I Have Some Exciting News!

Well, hello, everyone! As the title of this post suggests, I have some exciting news relating to my writing progress!

In the Author Conservatory, we have a five-stage process of outlining and prepping a story, whether that be a novel or a short story. You start out with the bare concept, adding character arcs to that, then taking it to a three-page synopsis before expanding it into an in-depth outline, and then you finally reach the drafting stage.

The drafting stage is the longest stage usually, seeing as you’re actually putting the words on the page. And usually that can be a lot of words—between fifty and one hundred thousand words! But it’s also the most exciting stage, since you’ve spent so much time preparing for it and making sure your story is strong and has a firm foundation to build on.

Now, you may (or may not) see where I’m going with this.

Well, long story short, I’ve graduated to the drafting stage on my next project! The craziest part is that I was actually only on step three (synopsis) when I got the news—I skipped the whole step of outlining! Although this isn’t unheard of, it is certainly rare and amazing, so I was (and still am) super happy about it.

Am I completely ready to start drafting my next novel? Well, I’d like to think so. But if I’m completely honest, the answer is, not quite. I was completely surprised to hear the news and was nowhere near preparing my mindset for the long hard process of drafting a novel so soon.

But I’m willing to take the step, and I can’t wait to see how it goes! Although, going into December and the holidays, it might take me a while longer than my last novel. We’ll see.

Anyways, that’s my news for today! If you’re wondering what my novel is about, here’s a quick rundown:

Thirteen-year-old Vickie Allison lost her mother recently, and with her dad’s new job offer, they’re having to move to a new town as well. It’s been hard on Vickie, but she’s hopeful that she’ll be able to fulfill her mother’s last wish—tracking down some mischievous activity in the very town they’re moving to! With the help of a new friend, some weird clues given by the well-meaning townspeople, and a last-ditch effort by the men in town, Vickie is able to uncover the secret her mom had been investigating and bring out the truth.

This is a pretty rough idea of the actual story, and I know it might seem a tad strange, but I absolutely love the story and the way it has developed over the last three months! I can’t wait to start drafting it and bring my characters to life.

And that’s all I’ve got for today! God bless you all, and have an awesome day.

~Janet