Journey Of A Novel

Menu

Creative Process

A new way of being

Tanya V 12 February 2024

It has been months since my last post. I haven’t stopped writing in this time but I have failed to write regularly and with intention.

My progress has been hap hazard. I’ve felt lost after reaching a writing milestone for myself with having my work assessed. Life has travelled alongside my creative journey with an equal measure of unfamiliarity. I have settled into a new region, a new life, a new way of being and within that have worked at establishing connections to create some structure in my days that includes writing.

I joined a writer’s group, connected with a local writing organisation and started teaching creative writing again, and have created a rhythm in my day to day existence that includes time for writing. I have completed the 5th draft of some chapters and begun the 6th draft process. Part of this is rewriting, adding and deleting to improve the narrative; in doing this I have made chapter 1 into 2 chapters and finished redrafting chapter 3. I submitted the new draft of chapter 3 to my writer’s group for feedback today. We meet in March so I have to wait until then for their responses.

One thing that I have missed more than I expected to up to this point is journaling my journey. I have missed the solace of taking stock of where I am at, where I am going, and how far I have come. Before this practice and without this practice my creativity stalls in a frozen moment of uncertainty that seems to have more staying power than my creative ambitions.

The journey of my novel has become as valuable to me as the novel itself.

The peace of mind that I take from keeping up to date with my creativity in a structured way has inspired me to make it a project all it’s own and grow Journey of a Novel into it’s own website. To what end??? I don’t know, but it feels good. It feels right. Bottom line – It is another solid step towards commitment to my creative development.

The 4th draft

Tanya V 25 January 2023

For the past couple of months I’ve proof read, corrected basic errors, read a few books, one being Elements of Style, and researched myths. In some respects I feel at a standstill as I integrate new information and perspectives. There’s a lot to digest.

Top of the list are plot points for development that need to be rooted in the story and within the protagonist. The points are plot based but also speak to the themes so in some sections I need to better weave together happenings and imagery.

Next on the list is the style that I have written in. I am happy with it so far, there is room for more though. I need to be brave, to make my mark on the feel of the read with intention, to put myself in there as a writer. What I have written gives glimpses of a cohesiveness that I can bring together, the challenge that I’m pondering is how. This is a part of the process that I had not foreseen. I write with a vision in mind that I do my best to convey with words. The intention that I practice is for the story to add up. The shift from story alone to voice, style and feel has sent me ‘back to the drawing board’ in some respects.

As I take the next steps into the 4th draft I do so aware of writers whose styles, voices, and choices are distinct. This is not to compare to or take cues from others, only to look at the diversity of creative expression to lead me away from any limiting beliefs that I harbour unconsciously in my own creative process.

A few examples are:

A visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

The Daylight Gate by Jeanette Winterson

In reference to characters the author’s introduction includes:

‘…an invention of my own and has no basis in fact. It pleases me though…’

100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

The Good Man Jesus and the Scoundrel Christ by Philip Pullman

Valis by Philip K. Dick

The ugly lights

Tanya V 29 October 2022

The ugly lights is what my friends and I call the house lights that are turned on at the end of the night when the party is over and it’s time to get going. A ‘good night’ is when you stay as long as you can but leave before the ugly lights come on; it’s all in the timing.

I’m not confident that I can apply the same sort of timing to my writing, I think that perhaps the ugly lights have already come on and that I need to just step away from the keyboard. BUT! It doesn’t feel done to me. I’m tinkering and tweaking and walking away to give some space then returning with a sigh and a head scratch at the state of the final chapter.

A friend gave me a writing book that details the process; I skipped to the end hoping for some insight about my final chapter only to be met with an overview of the incongruousness of fiction and reality. The author talked about suspension of disbelief versus reality, and how life doesn’t have tidy endings so it can be challenging for a writer to end their story.

It was a good point and I take it.

Within the game plan that I’ve made for myself the state of this chapter is the most incomplete that I have left any chapter to date, but I am going to suck it up and move on. I promised myself at least 3 drafts so reluctantly I will move forward. In starting over from the beginning again with fresh eyes I hope to find the right ending.

