into it. I was intrigued by the cover art and description of "The Emperor's Wolves" by Michelle Sagan, and after burning through 130 pages in two days, I feel very satisfied with my choice!
Listening: With December 25th fast approaching, I have switched over to my Christmas playlist, which is heavily dominated by Pentatonix. If you haven't listened to their Christmas music before, you're missing out!
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Thank You and Closing(and Merry Christmas!)
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Congratulations on reading to the end; please enjoy your well-earned reward of kitty pictures! Kaylee often spot-robs me when I get up to use the washroom or get a drink, but when she looks this cute, I just don't have the heart to evict her!
Before I go, I'd like to wish you all the very best this Christmas; may your hearts be filled with joy and your homes with laughter, and may Christ's love and peace surround you and your loved ones this season. Merry Christmas, everyone!
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There's nothing like a nice patch of sunlight for snoozing! |
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#11 1305 23rd Avenue, Regina, Saskatchewan, S4S 3S4, Canada |
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