The long answer to the question, “How’s your book coming along?”
In November 2021, National Novel Writing Month, I started writing a fantasy novel. I never planned on writing fantasy, since I read romance the most. But I had some ideas and questions rattling around my head demanding to be explored. None of the fantasy that I was reading, and still loving, were answering them.
Such as: I wondered what being immortal was really like, especially in a family of other powerful beings. What would happen if someone in the family didn’t have magic powers like everyone else? (This was before Encanto, lol.) What is it like to live in a magical kingdom after the “Big Bad” guy has been vanquished by your parents? Is everything happily ever after?
I had also just seen a production of Shakespeare’s “Cymbeline” at the Utah Shakespeare Festival. I’d seen the play years before, but this particular production hit me in a whole new way. The play’s titular character isn’t all that interesting; to me, the princess Imogen has a much more compelling story. It’s really her story; she has so much at stake. (I’ll probably write more about this later.)
Anyway, I decided to loosely reimagine Cymbeline in a fantasy, world-jumping setting. Writing it was a blast; it was one of the most successful NaNos I’d ever done, even though that’s not saying to much. Writing 50k words in a month is like giving birth. It may have a nice outcome, but one would hardly ever call it “easy.”
After NaNoWriMo finished, I kept going until the story was complete – about 100k words. I didn’t have much writing time because I was working full time and still being a parent. Then, a few months later, I was laid off. I decided to take a leap and really try writing for real. (I have a very supportive partner who just received a raise at his job, which made this possible.)
I did a self-edit on draft one. If I’ve ever edited your writing and you think I’m harsh, you ought to see how I edit myself. I am so brutal with my own work. I love editing, though, and this part of the process was cleansing, actually. My first draft was so rough, I really just wanted to get something on paper.
Now I’m working on my second draft of this project, implementing all the changes from my self-edit. I’m about 40% through.
Most of the time I love this story with all I am. Many times, I’m filled with so much insecurity and self-doubt that I want to give up. I’m just grateful I have the opportunity to finally devote time and space to writing, something that’s always been a part of me.
So that’s all for now! I’ll let you know if and when anything else interesting happens.
Meg Loves Words 