How to Edit Your First Novel: Part 1

Hello, Readers! 

It's been some time since we last connected– as it usually is– but I come bearing exciting news... 

I finished the first draft of my book. 

That is one of the handful of times I've written and said those words in the last couple of weeks and it feels surreal. I started writing when I was just about 10 years old and each time I attempted to flesh out an idea, it would crumble after 20 or so pages. It didn't matter how passionate I was about the concept or how clearly I could imagine my MC because my tiny attention span shoved me onto the next with minimal ceremony. For the first time in 12 years, I saw through one of my most well-thought-out worlds, character arcs, and plot structures and wrote "the end." I sat for a moment in my tiny library and stared at those words like I'd completed my own little Mona Lisa. It's nowhere near, of course, but it's the closest I've ever come. 

It is a total of 680 pages and over 200,000 words. I anticipate those numbers to change as I hone the next draft, but for now, I am marveling that I even reached such a milestone. For comparison, that is close to the average amount of words in each of Christopher Paolini's Inheritance Cycle works. 

So what happens now? I know editing is the next step because if I ever hope to woo an agent, I will need my book to look as polished as possible. I understand the general path, of course, but everyone has their own style. 

So what is mine? 

I have decided that this is a journey best traveled and a path best forged with you, Readers. So buckle in and get ready for an adventure! 

This post commemorates the first step in what may or may not remain to be my process and experience. This is interesting because I decided that the first step in editing is to not edit. 

For the last couple of weeks, I have kept my eyes away from the enormous brick that is the printed copy of my first draft and has not allowed anyone else to peek at it either. Because I have been so engrossed in planning and pondering the story during its four-year creation, I must gain a little perspective for returning to the pages when it is time. 

So what have I done if I'm not writing? I've read other books, of course, some in the Fantasy genre and some outside of it, but all with the effort of cleaning my palate and inspiring me with something that transports me. If you choose to take a similar period of rest, I suggest looking at a work (or works) that inspired you to write in the first place. It could be from a favorite author with a new release, something you've never read before but you've been aching to, or even one you've read dozens of times over but takes you back to the moment you picked up a pen. Whatever it is, let it give you the literary hug you'll need to step forward! 

Though I've stayed away from the particulars of my book, I've taken this time to ask myself questions about it. My intention is to remind myself of the goals I had with these characters and their story before I dive headlong into editing without the necessary clarity or vision. My hopes for my book and many of the plot points have developed in surprising ways as I wrote, but much of my motivation has remained the same. I've been well served by asking myself the following questions: 

• How did you discover this story?
• Where did (insert character here) start and where did you intend to take them? 
• How do others view the above characters? 
• Who did you write this book for? 
• What is most important about your story? What should a reader leave with when they close the book?

I'm certain there are more questions to mull over but to keep myself from mental editing, I've stuck to the broad strokes.

Before you pull out the red pen, ask yourself why you're there and what you dream of accomplishing with your characters and your story. It is you who gets to define the next era of your work and the unique path you'll take to strive for your goals. 

I have a feeling that the editing process is akin to what I imagine hiking through a jungle must be like. Machete in hand and a tangle of plants and vines before me, I'll slash out ahead of me with both care and reckless abandon. I'll spend more time in some places than others to clear the necessary path while in others I'll tend to quickly, but within time I'll arrive at my destination and be proud of the route I've forged. Hopefully, it is good enough for others to more easily walk where I once struggled (it is to be noted, of course, that I was the one who thought up the mess of a jungle in the first place). 

This week, I begin the arduous process of wielding my machete and addressing my manuscript with a more critical–yet still loving– eye. We will meet again in "Part 2" as I delve further into the wilderness of my imagination! I will see you all there. 

On Writing (Mine in Particular)

Hello, Readers! 

All the best writers take the time to reflect on the greater art of the written word. Whether that be to explore what it means to them or impart wisdom acquired from their years of experience, they jot down essays or even books on their craft. Many of them have established places because of their perspectives and serve as great inspirations today! 

So of course, I had to try my amateur hand at it. 

For my senior capstone project, I was tasked to write an introduction– or an "on writing," if you will– and lead into the greater work I planned to share. Below is that mini reflection on my journey so far and what I've learned at the keyboard... I hope you find a bit of yourself in it, too. 

***

I wasn’t always a writer. I was a reader by day and a daydreamer by night.

Books were my map and I was rather lost, so young me would walk around my house, baseball games, and the classroom with my nose bent downward and eyes tracing ink. To me, that was contentment– absorbing someone’s incredible world so I could play ‘pretend’ in it. Who would I be? Did I have superpowers or a secret? 

But eventually, there was too much in my tiny head and too little time, so I responded by keeping awake at night, scripting my own stories based on the book or game of the day. The next night I’d pick it back up, adding another chapter to my mental adventure before… zzz… 

Eventually, my daydreams became so vast I had to keep track and flesh out every important idea. Little notebooks became my friends and I searched for them in drawers and asked for them on birthdays so I could fill them with unfinished short stories and character doodles. I’d say I was still a dreamer back then, needing to create lest I go mad. 

