I thought it had been a little while since I’d done a let’s chat post, and I know that one of the things I bang on about on my socials is my writing. So, I thought I’d do a ‘Let’s Chat…’ post today to update you on all things writing and how it’s going. Grab a cuppa and join me!
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Just to summarise, I’ve been writing a YA fantasy adventure novel for about the last five or six years. However, I’m a teacher, so in real terms I’ve probably been working on it for three years. Term times get HECTIC, and don’t leave me much brain space for writing.
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Ever since the plague times began, I’ve had more time at home. Time when I’d usually be going out for a cuppa with friends, taking myself for a day out somewhere nice, etc. You know - all those things we *used* to do. But the good thing about that is that I’ve had way more time to write. And frankly, over the last year or so, it’s been an utter relief to escape to my own fictional bubble while everything else feels like it’s exploding around me.
The end result has been I’ve rewritten this book twice more (I’m now on draft six? Seven?) and I’ve had to force myself to put it in to a drawer. We went back in to school at the start of March, and the amount of extra time I had writing while working from home roughly equates to what I now spend on my commute each day. This has been a good thing, as it means I’ve not been too tempted to get my draft out of the metaphorical drawer because I’ve been too busy and tired to give it the attention it deserves.
But it’s the Easter holidays now, and so I’ve the time to think about it again.
I’m at a weird stage with my draft where I feel like I’ve worked it — and worked it, and worked it, and worked it. I’ve got a couple of fabulous friends who have kindly offered to give it a read, and in the meantime I’ve distracted myself by writing query letters (that I have no intention of sending until this book is better) and a synopsis (which I’d been putting off but, as I *think* I’ve fixed the frankly catastrophic structural problems earlier versions of this story had, I felt it was something I could reasonably write now).
So I suppose my question is — what do you do when your draft is at this stage? Well, I’m doing two things:
1. I’ve returned to an old idea of mine that I love to pieces, but don’t feel I’m able to write yet. This has involved world-building and character work, mainly. I definitely come up with a plot last - typical me - so I’m taking this time to figure out everything I need to know about my characters and this world they inhabit. My currently-in-a-drawer project began with no plan or anything - it was just meant to be a fun scribble or two. I reckon at least three of the six drafts I’ve got saved on my computer exist because I didn’t do the groundwork first. So I’m learning from Past Me and doing that work now on this old idea!
2. I’ve started looking at feedback opportunities. I applied to the Write Mentor Summer Programme last year, unsuccessfully (and, looking back on my submission, I don’t blame the poor mentors I sent this to! Many improvements have been made since then…). This year, I’m going to apply again. I’d really love the feedback to try and get me out of this rut, because I think I’ve taken this draft as far as I can manage by myself at this point. However, even if I’m not successful, it will have made me really think about my opening chapter as well as my query, pitch, and synopsis, so it’s a worthwhile exercise.
I’m not sure either of those things are going to magically make this draft any better, but I’m hoping that the feedback I get from my trusted pals, plus the process of putting together a submission for Write Mentor, will keep my head level on this project.
If you’ve any recommendations of mentorship and support available to writers, do share them in the comments. I’m sure I’m not the only writer out here tackling these draft problems, and it would be lovely for others to be able to access any pointers you may have!
Chat soon,
Katherine