The end is near

Tanya V 23 October 2022

The final chapter of the 2nd draft is almost done. Yes I’ve been dragging my feet, yes I’ve been out of my writing routine, yes I am intimidated by the idea of reaching ‘the next stage’. Completing this chapter takes me to the next step of my writing journey which is a whole new realm of the unknown.

I have plans for what’s next being to print out and read through the entire second draft with pen in hand to take notes as I go. I want to edit the bigger picture for cohesiveness of the story. My expectation is that I’ll have to better articulate themes, revisit imagery and bring together character development points. The tricky part will be to work through this without being distracted by small details that don’t really matter until I get to that point in drafting.

Writing this novel had been such a long journey that I want it to end yet cannot imagine being without it. I’m very wary of circling over the task endlessly so want to move forward progressively with an end in sight.

If all goes well my plan to write will go to plan.

So, the end is near and I’m not sure how to feel about that. With still 1000 words to write I’m not certain that I like the direction that I’m writing in, or if I’ve said all I need to say, or if I’ve done the protagonist and story justice, or if I’m ready for the end.

The next chapter

Tanya V 8 January 2022

I’ve reached the next chapter. It’s such a big statement for me to make, I’m nearing the end of the first draft, the protagonist is closer to the end of their journey, change is recognised and letting go of what was is in play. This all applies to my creative process as much as to the narrative itself. I’m reflecting on what I’ve written, what has happened and how I got from there to here with the objective now being how to tie it all together.

How do I want it to end?

At the beginning of this process I would have asked myself that question with the intention of answering it and having practical steps to follow that achieved exactly what I intended. I know better now though.

How I want it to end versus how it ends will likely be two very different things.

I’ve come to enjoy this uncertainty. I’ve come to understand that there is no point wasting valuable time in speculation, I’ve realised through practice that I can only find out what I’ll write through writing.

It all seems fairly simple and logical but previous to this documented and (mostly) regular writing process I’d taken a lot of time and effort thinking through what, how, why, etc without achieving anything but a flair for cultivating angst.

Recognising myself in this process, my anxieties, the second guessing, my failings and susceptibility to the human condition have all become a handy reference point for content development. A main point of focus for this project has always been that it is a story about anyone and everyone – a story about being human. As I’ve written through the past year I’ve come to embrace my humanness more and more relishing the insights that I’ve gained in translating the human experience by acknowledging my own.

I don’t know anything

Tanya V 9 April 2021

A new character is about to be introduced into the story. This character is one that I have been musing over for a long time. I feel like I know them, and I don’t like this character very much. Approaching this section feels like preparing to go and spend time with people that I don’t particularly like, part of me has switched off to prepare for the experience. I’m trying not to have a fixed mindset, to be open-minded, to let go of preconceived notions; it’s difficult. My response is emotional, it’s deep-seated and I just have to get over it and shake it off.

As much as I can I want to write whole characters that have depth my characters don’t always have a lot of time on the page so capturing authenticity of character when they are introduced into the story is important. People and characters don’t have to be likeable to be of value and being hard to like does not make someone a bad person. I’ll press through to let my character be who and what they will using the world around me to observe and hopefully learn from watching without expectation or judgement.

Knowing that this character is on the horizon is perhaps one reason that I’ve dragged my feet through chapter four. The more ground that I cover, the closer I am to writing this part. One thing that chronicling my creative process here has taught me though is that the angst is worse than the practise. Avoidance is based in uncertainty and I can’t be certain until I just do it. (…get over it, shake it off, just do it – I’m on fire with the catch phrases and slogans tonight…)

Writing through chapter four has progressed more. I have written another section making my way to the halfway point. The story points that I wanted to address to get to where I am in chapter four had been larger in my mind. I thought that they would take up more space on the page and in the story. The ideas that I had about this have baulked me at times when I sit and stare at the page wondering what to add, thinking to myself that surely there must be more. Then I snap out of it realising that the story is what is important not the word count, and that I’m working on a work in progress. That’s key for me to acknowledge, it’s in progress, things change, it needs room to grow, and I should proceed into the unknown to make it known.