I first became a writer when I woke up with the title of a book that must be written because it was genius. It was everything I loved at the time– phoenixes, dragons, and a legend. What more could a girl ask for? I slammed it into an old laptop keyboard over the course of many mornings and held my baby up to the light for all to see. They oohed and ahed appropriately, confirming the little voice inside me that said someone would need to hear what I had to say. 

From that moment on I wrote not only for me but for the people I hoped would like it, too. I imagined myself in a library, my tiny 11 year old hands running along plastic wrapped covers in hopes I’d stumble upon my next great obsession. For almost eight years, this was my method: write what I would read. 

Yet for all of my self starter energy, I’m terrible at geography– even the literary kind. I was all discipline and no foundation, mostly enthusiasm with a dash of skepticism. Everything I knew, I picked up from who I considered to be the greats: Christopher Paolini, Rick Riordan, Erin Hunter, Chris D’Lacey, Suzanne Collins, J.K. Rowling… need I continue? These long distance teachers were quite unaware of the little student who worshiped their work as if they were gods. I had to be like them! But how? I read so much it became commonplace to hear, “Marissa, put the book down!” 

It wasn’t until I became a real student that I learned how to read the maps I’d been haphazardly piecing together. I walked into my first college creative writing class sure I had something concrete to share after all these years and walked out flabbergasted but more in love with it than before. I’d met others who pursued my same goals and even a professor who made his living doing it. Was this Heaven? It sure felt like it and almost made me forget all of the non-believers who asked me when I was going to get a real career goal to go with my “hobby.”. Thankfully, the friends inside my books taught me how to push past antagonists well enough, so I ignored their taunts.

I couldn’t ignore all of the questions I seemed to be facing as a creative writing student. I knew well enough why, but how did I write? Did I understand theory? What was my routine? Should I have one? Can I analyze these classics and theories? What’s the proper balance of showing to telling? Can I engage in a workshop? I didn’t know that to study writing was to wonder and never ‘know,’ but that’s it isn’t it? It is questions that teach us, not answers. 

That very first professor of mine, that wise, ecstatic young writer anxious to engage my class, never told us what to write or what to remove. Instead, he began his commentary with the phrase, “I’m curious about…” 

Curiosity. Inquisitiveness. No hard and fast rules, no black and white, no ten step process to peak writerly success– and I’ve found plenty of those. Write in the morning, write at night. Write for five hours a day, write in sprints. Be wordy, be succinct. Reflect real life, escape it. I could go on as any writer could, citing the deep magic of the talented authors of yesteryear. I learned these rules and tried to fit into them while squeezing my words and worlds into their cookie cutter shapes. It was uncomfortable to say the least, being so free you didn’t know which way was up and then so restrained you’d wish you’d get dizzy, but I fought tooth and nail to understand my syllabi. 

Perhaps these rules were the key to understanding the maps of my youth I continued to cling to. But no one arrives at being a writer in the same way one arrives at being a doctor or a teacher or secretary or any number of great professions. There’s an endpoint, a time when you have achieved the thing or been licensed at the practice, a time to say “I made it!” I imagined that all of the authors I coveted had been sworn into some secret writer’s club I might qualify for one day. I’d need to follow in their footsteps if I was ever to achieve greatness, which surely was promised to me if I did so. Writing was just more narrow than I originally thought, was all. 

Then, I was told to break that mold. 

Learn the rules so you can break them, as someone said. I got married to a few of them and had to divorce them so surely it was almost as if I forgot them entirely. If you asked me to recount them now I wouldn’t do as well as I might have when I was knee deep in convincing myself I was too misshapen of a writer to be “great.” I think that’s a good thing because if I knew the rules better than the ideas in my own head, I’d have lost my ability to dream. 

Writing isn’t completely freeform, of course. There are things to explore and experiences to have, which my map led me to in due time. I heard from countless lecturers with differing opinions, wrote papers on books I disliked, participated in workshops with people I loved and didn’t, wrote in genres I had no business attempting, published articles when I swore I’d never be a journalist, cried during poetry readings, stayed up till 4 AM writing embarrassing first drafts, pled my way into classes I just had to take, and signed up for still others I wasn’t sure would help me at all. Each one of these, unbeknownst to me, forced me to satisfy curiosities I simply hadn’t encountered yet. So what if I was a columnist? Well, it would be like that. Is literary criticism for me? Hm, perhaps not. Is flash fiction more my speed? Probably not, but it’s certainly fun. 

If you’ll join me in closing my eyes for a moment, I’ll paint a picture. It was like this: I had my proverbial map, full of sketches and notes. None of the writing was in my hand and the paper was fresh, smelling like a new book and uncreased like one too. There was a lot of empty space on the edges and I was much more comfortable in the center of it all, where I knew what I knew and liked what I liked. Then, as surely as an overturned cup leaks across a table, I was unleashed onto my own map. I acquired a pen and filled in the places I liked alongside the ones I didn’t. I added to the empty space and fleshed out the familiar landmarks. My landscape grew up around me as I did and was altogether more colorful and wonderful and frightening than I expected it to be. 

