Know the Novel: Part 3

Happy New Year!

In early December of last year (wow, that feels weird to write) Christine Smith posted her Know the Novel link-up, an annual writerly event in which you get to share progress, fun snippets, details of your current work-in-progress!

Okay, so once again, I missed the link-up deadline. However, I had a good excuse. The most adorable niece and nephew in the world came to visit over the holidays, so my priority was cuddling and playing with two cute toddlers! And also babysitting as often as possible so that my sister (whose husband is deployed) could get a break. The family visit lasted from before Thanksgiving until just after Christmas; and in between spending time with family, babysitting, and desperately trying to finish up homemade gifts before Zero Hour—yeah, writing or blogging didn’t happen. But that’s okay. We’re picking things back up in the new year!

Part 3 of Know the Novel is about reflection, looking back on writing the novel and remembering the good parts of the writing process. So on to the questions:

THE QUESTIONS

1. How did writing this novel go all around?

Well, I am still working on this story. Prior to the holidays, I would get up early, take my laptop to the spare room with the small couch (it was my second sister’s room till she moved out) and write at least 200 words or so. That worked splendidly; it was inspiring to get some writing done before clocking in for my job and handling the household duties of the day. Even while family visited through the holidays, I turned on my laptop a few nights and wrote a little bit when I could.

So overall, the current progress has gone well!

2. Did it turn out as you expected or completely different? How do you feel about the outcome?

So far, the story is turning out pretty much how I’d envisioned. Sometimes the “movie scenes” in my head don’t quite match the words that end up on the page—the atmosphere or the dialogue turns out a bit different than I brainstormed, but that is a problem for Editing Christine in the far future. 😊

3. What aspect of the story did you love writing about the most? (Characters, plot, setting, prose, etc.)

As I am still plodding along, I’ll share something I’m looking forward to writing: the relationship between the main couple and the twists and turns the story takes them through.

As for the ongoing progress, Hiroto’s energy and his habit of sometimes being too outspoken have been fun to write, and so has Ume’s quiet strength and dignity.

4. What was your least favorite part?

Not with the writing itself, but with my own brain. I truly can’t write more than 300-400 words at a time at most, and since I really want this story finished so I can edit a little and share it with beta readers, the process feels like picking a tunnel through granite walls. With a needle. I’m honestly not sure if I’m burnt out (although I took a two-month writing break earlier this year for medical reasons) or haven’t just hit upon an effective time management and writing schedule yet.

5. What do you feel needs the most work?

Probably the pacing. Early scenes where Hiroto explores the forest alone are narrative-heavy, and it will take some careful prose and pacing to make those sequences interesting. Some scenes move too fast, some scenes get bogged down with description (like I said, I enjoy writing that, which means it gets heavy-handed every now and then), so all that will need to be fixed.

6. How do you feel about your characters now? Who’s your favorite? Least favorite? Anyone surprise you? Give us all the details!

Not much has changed since I’m still early in the writing stages. I love Hiroto’s kindhearted enthusiasm and Ume’s quiet insights and admiration for beauty. (I’m pretty sure her personality type is INFJ, and his is either ENTP or ENFP.)

I’m looking forward to writing the motherly, helpful character of Hikari, who shows up later. Also Hiroto’s tutor, who also shows up later, and who is currently unnamed, but who is a cross between Qui-Gon from Star Wars and Piandao from the animated Avatar: The Last Airbender.

And my least favorite character would be Noriko, Ume’s control freak aunt. However, being something of a control freak myself, I’m in a unique position where I can understand her desires and where she’s coming from—but I don’t condone them. It’s a warning to myself not to go down that path. Also, her endless critique of Ume is what my own brain tells me on a daily basis, so writing it out in fiction and then having this character confronted is going to be cathartic!

7. What’s your next plan of action with this novel?

Finish this first rewrite. I would love to get it done by April 2026, then take a short break (maybe a month), and then edit it through the summer and share it with beta readers by the fall.

8. If you could have your greatest dream realized for this novel, what would it be?

Honestly? To get this whole thing rewritten by the end of February. Then let it rest a month or so, reread and re-edit near the end of March, and have the story tidied and ready for beta readers by the beginning of May.

This will not happen, unless I shirk my responsibilities (which I refuse to do) or push myself past physical and mental limits (which I do…unintentionally sometimes). But I’ve worked hard on this story, and it feels like it’s not yielding the fruit to match the efforts I’ve put in. Copy/paste that problem over the last 20 years of writing—again, I refuse to shirk my responsibilities, and I’ve fought chronic illness during that time span as well—and yeah, I’m impatient.

But I also have not quit.

9. Share some of your favorite snippets!

I have already shared some snippets in my last post, so how about some fun character details?

Ume:

Does your character have a methodical or disorganized personality?  Methodical.

Is she organized or messy?  Organized—although when she’s creating, she’ll have her paints, inks, brushes, and papers spread around.

Is she punctual or a procrastinator?  Punctual. By nature, she might fall on the side of procrastinator, but her upbringing has given her more discipline.

Is she independent, or needs others to help out?  A mix of both. She has a spine of steel and entertains and thinks to herself when alone, keeps her spirits up, but she also does need support and encouragement to really flourish.

Is she a rule-follower or a rebel?  Rule follower by default, but she can also find creative loopholes.

Is she easily persuaded or does she need more proof?  She’s easily persuaded, having nobody but her aunt to interact with and no way (or reason) to gather more information.

Hiroto:

If your character had a superpower, what would it be?  He would probably have the ability to fly, which is ironic because his name means “fly high”. Either that or super speed (which is the one he would pick for himself).

If his house, containing all his belongings, caught fire, and he saved his family, what else would he save if he had time to grab one or two things?  Ume’s letters and his flute.

If he had to amputate one body part, which one would he choose?  None, and he would stridently argue with whoever insisted this was necessary.

Does he believe in anything that most people think is impossible?  No.

Does he have a temper?  Yes. He is not an angry person by nature, but his temper can be piqued by real (or perceived) unfairness.

What would his favorite be at the local coffee shop?  Something tells me Hiroto might like an americano. Or any baked good with fruit in it.

10. Did you glean any new writing and/or life lessons from writing this novel?

Not yet; it’s still pretty early in the writing process. Although I’m aware of some techniques I’ll need to learn. This novel is slower-paced than others I have planned or brainstormed, and the stakes are more internal and personal than external. I will need to learn how to make that gentle pace and slow burn intriguing and to focus heavily on good character development because that will help carry the story. This story also focuses entirely on the relationship between the main couple, which is unusual for my stories (romance is often a part but not the entirety).

And I really need to do some more historical research for the setting. The line between “research it later; don’t get distracted” and “I need knowledge in order to write faster” is blurred sometimes. 😊

So that’s Know the Novel—thank you so much to Christine Smith for hosting this! And thank you all for reading about my story!