Trust Yourself. Trust Your Process

New ideas are exciting but how do I make sense of them?

Hi friends, I’m recovering from carpal tunnel surgery on my dominant hand so I’m writing to you from the past.

As the years have passed, my drafting process becomes more and more analogue. I’ve always been a stationery hoarder lover but didn’t use my notebooks for first draft. First drafts are messy and I didn’t want to mess up my beautiful notebooks by ripping out pages or scratching out lines. Thankfully, I found cheap, fountain pen-friendly composition notebooks for that part of my process.

I’m currently working on two new books at the same time. It’s an exploration period since I’m currently not under contract for any books. No external deadline means I can play with story structure and research more.

I used to believe that I couldn’t work on two books concurrently. As a writer, I’m monogamous. (As a reader, I’m polyam.) I’ll spend a few weeks on my romance then will dive back into my Vietnamese-inspired fantasy novel. I don’t have a set schedule. I use my intuition to decide which one to work on.

It’s a luxury for me to have this initial dating period. I can be more deliberate with my character and world building. I can push myself to try something different.

I’ve fallen hard for both of my books. Both sets of characters. I’m emotionally invested in both books.

I’ve reached the point where I can’t fall asleep because I’m imagining the folklore and magic of my fantasy novel or how soon my characters will bang in my romance. I’ve got it bad.

Writing the first few chapters of novel is the most delicate part of my process. I’m still feeling out my characters and their world. It’s a sort of discovery writing in that I usually trash the first chapter. It’s too messy, too confusing, or unnecessary for the full picture.

I wrote it in order to make sense of all the ideas in my head. Putting it down into words means I have to make decisions about the magic system or why my characters hate each other. As an overthinker, I have a tough time committing to decisions in the beginning. (sometimes the middle, too)

I make a lot of notes. Usually on paper because that works best for me. At this stage I keep everything in an A5 size six-ring binder. It allows me to move my notes around and archive older pages (in a different binder) when I cut or refine ideas.

I have sections to help me organize my ideas until they’re more refined. They are Drafting, Characters, Flavors, Plotting, Worldbuilding, and Research. I do keep most of my research digitally in Notion for easier searchability.

Sometimes I even draft chapters by hand first and then type it in later.

The process for these two books are so different from the three I’ve already published. It’s true when writers say that every book is different.

After going through burnout, I’m finding joy in this process. The scribbling of disparate notes that somehow come together when I look at them weeks later. I’m excited about my ideas, and because they’re not in a bound book or typed into a document, I don’t feel beholden to them. I’m experimenting and learning so much about myself and my characters along the way.

Past me would’ve rolled her eyes or berated myself for taking so long to write the first chapters. I’d tell her to trust in myself and trust in the process.

If you’re struggling with your writing, don’t give up. Trust in yourself.

You’re exactly where you need to be.