To study writing was to be placed in said cup, filled to the brim with knowledge, and released to take up whatever space my momentum allowed. Those who taught me which rules to break watched on, telling me of the times they went here and met them and got rejected and praised. Before, I poured from an empty glass, trying to be content with where my own faculties got me. Now, I run towards the horizon armed with questions and a thirst for the unfamiliar. 

So in my opinion, the only rule, requirement, or religion to writing is curiosity. You’ll leave everything else behind– yes, even the broken rules– and forge ahead equipped with an adventurous spirit and the crayon map from your youth. 

I’m still lost. But now, I’m vastly more curious about where I’ll go next.

A Bout with Creative Burnout (Among Other Varieties)

 

Dear Readers, 

I will start this post like I start many of my emails: I hope you are all well and feeling both healthy and happy! 

Life has a way of getting in the way of things by making the simple, complicated, the relaxing, stressful, and even the exciting, terrifying. Whether we like it or not, things are always moving and changing in ways we can't predict and that put us to the test. Thanks to the constant shifting of health and schedules, I ended up with Covid. 

All things considered, I was lucky in my symptoms. I mostly felt the need to sleep off my fever for a few days and the urge to watch Christmas movies, but that was more for comfort than actual healing of my immune system. When I got that positive test, I was disappointed because that meant I had to cancel a work trip and stay home in my room until I was well, but I was able to shift that into an excitement for a time to cozy up and write! That dream was dashed when I became mostly focused on naps, so my exhaustion won out. It is my theory that my general exhaustion combined with my symptoms to create the most beautiful combination of burnout. 

There was nothing for me to do but to listen to what my body so needed, so I worked hard not to feel guilty for the loss of my effort. I was able to supplement my time creating with time spent enjoying books I'd stacked up to read, which helped to stir my imagination, but the level of "awakeness" needed for creation of my own was simply not there. 

As a writer– whether you make your living by it or not– we expend a lot of ourselves for our passions. It's not necessarily physical, though it can certainly manifest that way, but we end up feeling depleted and wiped out from giving to our normal daily activities and then the added effort of working towards the completion of our WIPs. That is a lot to balance and a large set of endeavors to spread ourselves over. My bout with burnout both physical and creative left me grateful for the unfortunate quarantine I had to endure. 

It is important to take care of ourselves when we aren't depleted so we don't have to deal with the consequences when we push ourselves too hard. That can mean many things: 

- Taking a step back from the strict writing schedule to focus on the extraneous scene that inspires you. 

- Sleeping in one morning instead of waking up with the sun to write. 

- Leaving yourself space from your WIP before you edit it. 

- Replacing part of your writing routine with some time outside, watch a show, listen to music, or relax your mind from the constant creating it does. 

- Get back to the basics instead of trying to dig so deep into the details. 

- Reach out to other writers or friends who can help support you or take your mind off the obstacle. 

You might have your own ways you prefer to unwind and recharge, but whatever they may be, I hope you create the space to take them. It's immensely better to stay stronger by taking care of yourself than to push so hard you don't have the battery to do the things you so desperately want to do. It will help you be a better writer and one in touch with what makes them feel confident with their abilities and always prepared to jump into the next chapter. 

Here's to taking breaks when we need them and listening to our hearts and minds! 

Advice From the Writers in My Life, to Me, and Then to You

Dear Readers, 

Well, it certainly has been a little while! I have been quite busy with a number of big life changes: writing my capstone, moving away from college, and moving back home. It's been a roller coaster, but I now have a BFA in Creative Writing! So if you'd like to consider me a professional, please go right ahead (only kidding, I'm far from it. But I do love to talk creative writing with anyone and everyone!) 

It is hard to sum up the four years I spent hunched over a computer, so I won't attempt it. But I do really want to share some words of wisdom my lovely professors passed on to me as I prepared to don my graduation cap. I was lucky enough to be taught by a great many talented and experienced people who spoke directly into the future I still nervously regard.

On a Zoom call with Liz Harmer, my worldbuilding professor, she passed on this simple mantra: 

"Move towards the thing you love with faith and the determination to do a good job." 

I jotted it down as soon as she said it and have looked at it many a time since. There is this whole concept of pursuing a career or achievement for fame and dramatic success, keeping that gilded image in your mind as you work. All we really need as we move forward is the belief that we've set our eyes on what we truly want and do our best. 

That is all we can ask of ourselves at the end of the day. If we put our heart and soul into the work and life we've chosen, the work and life we love, then how could we not be inspired to do a good job? Please note that we don't have to do a perfect job, an award-winning job, or even an epic job. 

James P. Blaylock, my capstone advisor and the grandfather of steampunk (a veritable celebrity!), shared something with me along the same lines. It was one simple word that he said was the key to finding success as a writer. 

"Perseverance." 

Of all the writers he used to know in his early days, he noted that he knew a very small handful who'd truly stuck with it. Many had turned to other careers and let their passions shift to the back burner, and then dwindle all together. So long as I kept at it, improvement was sure to follow. There would be a great many obstacles of course, but no amount of sheer skill or good luck will pull you over them. You could have all of the other pieces to the puzzle, but without that focus and will to keep going, none of it matters.

