My Creative Process Waffle #1

As I sit, what’s happened over the last few days still feels a bit too surreal. After all these years of writing, I have finally finished a first draft. For some it may seem like an easy feat; for others it may seem impossible. For me it just doesn’t feel real.

Once I finished I kind of just sat there for a good long while. What do I do now? Is this even happening?

Several days later I still can’t say it has sunk in. And unfortunately, I can’t offer any concrete advice for what your first step should be once you finish a first draft. Unlike some of the other tips I’ve posted on here, this is more abstract of an idea. Basically, we’re going to be making it up as we go along, flying by the seat of our pants, and improvising.

Some of you may be screaming at the computer the obvious answer once you finish a first draft. REWRITE!

But you know, I’ve never fancied being obvious.

While I may not be used to the feeling of finishing a first draft, I do know myself and how I write. If you’ve read my post about breaking free from self insert fanfiction, you know I used to write many books at the same time, switching back and forth when I got bored with one.

I know, I know. If you’re bored with a book, your audience might be too. But my problem is more like if I don’t keep writing down ideas and blurbs they start to build up in my head.

Usually if I take a break from a book, I come back refreshed and inspired and ready to tackle the next big chunk. And this book I’ve been working on, it’s been my ONLY project for nearly two years, with one small exception. That is the longest I’ve ever worked on a single book in a single chunk.

Normally I’d be burnt out, but I honestly don’t feel so. I think that is part of the reason this feels so surreal.

Regardless of how I feel, I know myself. Having a single project taking up a lot of my time, and pretty much ALL of my time in the last 8 months whether it’s typing or thinking will eventually be detrimental to my creative health.

So, the first step of my plan following my first draft is a nice little break. However, it won’t be a break filled with idle fingers.

I’ll still be doing a blog post every Wednesday unless something abhorrent comes up. I will take any spare time I have that’s not working to do worldbuilding. I know it technically counts as work, but my gosh do I love worldbuilding so much it doesn’t feel like it. It’s probably my favorite thing to do, and I use it as free time when I want to be productive but don’t feel inspired to write.

I have slacked off a lot on worldbuilding towards the climax of my book, because I do have 5 protagonists to keep track of, as well as several side characters who also play large roles in the story. Things get messy when you have several people to worry about, so the majority of my energy went into that. I’ll be happy to gain a little bit more time on the stool at my art table crafting my world.

I’m also taking this time to start working on the book that will come out following my debut novel. Yes, my first book will have a sequel. No, that’s not the book I started last night. I KNOW, I’m controversial already. But that sequel is a few vague plot threads and a basic idea in my head right now. It needs work for sure, and even though I know it’s in there, my original plan was to avoid a duology or trilogy when it came to my debut novel. And unfortunately, if I made the existing book longer, I feel we would be faced with a 100,000 word epic for my debut novel, which is even more of a no no.

I know plenty of authors who’s first works were a series, so I’m embracing it, but I have shelved the sequel for now. Don’t worry, it works well enough as a standalone book to not drive you nuts, while still leaving things quite open.

Last night, I organized my existing book ideas into a table with two categories. Shelved and Possible.

I listed each book and wrote down why I shouldn’t write it now, vs why I should. Some books there were no question about.

My first book in likely many where I explore my own mer-race was shelved immediately. I absolutely love the premise and I don’t feel like enough fantasy authors fully utilize their underwater environments, but at the end of the day, I want to be more seasoned as a writer first. The underwater physics, the way things act in water, the ways this race lives, the list goes on. Fascinating idea, but it needs work and research. Lots and lots of research. Obviously all books do to some extent but this is a bit hefty of a challenge for me to tackle at the moment. I want it to be amazing. Not good or even great, but amazing.

I ended up with 22 books in my table. Yes really. I have 22 books that aren’t just abstract ideas, but actually have a plot, characters, and themes in mind. That in itself was pretty overwhelming, that I had so many books ready to write. But it also makes me itching to get started.

I picked one and started an Outline document where I typed up the loose direction the story will take. I use this only as a guideline. I refuse to stick directly to an outline, because once my characters come alive it’s their story. I’ll only use it to light my way.

It is one of my older book ideas, and definitely needs a revamp, proper themes, and some more plotlines. It is pretty straight forward.

My next goal is to take my outline and ruminate on it for a few days. I’ll change some things, shake things up. Who knows, I might even genderbend some folks. No one is safe from my authorial wrath.

Then I’ll begin this new book and work on it for several weeks. I like this idea for several reasons.

For one, I get to stretch my creative legs on a new project, which I haven’t let myself freely do in quite awhile.

I also get a jumpstart on my next book, so part of it is already there waiting once I publish my first book. That’s all the less wait for any readers I have.

Not to mention this allows me to step away from my finished book, think on it, and come back to it ready to rewrite.

Burnout is very real, and I want to avoid that feeling at all costs. If I need to take a break, I do it. I have nothing that says I can’t take some time off if I need it.

In a few weeks time, I will return and start tearing my book apart. One of my goals for the first rewrite is to fix most of the serious tense issues I have. I didn’t pay much attention to this admittedly since I just wanted to get the story on paper. Another goal is to add in more details and link up some plot threads I left hanging that I need to write into relevance.

Overall, I’m excited. For everything. Worldbuilding, rewriting, and writing a new book.

This journey has been everything I could ever want. I’m following my dreams, and it feels amazing. The best part is, we are only at the beginning.

If you finished this deranged rambling, congratulations!

My “creative process” posts will probably all be like this. I’m so sorry.

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Thank you for reading, and I hope you have a beautiful rest of your day.

Happy writing!