A Novel for the Future
EDGE PROJECT
For this project, I set out to write a novel, or at least 50,000 words, and go through the process of editing, beta readers, and sending query letters to possible agents. I have always loved to write all of the things that I dream up. I did not get as far as I wanted to, mostly due to all of the responsibilities that I have as a full-time student and single mom.
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I got through the first step, research, easily, because I love to research names, places, people, clothes of the time, and read other books about the topic. The actual process of writing the novel was difficult and took all that I had to get it done during NaNoWriMo.
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My novel is about the joining of two nations, the Atiel and the Tirnon, by the marriage of their queen and king, but there is a plot in the works to kill the king and prevent the unification of the kingdoms from happening.
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When I am creating my characters, I look through hundreds of photos of people to find my characters. Not only do I really think about what my characters look like, I also research deeply into names and their meanings. Most of my research is scattered around in different locations and many places, but I still plan to import all of it to Scrivener so it is all in one place and I won’t have to search my computer for anything that I have found to use for my novel.
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Reflecting on the Process
The biggest challenge I face when I am writing any of my stories, is writer’s block. I am a character-driven writer versus a plot-driven writer, which means my characters tell me what is happening and going to happen rather than following a predetermined plot. This causes a lot of problems when I am trying to write, because sometimes my characters become angry with what has been happening in their life and how I am writing their story. This really makes me sound insane but ask any other author and they will say that they hear their characters’ voices in their head. It was so bad throughout that I just had to ignore the word count and just write, no editing allowed.
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Not only was it a difficult thing to do, but it was also this amazing thing that showed me more about myself than I ever thought possible. I was able to complete a novel, no matter how badly written, for the first time since I began writing them. I have yet to write another, but I have done it once, I can surely do it again.