For the first time in a while, I am out in the real world, a writer unmoored to classes and assignments. It's freeing but also terrifying. If you're in a similar position as myself, just know that I feel your struggles and know what it's like to be faced with the mountain called Perseverance. 

What I'm realizing is that moving towards what I love with faith and perseverance has to happen on the daily. It's weird, but I'm trying to make myself up a schedule, a rhythm of sorts to make sure that I'm staying in touch with this goal and thing I love. There is a mountain of advice on that subject, but I'm letting myself come up with what will work for me all on my own. Don't listen to what the greats say about how to persevere, or where, or how often– it's your journey. Put together the puzzle your way. Just don't forget to commit to it! 

We may all be walking separate roads, but we can wave to each other when we meet up at forks in the road and remind each other not to give up. I'll see you there! 

P.S. If you're wondering what it looks like when a Greek mythology kid graduates college... please see above. (Hi Rick Riordan! I hope you're having a great day!) 

A Blast From My Literary Past: A Lesson in Imposter Syndrome

 

Hello Readers,

If there is one thing I can say for certain about writers– or really, artists of any kind– is that there is a lot of imposter syndrome going around. In our eyes, there are new opportunities to doubt ourselves at every turn and questions that plague us, asking things like: "Am I really good enough for this?" "Do I deserve this?" "Am I actually a writer?" 

These thoughts pop up in my head often and my brain's favorite question to ask me is this: "Will I ever succeed or have I disillusioned myself to think I will?" Sometimes I convince myself that my late night writing sessions and big plans are all a part of some elaborate hobby I've created for myself and I'll graduate and fall flat on my face. But that could be leftover worry from someone's mom telling me in high school that "Creative writing is just a hobby right? You'll have a real major, a real career?" I bet I'm not the only one who has had to field that question! 

To jump slightly off topic– though I will bring it back around, so don't worry– I recently got to travel home from college for spring break and found myself remembering the brick of a laptop I used to write on. I knew we still had it somewhere in the house, so with the help of my dad, I pulled it out. It was much heavier than I remembered and the touchpad was so weird, but the old gray Dell laptop was just as I imagined it. Little 10 year old me gained the use of it when my mom got a new one, so I was free to explore all of the possibilities of things like Wizard101 (anyone else play that?) and Word. I ended up spending most of my time on Word writing who knows what and crafting whatever random ideas I came up with that day. Let's just say I was a pantser to the max! 

When I opened up the slew of files saved by my preteen self, I couldn't help but laugh out loud as memories rushed back. There was my very first "book" about phoenixes with a dash of dragons, one about a boy who discovers he is destined to go on a mystical adventure to find his father, and a fake magazine I made for my fifth grade class. I also found the beginnings of chapters and ideas that I had forgotten about completely! It was a decade old trip down memory lane. 

One thing I noticed about the things I wrote were how heavily influenced they were by what I was reading and interested in at the time– like, heavily influenced. There was a phoenix named Fireheart (if you were a Warriors kid then you know who I'm talking about), something to do with dragons that lived in Scrubbley (The Last Dragon Chronicles, anyone?), and one that featured a demigod of my own creation (a.k.a a sort of self-insert into the world of PJO. And no, the character I came up with was definitely not spawned from a demigod personality test I found online somewhere. What a silly idea). Though I was blatantly plagiarizing the concepts of well known books, it was because they sparked my imagination and got my wheels turning, imagining how I could make something just as magical or let my daydreams run wild. These stories were never going to see the real light of day– though little me may have imagined they'd be a big hit one day– but they got me started; I have those authors to thank for sending me out on the right path. So don't ever let anyone tell you that reading is A) not important or B) not impactful. 

The other thing I gained from looking back was the gift of hindsight. I was able to see the very first conscious efforts I made toward writing and the labors of love my inexperienced hand tapped into the keyboard. As I read through them, I had flashbacks of showing my family the ideas I was so proud of and remembered the support and awe they responded with. I was lucky to receive those reactions– I know not many do– and those smiles and encouragements were the first evidence I had that I could create something that brought someone else joy. If not for those reactions, who knows if I'd be about to graduate with a Creative Writing BFA? 

Now to connect my rabbit hole down old Word documents and the concept of imposter syndrome! 

My old stories are my "chapter one" and a time capsule of where everything started for me. I can see what parts of my writing style still look familiar and what parts have changed completely (example: I use a lot less adverbs now but the flow of my dialogue feels eerily similar). I can see the little gears in my little head turning to connect threads and craft basic plot in the only way it knew how and I feel proud of young Marissa for coming up with what she did. Then, I can look at my current WIP and see the massive leaps I've taken and the growing I've done. I am nowhere near the end of my development as a writer and there is no end, in my opinion, but I'm at my proverbial point B to my point A. 

