Writing process: I trashed 65,000 words of my new novel

And 6 other things I did for my novels in January

Broke up with my laptop

It had become an unhealthy relationship. My laptop only took, robbed all my focus, and wasted my time. What I got back was a distraction.

Even my previously written words scared the life out of me. The scenes started screaming every time I opened the file. “Please use us.” “Don’t trash us; come on, squeeze us in.” “We are important too.”

They are not, but it was hard to ignore them if they are right in your face or on your laptop screen.

I managed, though. I closed my laptop for a month and wrote only longhand. My new journal started to function as my main character’s diary, where she could dump all her anger and emotions. My writing was pure and felt freer. I could make mistakes and play with the plot, and no

Wordcount or autocorrect was around to judge me.

Stopped hesitating

Writing in my notebook ultimately led to the biggest win. Clarity on sticky notes and 36 scenes, each with its own conflict and mini character ARC.

I'm a 'go with the flow' writer, but it was time for decision-making

Killed two characters

On the same note, I removed what does not serve the story. That goes for characters, too. They had not progressed into darlings yet, so our separation did not tear my heart apart.

Researched

I researched body language. I read The Psychology of Lying and Detecting Lies, by Dr. Bella DePaulo. I read LitFic (my fav) and genre fiction (a thriller, for the plot). Another source of information is my 2018 journal. In it, I found notes on nasty and unpleasant traits that I will attribute to my (side) character.

Researched: pathological liars and body language

Started posting on TikTok

My New Year’s resolution: spend less time on social media. About once a month, I’m on the verge of deleting everything and disappearing online.

But social media is a way to connect over books. It gives me room to promote my first novel, while Book II is abstract and will be for a long time.

So far, so good. I only want to have fun with it, nothing too serious.

Started a TikTok-account - so far so good

Trashed 65,000 words

Writers’ advice: Write the draft, trash it, and start over.

It goes further than ‘The first draft of anything is shit’ (Hemingway). Not only do you need to acknowledge that your 300 pages are indeed a pile of inconsistencies, storylines better left alone, and trivialities. You also have to throw away a year’s worth of work.

Brutal, right?

Why not work in the same file? And why do these details in the workflow matter?

At this stage, it is mentally ‘harder’ to press the backspace key on a sentence you’re attached to.

Moving things around to see if it works seems easy and effective, but you are less critical of language efficiency.

So you start a new file. According to the advice, you are more conscious of every word you write down in your blank page. You are not faced with all the ‘wasted work’. And that’s liberating.

On January 31st, my word count went from 65,430 to 0. It’s a gift I gave myself. I have clarity and my sticky notes. A solid plan with deadlines, love notes, space for slacking, and space to follow my curiosity. I have a blank page and a quiet mind. I’ve muted everything that doesn’t deserve a place in the manuscript. I can hear the story. In all her depth and simplicity.

My laptop and I are back together. But this time, it’s on my terms.