Writing Intentions for Autumn
Choosing what you will succeed and what you will fail at is a form of boundary setting that limits overwhelm, sets priorities, and puts me in the driver seat of my destiny. Trust in the universe to set to rights all that is outside your control.
Twenty Chapters, 80,000 Words or more—times 3.
- Write chapter summaries for the 20 chapters I've already drafted for book 1.
- Intentional writing—cherry pick the chapters (by mood) that need further developing.
- Intentional brainstorming—isolate the characters and the journeys they must walk. What have I revealed, need to reveal, and should not reveal? Where have I left out setting, description, or emotion, scent, or sound?
- Short backstories—as necessary, find out where the characters in the scene came from, where they're going, what their perceptions are and why they're true or false. How does that add to the crescendo, and if it doesn't—exterminate.
- Listen to yourself when you've had 'enough' and need a break. Don't force creativity. Sometimes you have to binge watch all of the episodes of The Lord of the Rings or re-listen to the Duology to reset thinking around tone and depth.
- Aim for 500 words a day. If that ends up being 2000, good on you. Keep expectations small, the fall is going to be brutal as I'm a full-time teacher candidate with a full course load and practicum.
- Ask yourself at every turn... what happens to this character next and why is it important?
Note to self: I know you hate writing chapter summaries but it'll help you refine what's happening in that chapter and what your end goal to the reader's experience is.
The remainder of this article which breaks down my planning process for writing my next trilogy will be revealed to subscribers in time. In the meantime, check out my behind-the-scenes articles for the Pawn of Samsara Duology.
