my writing project is big too big and it's all my fault whatever writing advice told
me to start small start with short stories master the fundamentals and then move to bigger projects
i didn't listen in one of my previous updates i mentioned that i'm working on a novel guess what
it's going to be more than a one-off it's at least two books but probably going to be three a trilogy
maybe more i've committed to a long game i wanted a project that could pull me out of the
coveted world and drop me on the other side and i found it regardless of what this trilogy becomes
it's going to be a significant part of my life for that i'm lucky but what i want to talk about
today is my awkward process i'm currently editing the fourth draft of book one while i'm writing
the first draft of book two it's awkward because i feel like i'm looking into the future to write and
i'm traveling back in time to edit unconventional as it may be i do find it productive at this very
moment where the world is in chaos and motivation is hard to come by it's easier to maintain
productivity if i'm active in two separate phases writing and editing when i'm writing i'm using
a different creative muscle from editing i'm a pantser or a discovery writer so i don't do many
outlines my first draft is the outline and i just let it flow however editing is a slog i don't take
a lot of pleasure in editing it's the act of cleaning up the mess that the panzer writer me
made and this project it's a big mess in order to ensure i fully develop the world understand
my characters and build out the story arc i'm writing beyond my first book to gain clarity
on what i should focus on while editing i also want to keep the structure of my books the same
and there was a fortuitous period of the process where i was writing the first and second acts
of the sequel while editing the first and second acts of book one this allowed me to see critical
turning points in the story from both books at the same time and try to spot and create parallels
ideally i like the series to resemble each other in form even though the story changes as it goes
i want to be consistent where i can while letting my characters roam free and explore
this process also allowed me to go back and check on all the motivations and scenarios
in the first book and make sure they support what the character will do in the second i can even
sneak some foreshadows or other storytelling devices in and hint at the events to come
now i don't recommend this as writing advice it really does depend on your goals
for me this writing while editing is most helpful for my editing process
i am still trying to strengthen the story in the first book and by writing beyond
i gain a better understanding of the world and characters i can also discover whether or not the
characters will achieve their goals so that i can set the tone properly for example if my character
will face greater hardship in the second book maybe i can line it up in the first maybe i won't
maybe i want the lessons in the first book to come into play in the second these are all still
options by starting my sequel before i finalize my first i give myself room to experiment since i'm
not an established author who has an impending deadline this is a luxury by doing this with
the bit of editing in my first book i can ensure i won't write myself into a trap i can't escape from
little by little i'll eventually bring my whole story to a close i will probably use the same
process to complete the whole trilogy it sickens me to think how much more i have to do but getting
started on the second book makes me feel like i'm happily invested it proves to me that i enjoy
writing the story it makes me feel hopeful that i can reach the end if i just keep moving forward
at the very least i'll have it all written once it's all written then who knows but
that will be a while from now after all this is a big project and i'm in it for the long term
if you're stuck editing your first book try writing a sequel even if you don't plan on
publishing a sequel it can help you flush out your story and hey who knows maybe you'll discover
a better ending maybe you'll discover that the sequel is actually the story that matters either
way thank you for watching my name is elliot i make videos about writing and the creative process
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