Preconceived notions cause feet dragging. With that piece of knowledge kicking around in the front of my mind I’m going to spend the next day relaxing into a state of aware open-mindedness. I don’t know anything, I need to observe, I will allow the unexpected to occur. That’s where I want my head to be as I proceed so that I can write as much or as little as I need and also let a new character grow beyond my narrow-minded view.

Fits and Starts

Tanya V 12 February 2021

Piecing together what I have written, am writing, researching, past research, and the occasional pinch of flow is rewiring my brain. So far it’s a good thing. I certainly have lost time with the focus that I’m applying.

My story is being fleshed out and rearranged every time I pause to read what I am crafting. I stop and read aloud – yes that’s a thing if you didn’t know it, it’s a great technique for removing your focus from writer/editor mode to just listen to what is there with fresh ears. The trick is don’t stop, don’t edit, just read. To read through without disruption and truly hear the flow and narrative I read it over first to check for anything that will trip me up and steal my focus. Once I’m able to read it without being distracted by words, commas, sentence structure, narrative glitches, etc, I read aloud in one uninterrupted go.

I feel like I’m running on the spot but recognise that editing past sections I’ve written into new work is enriching the story as I continue. Some of the past sections that I’m working into the new were written years ago and it’s surprised me how much I’ve ended up pulling them apart to slot them in amongst the new words, sometimes sentence by sentence.

I use highlighting and coloured text to define new from old until I am happy that the words now live there, then I change them all to look the same as I complete each paragraph.

Working in this way has helped me keep a running check on where I’m at and how I’m progressing. At times I feel like I’m obsessing with the writing and rewriting of a sentence into place. When I make the final decisions, then reread it, I keep catching myself taking in a deep breath like I’m coming up for air. With each edit I’m secluded into a bubble of creativity where my mind travels to a place I’ve never been. Letter by letter, word after word, the place is coming into focus slowly but surely.

I’m grateful to have words that I’d written previously to work with, it’s adding life to my work to layer in my progression combining details to bring the story to life. New words are sprouting up and into place as I push forward. The trick for me it seems is to keep a straight head, focus, stay there until I’m done and give my creativity time.

The intensity causes me to get up and move away at times. I stretch, I breathe, I look at the sky, I spend time distracted by technology but in the back of my mind sits the next step. What is it? Where am I up to? Do I know where my research is for an upcoming section? Should I keep a character that I wrote in briefly a year ago or not?

Time for coffee then more writing.

Refining my how-to

Tanya V 11 February 2021

I backup my writing in 2 locations but yesterday after much writing I couldn’t open files in either location. It was a scary half hour as I rallied myself to not succumb to angry monkey mentality and begin smashing my keyboard in frustration. There were almost tears but I got a grip and pushed through mustering patience. I tried and tried again and eventually my computer cooperated restoring from the recent files on my version of MS word – who knew that MS could be helpful and not just creepy!!!

Having passed that hurdle I am moving forward now with another level of file management. I am making a separate file for each chapter to keep the content minimal. I will keep a working copy in two locations. I will breathe, take my time and always include extra time for ‘computer speed’ or downtime as some know it.

Creating a timeline for writing is not as easy as sitting down to write, even if I write by hand I still have to type it up sooner or later. Writing is never just writing. With this in mind I’ll work at breaking my time into blocks and timing my writing sessions with a minimum time frame but never maximum so I can write to my heart’s content.

I’m happy with what I have reshuffled from previously written pieces and added to so far. My work is dense with ideas behind everything for readers to be able to invest their imagination as much or as little as they like. With this in mind I know that I’ll have stops and starts to the flow of my process when I stop to check details from resources; some I’ll include, some I’ll ponder and apply with a lighter touch. My aim is not to be precise or correct. I’m not writing a historical novel, I’m not interested in being up-to-date with the latest anthropological discovery or theory, I respect but don’t follow religions so I will construct a story that works for me and to the best of my ability.