What this teaches me: I have put in the work and continue to put in the work. I have grown in skill and imagination since my first projects. I will continue to improve as a writer. There is always a way to brighten someone's life with a story. I have taken career steps forward in the last ten years, so I'm on an upward trajectory. And lastly, that the spark of a writer has always been in me, hoping to be lit aflame. 

Take a second today to look back at your own first scribbles and allow yourself to chuckle at where you started. Whether that was last month or a lifetime ago, I'll bet you find a little something to prove that you are in active evolution. 

I believe in you! 

An Ode to "Getting Lost in a Story"

Dear Readers, 

They say that reading gets you lost, sends your head into the clouds, and inspires you to daydream. 

As a rule, I hate being lost, whether in purpose or in a geographical sense. It disorients me, makes me long for solid ground. It's uncomfortable to not know where you are, and subsequently, who you are. Without any sense of reference, the sounds of a world you don't know can be not just unfamiliar, but terrifying. 

Getting lost in a book is a different kind of misdirection. It's intentionally aimless, a journey with an end you know you will discover by the end of the story– or several stories– and there is no need to get there with any haste. Sometimes, sitting in the middle, surrounded by characters and magic and different aspects of a brand new world, is all you really need or want. It makes the end feel like a goodbye, a departure from a place you learned to call home. 

I like to imagine entering the expansive world of stories as standing in the middle of a forest, with dozens of roads spiraling out from under your feet, the paths stretching so far you can't see the end through the trees. In front of you is a post so covered in signs they overlap one another. They are every shade of the rainbow, some faded and some freshly painted, representing places both old and new to you. 

Which way shall you walk? 

The forest whispers merrily that you should walk wherever you choose, that you shall be safe on every path, and joyful wherever you end up. The options are infused with fresh, nature-borne air and every time you crack open the spine of a book you breathe it in like it is the first time. 

Is it time to visit a place you know well or journey somewhere new? 

The power is yours. 

The power is mine. 

Lost doesn't feel like the right word, especially when the people I've met in the pages of books have shaped me, formed me into someone new, someone better. I can experiment by becoming someone else for a time or be the friend of a person I'd otherwise never meet. I can follow maps of worlds that exist only in my imagination and learn lessons my limited life experience might never reveal to me. 

I am a block of marble, slowly being carved down into who I'm becoming, my stone eyes fixed on ink and paper. 

If I had never picked up a Junie B. Jones story or a Warrior Cats novel or a Harry Potter book, all the way down to the textbooks I read for school, I wouldn't have gained new lenses with which to see the world or developed opinions on things I haven't thought of before. Through the imaginings of authors I'll never meet, I am taught different ways to live. I am whittled down into new forms, chasing adventures I've only ever read about. 

I have never felt lost, with a book in my hands. Even the presence of one in my bag brings me peace and security. With it, I know a little bit more about where I am going, knowing a literary family awaits my presence to journey anew. I'm not lost in a world, I'm escaping into one I'd much rather live. It's probably why reading a final page often makes me cry... I've made myself at home and then, without much ado, am forced to leave. 

I open the pages and open my eyes to my forest, my fork in the road feeling thrilling before I've even taken a step. And I know more than ever exactly where I'm going. 

Reading doesn't get me lost. 

I say it gets you found. 

Worldbuilding by Me, a Dummy

 

Hello, Readers! 

Let me tell you something you already know: worldbuilding is HARD. 

Building a world comes in many forms. Whether it is creating a small town for a contemporary YA tale or deciding how a new planet works in your science fiction realm, there is a lot to figure out. As a fantasy writer, my brain deals in magic and kingdoms, knightly orders and royal conflict, but I empathize deeply with those pulling their hair out over what a nation's main export will be and when they want their main holiday to happen in relation to the winter solstice. It can be far too easy to get pulled into the weeds and become distracted by the itty bitty details, then wondering later if you got to all of the important parts. 

(This semester, I'm taking a class on this very subject and learning a lot about organized and smart ways to create. Lots of what I write about in this post comes from those discussions with my class and the amazing "Wonder Book" by Jeff VanderMeer.)

If you're starting to craft a new land and are wondering where to begin, here are a few categories to get you started: 

• economy 
• geography 
• climate/weather 
• politics 
• religious customs 
• cultural conflicts 
• legends 
• technology
• gender relations

Though these are broad and certainly don't cover everything, they are a place to begin. Start by brainstorming a few facts about each of these categories and let what you come up with bleed into the other sections. Is your new land known for their metalwork and forging of weapons? Is that influenced by what they worship or their relationship with surrounding peoples? 

Once you've come up with a place interesting enough to write about, the next task becomes introducing it to the readers in a way that makes sense. No matter what kind of story you're writing, you have to have a character to follow and see the world through. Who this character is can do you a lot of favors and make your life a whole lot easier. 

Is this person a newbie? If they know absolutely nothing about what's going on, their curiosities and questions can stand in place of the reader's. Why is so-and-so in charge? What is with that building? Why does everyone have their shoes on the opposite feet? What they notice will point the way to what is important and let your reader feel like they have someone who is learning about the world just the same as them. Your MC will be their trusted partner in crime! 

