KNOW THE NOVEL PART THE SECOND: All About the Writing Process
Hello everyone! Today, I'm coming to you with Part 2 of the Know the Novel linkup by Christine Smith. It'll be answering some questions about my WIP, my progress, and how NaNo is going *flails* I'm really excited to share this with you all, so without further ado, let's jump into it!!!!!!!!
(all pics are from Pinterest and all rights to their owners. I own nothing.)
1. How’s the writing going overall?
*screams*Pretty well honestly? I'm writing this on Sunday afternoon, and I'm at 63k, 32 chapters in. So I'm making decent progress! It's nice, for sure.
2. What’s been the most fun aspect about writing this novel so far?
The fact that my main villain is finally at play in a very big and very real way, and he's DOING STUFF, y'all. He's despicable. He's so evil. But he's doing stuff and I am here for it because my characters have never seen anything like this. And their poor little minds are being blown.
3. What do you think of your characters at this point? Who’s your favorite to write about?
I still adore these characters with all my heart. My wee loves are all smol disasters but that's okay. I can forgive them for that when they're so precious xD My favorite at this point is probably, actually, my protagonist. I'm only a few chapters in, but I'm already stretching her in ways she's never had to stretch, and it's been amazing.
4. Has your novel surprised you in any way?
Not yet! I'm sure it will, but I'm outlining pretty heavily and I've been planning this book for YEARS. I'm kind of surprised by how well it's coming out, though.
5. Have you come across any problem areas?
*coughs* Can we just say...my villain is a problem area unto himself?
But beyond that, Kariana Winslet has been giving me all sorts of problems. She's supposed to be the main focus character in this story besides Esma, the protagonist, but she's failing me on that count. Her POVs are the ones where my progress stalls. She's the one who's always been easy in past books, but all the internal pain and secrets she grapples with are coming out, and not in the slow, dramatic way I was hoping for, either. She's just dumping everything on the other characters and then stabbing them. It's like...girl. Sit down right now. Behave.
But beyond that, Kariana Winslet has been giving me all sorts of problems. She's supposed to be the main focus character in this story besides Esma, the protagonist, but she's failing me on that count. Her POVs are the ones where my progress stalls. She's the one who's always been easy in past books, but all the internal pain and secrets she grapples with are coming out, and not in the slow, dramatic way I was hoping for, either. She's just dumping everything on the other characters and then stabbing them. It's like...girl. Sit down right now. Behave.
6. What’s been your biggest victory with writing this novel at this point?
My protagonist's arc is finally being completed. She's no longer the shy, scared little girl she was--now she's a bold princess who still grapples with insecurity, but is far more confident in her actions. She's hurting, a lot, and she's in a bad place in this book--but she's doing okay. She's going to survive, and she knows that now. And it's beautiful.
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?
I wouldn't want to be any of my characters, really. xD But I feel like if I were one of my characters, I'd be Cilla, a side girl who kinda wipes the floor with everyone else in terms of sheer mental abilities. But if I were her, I'd go for Derek instead of the guy she's actually with (although the two of them are adorable together and couple goals and I love them).
Not quite how I picture Cilla--she's a little darker than this--but pretty close
8. Give us the first sentence or paragraph then 2 (or 3!) more favorite snippets!
My first paragraphs:
“How does it feel to be back to just you and me again?”
He jolted upward. Truth flooded back into his mind as he awoke. The world spun, upside down and sideways and dangling him from its edge, but that truth could not be unseated and he gripped it with both hands. Cautiously he cleared his throat. It was raw, like sand, but when was that anything new? Besides, his physical condition couldn’t matter in the slightest.
And then snippets are very difficult to get and that's part of the reason why I'm only sharing one line out of context for each day on my progress posts. But here's a quick moment from a flashback that I really love:
She doesn’t remember much from those days except fire. Heat pouring through her veins, setting her ablaze, and weeping for Mama to come and take the fire away.
Then the coolness, the lack of pain, the feeling that couldn’t last but is always such bliss when it comes, accompanied by a pair of brightest blue eyes just above hers and a boy’s soothing, gentle voice: “You’re strong, Princess Esma. You’re so strong. You can get through this. Just hang on.”
He turned in the saddle to look back at her. “You know what I’m finding odd about this place?” he asked.
“What?”
“I’ve never in my life been in a place where I don’t speak a word of the language.”
Good grime. Was he serious?
“Well, now you know my pain,” she said, punching him lightly in the shoulder. He mock-winced and rubbed at the spot with a smirk before he returned to directing the horse after Kariana’s. A good thing, too—this road was twice as wide as the streets of Venaria City, and those were the widest streets she’d ever seen. And people were all but swarming on this road.
Everything here was colorful, unlike either Venaria or Misue. In Misue, everything was made of white stone; in Venaria City, things were gray and cloudy and overcast and drab. But Southlands had color and flaunted it. Cloth in every conceivable shade was decked across many of the merchant booths that lined the street. Besides that… the people! Esma had never seen so many different shades of skin, so many different colors of eyes, so many different colors of clothing, in one place. She had purple clothing at home, but none of it was as vibrant and living as these people’s.
~
He turned in the saddle to look back at her. “You know what I’m finding odd about this place?” he asked.
“What?”
