Wait, what are Writing Logs?
In this post, we wanted to introduce something new---Writing Logs, which will, in short, be accounts of what we have accomplished in our writing journeys, as well as what we are currently working on. However, we intend to focus more on the process rather than the content of what we are writing, in order to give you all a chance to see how we meet our goals and avoid long periods of not being able to write anything. For example, we plan to talk about how much time we spent on editing, if we are querying any agents at the moment, etc. just so you can all get a feel of what it's like to be in the process of trying to get one of your manuscripts published. We would also love to hear feedback from you regarding what you're currently working on, what you think of the blog so far, and what you think we should post next!
Writing Log #1
I'm sure everyone has felt like this summer has been different from the rest. Normally, I
would have been visiting my friends and family who live in different cities, but instead, I had to make the most out of this summer while being at home.
I have to say, though, things turned out pretty well, since I managed to achieve a major writing goal, and am proud to share said accomplishments with all of you. Since November of 2019, I've been working on my latest manuscript, The Grand. For approximately two months---from the end of November to the end of January---I worked on the first draft, and from then until now, I've been working on carefully editing it.
Of course, there were periods where I worked on other pieces of writing during the past seven months (end of January to end of August), but during the two and a half months of summer break, it has been all about editing The Grand. Of course, this meant editing for content, editing for grammar and punctuation, and taking notes from beta readers who offered me suggestions on what to change. But during those seven months, I ended up reading the book cover-to-cover a total of seven times.
What Did I Learn?
Now, this doesn't mean that you should read your manuscript seven times before you decide to send it out to agents and publishers---in fact, it is often suggested that you read your manuscript at least three times before you send it out---but in my particular case, I found these re-reads essential. And this was only because I finally chose to listen to that nagging voice inside my head.
When I finished the original draft in January, I was not entirely satisfied with the ending. I knew it was adequate, though, and so I try decide to change it until about a month ago, when I finally realized that the time for being lazy was over. And this was this realization that helped me to understand something fundamental: if you feel unsure about something in your writing, if you feel like you should change it, then don't hesitate. That voice inside your head is probably right. You should always be 100% satisfied with your work before you send it out.
However, it is also important to note that you should, at some point, consider yourself satisfied, since otherwise, you might be re-reading your work for all eternity (since every time, it is highly likely that you will want to change a word). You also might notice that the wow factor might not be apparent during your third edit, or fourth edit, or seventh edit, simply because you're used to reading your book so many times, and are therefore used to the plot. But remember that a reader's experience will be entirely different, simply because they have no idea what will happen next. Which is precisely what brings us to my next point.
Read like a reader. Snuggling up with a good book is one of my favourite activities, but now, especially during these periods of intense editing, it has also become a learning process. I pay close attention to the techniques of the author, and when I find myself unsatisfied with certain elements of a book, I take mental note of it. Was it immersive? Did I want to continue reading? Did I grow bored at some points? These are questions you ask yourself when you're supposed to be entertained by something---it's like when you come out of the movie theatre and your friend asks you, "What did you think?" and then you spend the whole car ride home discussing the likes and dislikes of said movie. Even if you've enjoyed something, let yourself acknowledge what you did not enjoy. And when you're editing your book, put all the biases of you being the author aside---critique it like you would if you had paid $20 for a hardcover copy and are reading it for the first time, without any idea of whether or not it will be good.
To summarize, do not let yourself get consumed by arrogance---do not disregard the truth that there is always room to improve your writing, always room to grow, and always room to learn. Your craft can never be perfected. This is exactly what I failed to understand when I was younger, since I thought that completing a manuscript was reward in itself enough. I thought I was an anomaly, being so young and full of passion. But the truth is, I was not a master then, and I am not a master now. Remember that it is okay to hit roadblocks, to receive rejections, to have to take time away from your manuscript in order to work on something else. This is all part of life. But most importantly of all, you must get back up---you must keep persisting if you want to be rewarded.
This does not mean, of course, that I think unpublished writing is not rewarding. I truly believe that effort and passion is ultimately what leads to success, which is precisely why you should be proud of yourself. So, understand both these things---you are amazing and talented, but you also have room to learn and grow. Do not be afraid to take risks. Pay attention to your inner voice. And always remember to give yourself credit for what you've accomplished.
Another skill that I picked up during the editing of The Grand was cutting scenes that did not actually contribute to the plot as much as the other scenes did, and were therefore a good idea to remove. Since the word count of the manuscript was approximately 107,000 words, I realized that that might have been too long for debut young adult fantasy novel (since agents are sometimes not willing to read something that lengthy), and knew that I would have to get it down to at least 100,000 words before I began to query. This meant that I had to consider whether every scene contributed something to the plot. And although it can be hard to let go of scenes sometimes---especially if those scenes are beautifully written---I truly believe that it pays off in the end. This allows for a much cleaner, much more concise manuscript. Now, my word count sits at approximately 96,500 words, meaning that I even managed to cut out more than I originally planned. From there, it was just a matter of smoothing out the edges to make sure that everything still flowed nicely.
The last thing that I learned, both in the process of writing this book and during editing, is that you should always, always write truth. Write from the heart, and not just for the sake of pleasing an audience. Write the emotions that are swirling inside of your head---do not be afraid to hold back, because these truths will be seen in your characters, and they will make your characters come alive. They will inspire people. And writing is all about inspiring, about conveying an important message to the world. When you choose not to filter your words, but instead write what comes to mind, and what comes to heart, your writing becomes that much more authentic.
In short, I learned a great deal during the process of editing The Grand. Before, I was learning how to finish a manuscript---how to fill the pages, how to come up with plot and ideas---but now, I've learned how to perfect my work, how to remove unwanted scenes, how to make sure everything fits together and has a purpose within the story. Of course, there are still many things I still have to learn, but all in all, I feel much more knowledgeable than before. In that sense, this summer was by no means lacking.
~ Ayishah