    

Think Percy Jackson. I'm currently listening to a podcast called "The Newest Olympian" which is hosted by a 29 year old reading it for the first time. Not only is he narrating the process of piecing the world together, he's also marvelling at the masterful way Uncle Rick crafted Percy's introduction into the land of Greek mythology. If you're looking for a way to shove a character into a new world, take a look at PJO! 

Or is your MC a veteran? They can become a guide for the reader and show them every important detail because they notice them all and understand every inner-working. By way of their internal dialogue or the way they interact with their immediate surroundings, the exposition becomes incredibly revealing. From the get go, the reader gets to see the dangers of this world and become an instant cog in the wheel. There may be questions, but at least there will be a strong foundation to begin with. 

    An example of this is following Katniss. She's lived in District 12 her whole life and knows how she's lived, the culture of her district, the history of the games, and how she feels about all of it. That's a good place to start. From then on, Katniss learns about the ways of the Capitol and the politics of the games as we do. Head back to Panem for a reminder of what this looks like! 

So: Who is telling your story? Where do they live? And how do they feel about where they live? 

As one final tip, I'll offer a few helpful resources. I love a good map, and though a lovely friend of mine made me one using her graphic design skills, there are some amazing websites that you can customize to your every need. Here are a few to check out! 

https://inkarnate.com/ 

https://azgaar.github.io/Fantasy-Map-Generator/ 

https://watabou.itch.io/medieval-fantasy-city-generator 

However you create your world, I am confident that it will be one you're ecstatic to write about and someone will be itching to read about. Now get out there and worldbuild! I know you can do it. 

Reading as a Writer

(trust me, the typo has been well and truly noticed

and quite sadly, only when it was uploaded)

Hello Readers, 

As you may know, I've been reading a lot more recently in pursuit of my 100 book goal. If there were any fears within me that I wouldn't be able to sink into a story the same for sake of necessary speed, they were fully dispelled today. To be clear, that means I sat on the couch and cried in front of my roommates as I read the last 50 pages of Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo. Sure, the ending events were what got my tears started, but it was the thought of leaving the crows behind that made me feel so sentimental. It didn't matter that I'd known them for what amounts to less than a week, it mattered that in that time, I'd become a crow, too. 

Even though I've been writing for just about 11 years now, crafting my own characters and the ways they'll grow close to a reader, I still couldn't place the secret ingredient Bardugo used to keep me so wrapped up in the cast. I find there is still a mystery behind why we can connect to fictional people of all kinds through the medium of ink and paper. Try as I might, I can't puzzle it out and though I want to know so I can implement the same tactics into my own WIP, I am also satisfied to know that it keeps the sweet magic of falling in love with new characters, well, magical. 

It's because it's done a different way every time, each character a one-of-a-kind snowflake that fingerprints themselves on our hearts. It can't truly be replicated, only used for inspiration. Well, that is if you subscribe to the belief that plagiarism is a no go! 

My writer colored glasses may not reveal some secrets to me, but there are others I now understand because I can put myself in the shoes of the author. The amount of times I read a beautiful line (are you someone who highlights or sticky notes those moments?) and gasp aloud because it works so well or clap with glee when a rather twisted point of the plot finally makes itself clear has steadily increased over the years. In some of my reads this past month, I've taken a lot of mental notes on chapter pacing and dialogue tags in conversations between handfuls of characters. Now that I'm aware of what it takes to write a book, there is a whole new world of learning to be done. It struck me that the unconscious absorption of my favorite authors' work in all of the years before is what brought me to this point! 

I will admit, at times when I am not meshing with a work or find something odd about it that takes me out of it, I curse my new writer's perspective for allowing me to name the precise problem. It might be what keeps me learning, but I sure feel nostalgic for the days I could inhale a story without familiarity with its construction. I try to practice both, being just a reader and just a writer, for that reason. I can't let one or the other grow too rusty! 

Again, I've found myself to be long winded, but there aren't the proper words to dissect such a topic with incredibly clarity when your mind is muddled by post-Crooked Kingdom sorrow. 

I am always curious to hear about others' experiences and how reading at any point in one's writing journey changes with time. If you have a thought to share, please do! We all live our lives in this little community and sharing in one another's wisdom is how we can all grow. 

I wish you a week spent with a book that touches your heart!

A Bookish January Update

"Small victories are better than none." – Neal Shusterman

Hello, Readers! 

Here we are in February, one month of 2022 already come and gone. It's strange to think that one month ago, I told you all that I had big plans for this year and a goal of starting strong in a month of free time. In an effort to keep myself accountable, I made my hopes clear and now it's time to pay up! 

I've learned, planned, written, and read a lot more than I have before, which was incredibly refreshing and served as a stark reminder of my passion for all things books. It was hard to keep to the discipline I set, but it paid off tenfold in the excitement and momentum I gained. If you've set lofty intentions for your year or have a particular achievement you're pursuing, let me just say now– the work is hard, but the work is well worth it (I am using this post as a way to remind myself when the journey gets even harder)!