My game plan for getting the work done is to keep following the narrative and work through the story chronologically to take myself on the hero’s journey along with my protagonist. Previously I’ve written according to prompts and whatever part of the storyline the prompt inspired. I got a lot of writing done in this way but will not use all of it as I was cycling over what I had already written and found myself stuck in scenes with no clear way into the next.

I’m up to a research point so the actual writing could be minimal today as I commit the majority of my time to collecting information. Even if it’s a few sentences though I will write today to include what I research, this way I will be free to continue writing when I write next time.

Where to start

Tanya V 10 February 2021

I’m starting at the beginning.

I’ve started at the beginning of my story many times before shifting the starting point and pondering the origin story – what it is, how to tell it, where and how does it start…

Imagery is important to me, I’m a visual writer often writing what I see in my mind and doing my best to document that vision as I tell the story. Sharing what I see is my story telling method which makes me a sucker for descriptive writing. Using the images that I have in mind also makes the narrative sketchy with gaps at times and caught up with too much thought around details that I question as necessary.

With my writing to date I have created a word document where I have pasted my work in order as best I can. I’ve done three things with this file for navigating my work.

1 – I’ve pasted the writing in sections of chapters as I currently see them to cluster story parts together which makes it easier to find the story part that I’m working on to save me time and frustration when looking for ‘that bit’.

2 – I’ve colour coded each piece of writing to help define different pieces that I’ve written over time, in part this has become unnecessary as I dissect and move the pieces about editing in new writing as I go. Colour coding has and still does help me to move through the writing referencing where I am at visually with colour though.

3 – The file is now my work in progress as I continue to shuffle what I have written, add to it, and use past writing as the bones of what I am working on.

For the past few days I have chipped away at how I will tell the story with a focus on committing to a style. I want to tell this old disputed narrative that sits in the intersecting realms of fantasy, religion, history, and origin with a tone that honours all. Can I do this? I really don’t know but I am going to get lost in that idea and give it a go. This type of story has always appealed to me, I get sucked in to the awe and wonder that they embody within their telling. If a story has me questioning I know that it’s a good one, I know that I can lose myself their and revel in my imagination. To root myself in that the lost time that imagination serves up I have a saying of my own that I always come back to when considering any story that provokes me in such a way and that is:

I don’t care if a story is true, I only care if it is good

With this in mind I will attempt to capture the feeling of being lost in a story because it is good.

Paving the road

Tanya V 4 February 2021

For the past 10 years I’ve been writing a novel off and on, and now is the time to get it done.

When I couldn’t find a writing buddy to establish a writing habit with I began teaching. In each session I would write with the group mostly writing toward my novel in an unplanned way to just get it down and get it out. That worked for creating content but not for finishing the task.

Of all the writing I’ve done over the years toward this I have written approximately 20 000 words that I could use so far, of these I’ll most likely throw away up to a quarter. Writing is after all knowing which words to keep and largely about writing down words then throwing them away to craft a piece with the best that you have, much like carving a sculpture from marble. Words are the raw material, they are beautiful with qualities all their own, but we can’t use them all, some must be thrown away.

Writing toward my WIP (work in progress) in this way has not served the purpose that I hoped for; I have not finished my novel and I’ve had more than enough time to do it. What I have achieved though is a great amount of insight and experience into the value of the creative process. With this I’ve guided many budding writers toward their goal and now it’s time to heed my own advice, take my own medicine, and practice what I preach.

Listening to the words that came out as I talked story, writing and literary devices in my classes I often thought – Hey, I should do that too!

So here I am to do the work and get it done. Now rather than paving the road for others then sitting on the footpath as they pass by, I will take the journey along the road of creativity for myself, all the way to the end.

I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.

Robert Frost’s poem The Road Not Taken, 1920

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44272/the-road-not-taken