Know the Novel – Part Two: Within the WIP (2022 edition)!

I’m finally doing Part Two of this fabulous writers’ linkup Christine Smith put together, called Know the Novel! Basically, writers get to share all about the current story they’re writing, how it’s going, and answer all these fun questions. Yeah, it’s epic. (Seriously, thank you SO much, Christine, for hosting the linkup! It’s an amazing motivator in and of itself!) To catch up on what I’ve shared so far about my WIP (work-in-progress), you can read this and this!

Now, I’m ready to dive in, so let’s go!

THE QUESTIONS!

1. How’s the writing going overall?

*sighs and thinks* At the moment, not well. I’m dying to get to the midpoint plot point, but I think I’m intimidated by it. Which shouldn’t be the case, since it’s the sequence I’ve had most ideas for and have source material pre-written for it. I just gotta break past that fear and dive into it. (Since it’s so pivotal, I have doubts as to exactly how I should go about it.)

But the good news is twofold: today I decided how to begin writing that sequence. (PRAISE GOD!)

And secondly, to answer the real question, overall, writing has gone very well. I met my goal of 30 pages and have exceeded that, and I’m at page 277, and I’m getting a firmer grasp on the characters, and I really know who they are.

Not to mention my biggest problem is having far too many ideas rather than far too few. So I really don’t have much to complain about.

2. What’s been the most fun aspect about writing this novel so far?

Oh goodness. That’s hard. Let’s see…the characters, I suppose. Their dialogue and all that. The arguments. *chuckles to self* Arguments are FUN, guys. Also the sweet romantic moments.

3. What do you think of your characters at this point? Who’s your favorite to write about?

I love them. SO MUCH. Even a certain boy who’s not behaving himself. *glares at Gillory’s brother* My favorite to write about is Ean, I guess, but maybe that’s not true because whenever I write in his POV, it’s positively depressing. (I’m working on that. In edits, he’s getting more well-rounded scenes that show the bad AND the good in his life. Which does exist.)

I think the most fun scenes are in Gillory’s POV, though. She has some wit and zest to her that I really like and have been discovering lately. And her reactions just make me smile. She doesn’t necessarily mean to be funny, but sometimes she is. 😀

4. Has your novel surprised you in any way?

Definitely. Not so much so in the month of November, though, as it has at earlier times. But still. There’s been a really powerful scene that completely surprised me. The kind of scene I really can’t claim to have written myself. That was all God. (I’m not saying HOW it was written was so incredible, per se, because it needs editing just like everything else, but what happens in the scene.)

5. Have you come across any problem areas?

*chuckles*

Almost every area has been a problem area at one point or another. Really, this quote is SO. TRUE:

“A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.”

–Thomas Mann

Tell me you relate. 😂

I’ve gotten stuck at every turn, but the biggest problem areas have been a certain argument, backstories, and the midpoint plot point. (With all the trouble it’s given me, it had better pay off.)

Although you know what, some stories aren’t meant to be written in an entire month. Sometimes they need time to breathe to fully reach what they’re meant to be. This is a bit of a harder book for me to write in terms of the spiritual messages; as passionate as I am about them, I still am wrapping my mind around those themes myself. So I think, honestly, it’s okay that it’s taking a while. It’s not, by any means, the sort of book that should be rushed to finish.

But I do that that by working on it as much as I can each day, I can finish the first draft by December 2023, if the Lord wills it.

We’ll see.

6. What’s been your biggest victory with writing this novel at this point?

Adding thirty more pages. Reaching 113,380 words overall. Just the scope of the project, I guess. It’s satisfying, knowing that it’ll be a legit NOVEL, you know?

7. If you were transported into your novel and became any one of the characters, which one do you think you’d be? Would you take any different actions than they have?

Ahhhh such a fun question!! I would absolutely be Gillory. We’re more similar than not. Even out of all the characters I have so far (at least, those which I’ve developed well), I’m most similar to her.

Now, would I take any different actions?

I’d like to say I’d be more responsible and aware of my limitations…but I probably would take most of the actions she has.

Not sure what to think about that.

It’s probably not a good thing. (Sorry, Gil. <333)

8. Give us the first sentence or paragraph then 2 (or 3!) more favorite snippets!

STAHP!!! Look, I’ve had a lot of second thoughts about the first chapter, sooo it is likely to change. (I’ve already revamped it. And yes, that is the correct word for it.) As of now, this is the first sentence, followed by random snippets.

