writing is work

Book In A Year Series: Month 9-At Peace With The Final Draft

To Series or Not To Series…?

Ah, that is always the question! Who am I to dash your hopes and dreams, dearest writer? This is the only time where the end of a story is the beginning of another–and even then, series do end. However, don’t despair! This is one to the thing that I need to tell you about series versus stories.

If you are building out a world with people, specific mythology and characters, you might want to consider a series.

If you think that you story can be told with just one book, you might want to just write one story. If you want write a sequel–there is more story to tell. A series gives you more or multiple stories to tell.

Series are investments! They allow your mind to flex and wander!

Stories allow your the freedom to focus one story at a time and develop what you want to say to its conclusion.

Don’t stifle your voice by the space you think it might take up.

Keep going!

Encouragement Pages-09/15/2021

Dear Writer-

There are some things that can only be told if you tell them. There are only some stories that can be told if you have lived through them. Some people need to be shown that that you lived through, happened to you, and–you survived it.

Write.

With Love & Ink,

JBHarris

Book In A Year Series: Month 9-At Peace With The Final Draft

Writers are weird when it comes to the end of things.

Writing a book is an investment in time, resources, talent and imagination. It is perfectly natural to feel anxious when you come to the end of this process. It is an expenditure! There are famous writers that take time to decompress after finishing crafting the world with these ink and paper people. Again, a part of yourself goes into the making of these worlds and people! Why would you not want to rest?

Yet, you must. Your mind and body will insist on it. Even if you have to take breaks between drafts, this will prepare you to say everything that you need to say–so you can get it all out! One of the tricks with writing is to be brave enough so say everything you need to say, even if you need to take breaths in-between.

Rest. Write. Repeat.

Book In A Year Series: Month 9-At Peace With The Final Draft

Writers love control. Maybe that is part of the reason why we write. However, the hardest thing about drafts it letting go of that control! Now, make no mistake. Every writer has their own process, and how many working drafts they create before they call a story finished.

But eventually you have to call the story done. If you can’t, that’s a separate issue that we will tackle later (Trust me). For me, I use 3 drafts before I call a story done. If I think that I can’t let it go after the second draft? I save it. Why? I clearly (again is this just me!) I have either more to say, or don’t know quite what know what I need to say. When that happens, I save it. This way, I can come back to it.

However, with that said, I know that if I desire to have a book be read by someone other than myself, then I need to allow someone else to read it. So, it is with that wisdom I give to you: If you want someone else to read your work other than yourself, you are going to have to let it go!

Here are three questions to ask yourself when you considering whether or not you are at the end of a work, where you either have a final draft, or entering a final draft:

1.) Is this all you wanted to say?

2.) Did you want to say anymore?

3.) If you wanted to add anymore, where would it go?

Besides, if you feel there is more to say–you can just write another book, right?