“I’ve never in my life been in a place where I don’t speak a word of the language.”
Good grime. Was he serious?
“Well, now you know my pain,” she said, punching him lightly in the shoulder. He mock-winced and rubbed at the spot with a smirk before he returned to directing the horse after Kariana’s. A good thing, too—this road was twice as wide as the streets of Venaria City, and those were the widest streets she’d ever seen. And people were all but swarming on this road.
Everything here was colorful, unlike either Venaria or Misue. In Misue, everything was made of white stone; in Venaria City, things were gray and cloudy and overcast and drab. But Southlands had color and flaunted it. Cloth in every conceivable shade was decked across many of the merchant booths that lined the street. Besides that… the people! Esma had never seen so many different shades of skin, so many different colors of eyes, so many different colors of clothing, in one place. She had purple clothing at home, but none of it was as vibrant and living as these people’s.
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!)
I keep switching from my outline and NOT HAVING ANY DEREK POVS. Like he was half of book 3 in this series...but in this book? He's doing NOTHING. Which I'm okay with, though--it gives Esma the chance to be the protagonist.
I also decided to make my characters start doing something too early, which is annoying, but HEY! It's happening xD And someone got stabbed and fell out a window but it's all good. It happens, right? Even if it wasn't outlined? *coughs*
I also decided to make my characters start doing something too early, which is annoying, but HEY! It's happening xD And someone got stabbed and fell out a window but it's all good. It happens, right? Even if it wasn't outlined? *coughs*
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!
Dude, there IS no normal writing day for this novel. Some days I've written at 5am. Some days I don't write til 10pm. I'm just scraping by here. I have no plans and no routine. I'm just falling flat on my face and hoping that Lord Dauthang doesn't do me in along with everyone else in this story.
That's a wrap! How's your NaNo going? Tell me all about it in the comments!!!!!!!
That's a wrap! How's your NaNo going? Tell me all about it in the comments!!!!!!!
14 comments
*screams* 63k???? Girl, YOU ARE EPIC!!!!
ReplyDeleteCilla sounds so sweet! I bet I know who she's with... ;)
That second snippet made me so warm and fuzzy and happy. EEEEK!!! I love those two so much!! <33333
Thank youuuu!!!!! (Wow, that sounds like a long time ago xD)
DeleteShe's my favorite ;)
Yay! xD I love them too.
THOSE SNIPPETS.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE YOUR CHARACTERS SO MUCH, I CAAAAAN'T WITH THEM. And I kinda feel like I'm not saying anything new, but GAH I JUST LOVE THEM TOO MUCH, OKAY?
Oooh, who's Cilla? I'm so intrigued. O_O
YAY FOR OUTLINING!!! I'm pumped for you that the novel's coming out so nicely! *claps*
*flails quietly*
DeleteOkay, but that makes me so happy to hear, so feel free to keep saying it! xD
She's someone awesome you have yet to meet ;)
THANK YOU!!!!!! Nice is a thing of the past at this point, haha, but I'm hoping!
Okay but you are doing amazingly and yes I hate Lord Dauthang as much as you do, kill him already!
ReplyDeleteI love those snippets so much especially the last one how can you say you don't have world building???
Thank you!!!!!! Can I please just murder him? I'm THROUGH with the idiot *sobs*
DeleteTHANK YOU!!!!!!! Dude, my worldbuilding is nonexistent and that snippet is the only successful example of it in this entire SERIES haha
Soooo excited to see this on my dashboard!!! I'm just LOVING hearing how your NaNo is going because PENTEGREEN FINALE THIIIIINGS. *SHRIEKS* I'm so, so glad it's going well! Even if Kariana is dumping things out too quickly and stabbing people. XDDD But I mean, it IS Kariana, SO. I am sooo excited to see Esma grow. :'D And ooooh, now I am super curious about this Cilla!
ReplyDeleteOH MY GRACIOUS THOSE SNIPPETS. *shrieks some more* I mean, dat opening. Just bro. o.o What a way to open up a book!
KEEP BEING AMAZING, GIRL!!!! You are rocking this thing so hard!
AHHHHH I'm so glad to hear that!!!!! Kariana is a menace but I love her anyway. And Esma! My sweet baby *hugs her* My characters are growing up so fast *sniffles*
DeleteTHANK YOU and yeah I wrote that in a fever haze at 5am so I'm kind of amazed it's even legible, haha. But thanks!!!!!!
YOU TOO!!!!! You rock, lady! <3
Okay but like... I NEED THIS BOOK OKAY
ReplyDeleteDON'T HURT MY PRECIOUS KARIANA ANYMORE THAN YOU ALREADY HAVE.
THANK YOU and hopefully, eventually, I can give it to you xD
DeleteI WILL DO MY BEST BUT I CAN MAKE 0 PROMISES
I love when the villains start being useful. So excited about this story!
ReplyDeleteSame xD It's way too fun. Thanks!
DeleteI love your answer to question 6!! That's beautiful!
ReplyDeleteAlexa
thessalexa.blogspot.com
verbosityreviews.com
Thank you! <3 My protagonist is my baby and I love her and just *flails softly*
DeleteHello, friends! Do make yourselves comfortable and stay for a while--I'd love to chat with you! I simply ask that you keep it clean. :)