Drafting: 2

Hi everyone,

I had a very productive month. I wrote every day and completed a chapter, or a long scene, or two short scenes every day. I’m almost finished my novel. I’m on Act 3 which I will finish in December.

I should note that when I got to my midpoint, I took stock of what was in my outline going further. As I grew to know my characters more and the story better as I wrote, I realized that some things in the second half needed to change. I changed the outline while still drafting earlier chapters, knowing that due to new additions while I wrote (things I forgot to plan for), or character motivations or backstory I didn’t know while outlining, the second half didn’t quite work. For subsequent books, I’ll cement this as part of the process. After I reach the midpoint, I’ll plan a two-day break where I re-plot. It was a little stressful having the pressure to write a new chapter everyday (my own goal) when I really wanted to sit back and reevaluate. I think I’ll give myself that re-plotting space next time around.

I have been having a wonderful time on the romance course and it’s really great to be in such a supportive writing community. I’m sad to see it end. I’m definitely going to keep these connections when the course finishes. The instructor liked my romance midpoint so I’m happy because I was worried about that.

Not much else to report. I’m writing every day and clocking up the words and the chapters. The book is a little on the long side but I’m an over-writer so that isn’t news to me or surprising in any way.

When I finish this manuscript, I’ll take some weeks away from it to let it sit. It will also be Christmas and I never write from mid-December onwards to the first week in January, so I always plan for it to be a writing break. If I have any free time, I’ll read.

I’ll pick up one of my other projects that I’m revising in January. I’m going on holiday in February so I won’t work on the next draft of this manuscript until I’m back. I’ll continue to work on my other projects while away—usually I have about thirty minutes every evening to work on writing when I’m on holiday.

My take away for this month of drafting is to be prepared for my outline to change. I can’t foresee everything in the planning stage and that’s okay. Modifying my outline, including any ripple effects, is part of my process going forward now. In the future, I’ll work in some planned pause days here and there to help release any stress from a changed outline. A day here and there to give my brain a chance to take stock and re-evaluate.

I won’t post here until after my holiday in February. So Happy Holidays, everyone!

See you next year.

Happy writing,

Joanne.