I Wrote A Novel... Now What?

Truly wild that I actually finished it!

Over the last two years, I finally (major emphasis on that word) finished the novel I have been kicking around in my head for the better part of a decade. A whole ass decade!!

I largely have the pandemic to thank (really weird to thank such a horrible thing, lol) for getting it off the ground. When I started working from home permanently on March 13, 2020, I suddenly had more time in the day and didn’t feel so burned out by the time work was over. This, and I cannot stress this next part enough, I ACTUALLY SAT DOWN AND WROTE.

“I hate writing, I love having written.”
― Dorothy Parker

There’s a lot of joking about being a writer, how a lot of us dream about writing but don’t actually put words on the page beyond journaling and brainstorming ideas for future pieces of work. I read a lot about writing as a craft and work on honing my skills privately. I talk with other writers about their process and share mine. But sitting down, having some dedicated time to put words on the page and craft a story has always been a major struggle for me. Partly because of my full time job, partly because I didn’t manage my time well, and partly because I had difficulty striking while the iron is hot, so to speak. I would get an idea right as I started to fall asleep, or while I was in a meeting.

How did I fix this? Well okay, “fix” is a strong word. It’s a work in progress and always will be, but I started small: I created a note on my phone to capture my “raw ideas.”

Seriously, it was that simple. If my eyes were heavy and I was seconds from falling asleep, I could grab my phone and jot down my idea. In a meeting, I could quickly write something on a post-it or my notebook and add it to my phone after the meeting. Now that I work remotely, I can just keep the app open on my laptop. Game changing! And it works for me. It may not work for others.

What I finally learned (and now, I put in practice) about writing processes is that… everyone’s is different. We have to put in the effort into figuring out what best serves our own process. I can read all the advice in the world about writing process and honing my own craft but if I don’t find what works best for me, I don’t stand a chance. And ultimately, it will hold me back as a writer.

Back in 2020, I was taking Margaret Atwood’s Masterclass on creative writing and she said something in one of the lessons that really resonated. I won’t directly quote her, but her direction was very, very simple: get the core story written and develop it further once that’s done.

When I heard her say that I shouldn’t focus on developing my sentences into a more prose-like state, or add detailed imagery until the core story was complete… it made so much sense to me. I realized that is what was holding me back: trying to craft beautiful sentences and editing as I go… it doesn’t work for me.

So I took her advice to heart and put into my practice.

I wrote draft one in the matter of two months and was done with that in July of 2021. It was 20-25,000 words. The core story was finally sketched out, one paragraph at a time for the scenes I wanted to develop later. I was happy with where it was going.

Then, draft number two was born: I took that first draft and followed it closely, started developing the characters, provided more detail, wrote dialogue… and changed some things to tighten the plot. But I focused mostly on getting the story out. I finished draft two at the beginning of June in 2022!

My intent was to finish draft two, print it out, and begin the editing/revising process. Seeing the pages in a stack on my kitchen table made my heart flutter.

Like, I fucking did it. I actually did it!!

And, I got through revising within six weeks and started draft number three. And I finished that draft within another six weeks and sent it off to my three beta readers. These women I trust completely to give me unbiased and honest AF feedback. Imagine my delight when two of the three already told me, separately, that they were “loving it.”

Cue: happy tears. 🥹

So, the question is… now what?

I incorporate their feedback. AHHH!

Two of my three readers are finished and have provided notes. When I first asked them to be my readers, I gave them a list of questions and urged them to share their honest thoughts. I trust them to not sugar coat anything; I need to know what I can cut, where I need to develop more, what doesn’t make sense, if there are plot holes or inconsistencies, etc… and they did not disappoint. I received fantastic, comprehensive feedback from the two and I will be diving into that soon. I’m ready to refine and get to the finish line!

Okay, so now what? To be honest, I’m not entirely sure. I could query literary agents and shop my book in a traditional publishing manner. I could self-publish, which is enticing but also scary because I would be responsible for marketing and I don’t know if I have time (or reach) for all of that. OR… I could turn it into a fiction podcast. Bleeding edge shit, right there! It’s a viable option, but I won’t lie — the idea of sitting down and reading this entire book out loud (or turning it into a screenplay/script for that medium) intimidates me.

I’m not exactly sure what I’m going to do from here, but once I figure it out, you’ll be one of the first to know. Stay tuned — I’ll post a synopsis of the story once things are moving again to drum up excitement. The fact is… I can’t wait to share it with the world. Maybe by this time next year, you will be gifting my book to yourself, and/or friends and family… and my second novel will be almost done. A girl has to dream!