Let's start off with a recap of the books I read this month:

Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller

Celtic Mythology: Tales of Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes by Philip Freeman 

Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo

The Bridge Kingdom by Danielle L. Jensen 

Winterkeep by Kristin Cashore 

The Knights of the Cornerstone by James P. Blaylock 

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo 

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo 

I managed to pull through and knock 8 titles off of my initial 100, which feels good to accomplish and also fueled my imagination a great deal. Though I can't remember who it is that said this, it was once noted that the best way to learn how to write is to read, read, read. I think I have the incredible authors above to thank for the amount I was able to accomplish in the last 31 days. I am lucky enough to be following in the footsteps of the minds who shaped my passions and showed me that my dreams are possible. 

All of these books were excellent reads and I recommend you give them a try! It's clearly been a month dominated by the magical Leigh Bardugo and I know February will look much the same as I step deeper into the Grishaverse. Do you have a favorite book you've read this month? 

Beyond the satisfying experience of being an obsessive reader again, I was also able to make a sizable dent in my WIP. I did a lot of world building, researching, and map drawing, building what I like to call my "book bible." It is a growing list of important characters, places, cultural institutions, magic systems, legends, and chapter outlines that are the absolute truth of the world I'm creating. Creating something from nothing is challenging to say the least, but working on all of this planning has helped me fill in some gaps that otherwise would have remained frighteningly empty. One of my friends who is gifted in art and graphic design was even so kind as to do a little work on the computer for me and now I have a full color map and portrait of my two MC's. It made me a cry a little to see them outside of my brain and brought to life beyond the page! 

I also managed to add approximately 60-70 pages (approximate because my additions were scattered), which places me a little beyond the halfway mark. Among the chapters that I worked on was the final chapter, which I stayed up till the most ungodly hours to write. But what can I say– when inspiration calls, you have to pick up! It made me weep at the computer, but it blew my mind to see the end point and what I am continually drawing my MC's closer to. One of my favorite scenes was a sweet, fluffy one I wrote as a reward for the emotional turmoil I put my cast through. I hope they accept it as my apology! It was honestly one of my favorites of the whole book so far and gives me the warm fuzzies. I'll give a few no context spoilers for you so you get the gist: midnight, a mostly empty library, a mini readathon, and a moment of vulnerability. Oh, and the alphabet. I'll bet that definitely clears things up– ha! 

To keep active and make things interesting, I tried to write in different places every time. I was in my room, the living room, and then eventually the public library. I sat myself down so I faced the Teen/Young Adult section, letting myself think of the day I have a book amongst those shelves. That thought and the absolute silence of the establishment keeps me on task and feeling like a bonafide author. I highly recommend taking advantage of your local library for the same purpose! 

Looking back at my month and how I did with the goals I have, I feel rather proud of my work. It was definitely filled with persistence, late nights, random spurts of plotting clarity, pacing and reading, and looking silly with my Writing Scarf around my neck (which is a Hufflepuff scarf, for those who aren't familiar with my trusty sidekick). Even though I had intended to spend it in more dance oriented ways to start off, I can see that my sudden wealth of free time was a blessing in disguise. It allowed me to return to the characters that have been screaming at me to keep their story turning and not let their lives lay fallow. I am so glad I did because now, just like when I started the first chapter, I can't get them out of my head. It brings me hope that one day other people won't be able to stop thinking about them. 

This isn't to say that I was the perfect image of productivity, though. There were days when I read but didn't write or write but didn't read. Some days I binge read and others, I read for only an hour. The same went for my time at the computer as words came easy some nights and others I was forcing them out. I learned a lot about being easy on myself through the ups and downs, but it's a journey. If the characters I write about aren't perfect, why should I have to be? I'll take my small victories when I can and push on. 

My bookish pastimes continue on as the year does and I am excited to continue my work on my WIP in my capstone class and in a few months, might very well finish a first draft and be able to share that in an exciting monthly update. What a dream! 

Wherever you are all in your writing and reading endeavors, I wish you energy and enthusiasm! And if you don't have that right now, just know– it doesn't make you less of a writer or a reader. It simply means you're in a book rut or have writer's block. And those moments don't last forever! So don't lose hope and let each new day bring a chance to start anew– a fresh page in your current chapter. 

This post is much longer than my usual, but I hope you can either relate to this chapter of Life in Longhand or took a little something for your own yearly goals. I believe in you! Your story will be told. 

An Ode to Twitter: #WritingCommunity

 

Hello, Readers! 

I have a confession to make– until October I didn't have a Twitter, nor had I ever been on the app at all. After hearing how it was full of drama, conflict, and all of the exciting side effects of people dumping their emotions out on the internet, I decided that it simply wasn't for me. I like to keep it simple! 

Cut to around October, when I suddenly woke up with a boost of motivation to set myself up for success in the writing world. I researched and researched, coming first to the conclusion that it was time to revive the blog– hello! Here we are!– and then reading up on the best social media for writers. There has to be one, surely, that best fosters an environment suitable for learning and connecting with other likeminded individuals. When the results all came up "Twitter," I knew it was time to steel myself and jump right in. 