First Sentence

Gillory wrapped her hands around her white pewter mug and stared at the rain-slickened window, humming Beethoven’s Sonata Pathétique.

Favorite Snippets

“I’m not afraid.”

“You should be. You think he wants to come home to the inviting smell of burnt bread and a charred dessert?”

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She was about to reel in the conversation to pray before eating, when Justin arched a eyebrow wisely, a roguish glint in his eyes. “Well, I wouldn’t say that.”

Gillory frowned, eyes narrowing. “And what is that supposed to mean?”

“What does it sound like?”

That boy.

Forget about him being grownup. He was just as much of a child as ever.

Which only proved her point.

She dismissed him for the time being with a shake of her napkin to signal a topic change. “Let’s pray, before our food grows cold. Do the honors, if you dare.”

“With pleasure.”

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Gillory’s heartbeat tripped at the intensity of his gaze, probing into her soul, unguarded enough to reveal a war waging inside him. A debate that, apparently, could only be solved with something in her irises. 

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 “One night’s rest doesn’t make everything alright.”

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If it will steal those shadows from your eyes. If it will make you smile again. If it will replace your memories with new and happy ones. If somehow, I can be worthy.

9. Share an interesting tidbit about the writing process so far! (For example: Have you made any hilarious typos? Derailed from your outline? Killed off a character? Changed projects entirely? Anything you want to share!)

Oh my, I’ve had some crazy typos. Lemme see if I can remember any. One was “She killed herself” instead of “She stilled herself.” 😬

Another interesting tidbit is that sometimes, my sister reads what I’ve written so far and she types up a bit more to finish the scene, usually just for fun. Sometimes it just makes me laugh, but once I actually saved much of what she’d written and used it to continue the scene.

I also talk aloud to myself as if I’m the writing coach/mentor for myself. I’ll be like: “So, whatever you do, make sure that Gillory is making as many choices as she can that get her into trouble. The disaster needs to be completely her fault. Even if it’s subtle, you need to be able to have her look back and see how every choice she made was only digging the pit deeper for herself. She has to be able to see how it’s all her fault. Okay? I’m sorry, Gil, but that’s how it needs to be. Even for that midpoint where it doesn’t seem like it’s her fault…IT IS. None of that would’ve happened if she hadn’t made those choices based on her fear and misbelief. That will only make the moment of truth all the more powerful and meaningful, because she’s able to look back, see how she messed everything up, and finally make the right decision. Which is going to be hard for her, but…”

And so on and so forth.

Any of you writers do that too?

10. Take us on a tour of what a normal writing day for this novel looks like. Where do you write? What time of day? Alone or with others? Is a lot of coffee (or some other drink) consumed? Do you light candles? Play music? Get distracted by social media (*cough, cough*)? Tell all!

Every day is different. It’s tricky cause I have to fit it around schoolwork, chores, and other obligations (including this here blog of mine). But, if I have any “luck,” it goes something like this.

• WHERE I WRITE: at my desk, in our schoolroom. I side sideways in my chair (don’t ask why) and type away at my laptop. However, if I’m awfully stuck but still want to keep writing, I grab a clipboard and notebook paper and scribble away outside or on my bed.
• WHEN I WRITE: afternoon, often at 2:00 pm. I tend to finish up at 4:00, and sadly that’s usually when I’m really on a roll and can keep typing for hours longer. The reason I stop is because it’s chore time. *chuckles* *also realizes it’s a good thing for me to have a break* (I do wish I could try writing in the morning or nighttime, but alas, life doth protest.)
• HOW I WRITE: technically, never alone because there’s usually one or more people in the room. But I just block out the world (easier than it sounds) and pull up my Google Doc, and join or start a writing sprint somewhere. Then, I turn on my “Music Gillory Would Listen To” playlist (or another Gillory playlist. Or even Christmas music!) and some YouTube ambience that fits the mood. All set up, I pray, then reread the last paragraphs I wrote and start typing.
• DISCLAIMERS: I don’t eat any snacks or have any drinks, and if I’ve set everything up the right way, I don’t let myself get distracted by social media UNLESS it’s something like chatting on the KDWC sprints page. That, who can resist? 😜

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Do you have snacks or drinks while you’re writing, or am I the odd one out? What’s the biggest curveball your WIP has thrown at you? Do you talk aloud to yourself a lot? If you’ve written and finished a novel before, how long did it take you? Do you have fun writing or reading arguments, or do they stress you out? Which snippet intrigued you most? What’s the funniest typo you’ve made recently?