NaNoWriMo Wrap-up: Know the Novel: Part 3: It is Written

 

Hello!

 Gosh. I just realized that December 2020 is almost through and I haven't quite gotten around to this post yet, so here we are. This is the "Know the Novel" wrap-up post completing the link-up that I've participated in the past three months with Christine Smith. Since I've procrastinated long enough, I'm just going to dive into the post. Here we go.

1. Firstly, how did writing this novel go all around?

A:  Writing went really well! I actually wrote more this past month than I have for the past three months, busy school schedule and all. Weird, but I think my brain likes the pressure of a deadline.

2. Did it turn out like you expected or completely different? And how do you feel about the outcome?

A:  No... Of course not. My brain took my plot and ran amuck. It's been very inconsiderate. Yes. I had a plot. Shocking, I know. 

 Well, considering I still have about two to three chapters left, I feel pretty good about the outcome, but there are still things to fix because characters decided to reveal new things to me AFTER I had written certain parts.

Obviously, I still love my characters, but they need to learn how to cooperate with my plot. 

 

3. What aspect of the story did you love writing about the most? (Characters, plot, setting, prose, etc.)

A: I actually enjoyed writing a mix of characters and prose. I really got to dive further into character development and found out new things about my character this round of editing/rewrites and the prose is a MILLION times better than that horrible first draft. *hides first draft under a rug* 

4. How about your least favorite part?

A: I don't if I had a least favorite part? I actually enjoyed the whole thing. I looked forward to writing every day. 

5. What do you feel like needs the most work?

A: Now that I've got things mostly the way I want them, I need to go back in and layer setting description, tweak dialogue and add more foreshadowing. The thing about rewriting/editing, is that you notice the areas that really need more work.

6.  How do you feel about your characters now? Who's your favorite? Least favorite? Anyone surprise you? Give us all the details!

A:  I'm not going to lie. I love my characters. ALL of them. And asking me to pick favorites? Tsk, tsk, tsk. Naughty question. I'm going to be on someone's "wanted list".  

Okay. I can do this. Breathe.... Um... Favorite... Fine. In the interest of fairness, I will NOT pick a main character. 

• My favorite side-character has to be Queen Eliena. She's sweet, caring and basically the ideal best friend. She takes the time to learn everyone's name from her ward, Sybil to her maid, Araluen and everyone in between. Despite her rank, she treats people as equals. She's always there to give advice or give a desperately needed hug. 

• Least favorite side-character? Linna. I can't say too much because of spoilers, but I do not like her. At all. 

• The character who most surprised me? Healer Dask. Dask is my villain's healer, and he is just over her nonsense. There was a point where my villain was kissing her husband and forgot that Dask was in the room and he was just like: "ew. Can you just not?" He's relatively new to the story, but he's quickly becoming one of my favorites.

7. What's your next plan of action with this novel?

A: Well, I got to finish this draft and then I'm going back in and adding more setting description and foreshadowing, tweaking the dialogue and then HOPEFULLY, I'll be able to send this to a developmental editor by no later than March 2021. 

8. If you could have your greatest dream realized for this novel, what would it be?

A: I'd actually just like to get it published. Maybe that dream seems small compared to like, maybe getting a movie made from it, but writing a book that everyone could read has been my dream since I was six. 

9. Share some of your favorite snippets.

A: Let me see if I can find three non-spoilery snippets.

• Here's one from Sybil's POV.

["I can’t have you go outside with a grimace like that. You’ll frighten the neighbors.”

Sybil sighed. “You don’t have any neighbors, Arika.” She sat down in one of the empty chairs. Might as well. Arika wasn’t going to let her leave.

Arika poured a couple cups of tea and handed one to Sybil. “You see what I mean?” She winked. “Now sip it; it’s hot enough to burn a hole in your tongue.”]

• Here's one from Sabrina's POV.

[Sabrina sprinted after him. The night-thief, murderer, or whatever he was, led her through the winding streets of Saiena. The streets were empty. She cast a quick upward glance at the towering buildings that leaned over the streets. The windows in this part of town were dark, like empty eye sockets leering down on the streets below.

 The road began to rise upward. Sabrina made good use of the dark streets and ran after the figure like a fleeting shadow herself.]

• This one is from Serena's POV with Healer Dask.

[Dask looked up to the ceiling. He muttered under his breath and returned his eyes toward her. “Revenge is never one-sided, Milady. Whether you mean to or not, Liana will get caught up in this. It will affect her. Whether negatively or positively, I cannot say.”

 Serena lifted her chin. “If you cannot say, then do not say at all. Everything will work out and Liana will be stronger for it.”]

• And here is a quote graphic. I shared it on Instagram this past week, so if you follow me on there, you might recognize it. 

10. Did you glean any new writing and/ or life lessons from writing this novel?

A: So, as far as writing, I learned that my brain is determined to add new things, even here at the third draft. 

•  Life-wise, I've learned that it's okay to be cautious, but fear should not stop you from living life. Which is important to me because too often fear of the future stops me from living in the here and now.
•  Another life-lesson I learned was that our actions never just affect ourselves. Our actions affect the lives of the people around us as well. 

Well, that's a wrap!

(Excuse my weird humor. I love puns, in case you couldn't tell.)

Thank you for sticking around and reading my posts. I appreciate you.

I'll be back later this month for one more post in which I reveal my "Top Five Reads of 2020". 

Have a Merry Christmas! Talk to you all soon.

- Julia Garcia / Arysta Henry