Having been active on there for around three months now, I can say with certainty that though Twitter can indeed be full of drama, it also hosts a supportive and kind writing community. No matter at what point in the day I start to scroll, I see no less than five #writerslifts (threads dedicated to following along with and championing each others achievements)! If someone posts about how they are discouraged with their journey and don't know whether it's worth it to keep working towards getting published, writers of all genres who may have never viewed that person's content before jump to the comments, smothering them in encouragement and sweet words. And the opportunity to follow published authors who have already established a presence in the publishing and Twitter world is too good to pass up! Many of them are apt to interact with followers as well; I can't tell you the joy it brought me to see that Jennifer Nielsen has twice read and interacted with what I've been up to online! 

Though it can also be distracting– which I'll admit, it has at times kept my attention during my writing hours– it has the undeniable benefit of being a place that is full of people with a heart for the same things as yourself. I was thinking about the loneliness of writing the other day and how rare it is to meet people in real life that you can honestly relate to in literary career pursuits. No matter what raw emotion or experience you might share regarding storytelling, at least one person on Twitter will interact, telling you they understand exactly what you mean and are glad you shared. Regardless of how personal your revelations are, that is an affirming feeling to have! 

If you are a writer and are looking to get in touch with the social media side of being an aspiring author, there is no better place to go than Twitter. It might be because we are all better with our words than pictures or it's a quick way of putting ourselves out there, but whatever the reason, it's worth giving it a shot. 

Though I certainly can't claim to know everything there is to know about being a writer on Twitter, I have learned about a few of the hashtags that are most active and useful to follow/use to see the content you want: #amwriting, #amwriting______ (insert genre here), #WritingCommunity, #Writerscafe, #writing, #writerslift, and #writers. If you're looking to join BookTwitter as well (think Booktok): #booktwt, #amreading, #ReadingCommunity, #readingforpleasure. 

And if you happen to be looking for me on there, you can find me at @marissacwrites! I try to post encouraging thoughts, interesting questions, relatable writing content, current reads, and blog updates. I hope we meet on there soon! If Life in Longhand sent you, let me know! 

Wherever you choose to connect, I wish you a joyful and supportive community that rallies around you and pushes you toward your fullest potential. 

Let Life Fuel Your Writing

           

Hello, Readers!

What a rollercoaster life is, huh? As I've been reminded recently, it definitely is. A dance performance (it's true! I have a life away from the keyboard!) I was really looking forward to being a part of this month has just been canceled, leaving me with copious amounts of free time on my hands. I was already going to be running wild with a more open schedule than I'm used to, but now when I look at my calendar, I see a bunch of blank squares. 

When talking to my dad about the situation, he asked me what I was going to do now that I have so much free time. I answered instantly that I'd probably write even more than I'd planned to, to which he remarked that I probably haven't had the availability to do so in a while– scratch that, in ages. 

He's right! When I call to mind the last time I could write as much as my little heart desired, I was in late elementary and middle school, using my summers and lazy weekends to create some new, far fetched tale. As soon as my eyes opened, I'd race to the dining room and open up my computer, delayed my breakfast for as long as it took to finish my new, ingenious idea. At night, I'd lay awake ruminating over the next scene or a new character so that when I jumped out of bed with the sun– well, I was never an early bird, so maybe a little bit after the sun– and get to typing so I didn't forget it. 

Those early writing days were sweet and long before high school business, college preparation, and college itself took over my life. Though I was funneling my focus into other interests that excited and energized me, it took away the 9, 10, 11, 12, and even 13 year old motivation I had to do what I loved the most. I simply had to write, and I had all the time in the world, so that is exactly what I did. 

Writing is now not only my most heartfelt passion, but career I'm intending to launch into when I graduate this year. It's remained to me a necessary act, one that my soul needs, but now also one my wallet secretly wishes will fill it. Ha! And when else will I have the space, the empty days, and the time to myself to lean into my novel as I did when all I wanted to make the weird dream I'd had the night before and the character-developing-conversation I'd conjured into the start of an intriguing story? Will it be when the school year starts and I have homework, job applications, and graduation to worry about? Or will it be this blessedly free month in which I get to return to my old self? 

The answers are: never, no, and yes! And though I wish that disappointments and cancelled opportunities weren't the reason for this new schedule, I can't help but thank fate for how I now get to benefit from it. Each closed door means the opening of a new one and even disappointment can breed new opportunity. In this case, it means that I have a few more weeks to be a writer and a writer only. To return to my roots and create, living in the world that only exists inside of my head– at least, for the moment. 

When life happens, whether good or bad, it actually provides the fuel for us writers to reflect it onto the page, capturing our human emotions and experiences into our characters. At the most simple, it's an outlet for our feelings and a comfort in the form of our greatest love. So when the world lets you down, create your own and dive into it, escaping into something all your own. And whatever you do, don't let it drive you away from the page or discourage you. Push on, finding new discipline and new life in the words that pour out of you. 

Maybe like me, you could use a reminder of where you started and why writing called to you. Imagine that younger you, jumping up and down with glee at the thought that they have the power within them to make something from nothing. And when you can't help but smile with them, let them lead you back to your keyboard.