I Published My NaNo-Novel! Julie Murphy on Moxie, Novel Revision, and Lightbulb Moments

Julie Murphy’s NaNoWriMo novel is set to be published in winter 2014. Side Effects May Vary is a story about sixteen-year-old Alice, who, after being diagnosed with leukemia, decides to spend her final months righting wrongs. But just when Alice’s scores are settled, she goes into remission and is forced to face the consequences of all that she’s said and done. Julie was lovely enough to answer our burning questions.

What have your NaNo experiences been like?

I have participated in NaNoWriMo twice. My first was in November of 2011 and the product was what is now Side Effects May Vary. My second time was actually Camp NaNoWriMo right after I sold Side Effects.

Man, I love NaNo. To me, it’s the Ironman Triathalon of writing—but with more junk food provisions—because if you’ve completed it, you wear it as a badge of honor. Plus, I thrive on a deadline. Without a deadline, I fall headfirst into my Netflix queue. And, ya know, the constant social media peer pressure doesn’t hurt.

After November’s over, revision time inevitably rolls around. What was your revision process like? Any words of wisdom?

The first time I revised Side Effects, I had no clue what I was doing. It was only with the help of some amazing and intuitive critique partners that I got Side Effects to the point where it needed to be before I could query it.

I think that, knowing what I know now, my best advice would be to put the red pen down and read what you’ve got from start to finish. Think long and hard about what you had imagined this book would be versus what it is. Once you’ve recognized that gap, you can figure out what needs to be done so that your NaNo baby can go from a runny-nosed infant with major conehead to a shiny toddler in a tiara. (Disclaimer: I love conehead babies. My analogies are really killing it today, you guys.)

Did I say critique partners yet? Because you need them. A good critique partner can spot all your blind spots. (And trust me, we all have plenty!)

Once your novel was polished up, what was your journey to publication?

I had an extremely traditional and, in a way, storybook path to publication. I connected with Molly, my agent, soon after querying, we did a round of revisions, and then we sold to my wonderful editor, Alessandra.

I think what’s important to know about publication is that it’s not a one-size-fits-all process. In the world of traditional publication, stories like mine are not the status quo. I know there will be bumps ahead because we all have our hiccups, but I also know how lucky I’ve been so far. The right people were there to open the right doors for me at the right moments. I owe those people a whole bunch.

What is your favorite word and why?

Moxie!

It rhymes with foxy.
The word just has a little bit of ‘tude and I like a slight attitude.

What was your lowest moment while writing and how did you overcome it?

One of my lowest moments was Christmas Eve of 2011, just after I wrote Side Effects May Vary. I had been querying my first novel and was at a crossroads with it. I would either have to revise that sucker for months or fully commit myself to revising Side Effects May Vary.

I was pulling a tray of (most likely burnt) cookies out of the oven when my phone pinged and I found a rejection on a full request from an agent in my inbox. All I could think was, “Who rejects people on Christmas Eve?" I was so infuriated and disappointed. Not only that, but it was also time for me to make some major life decisions. Would I go to grad school? Law school? Wait and hope that writing would take off?

In the end, no huge decisions were made that night. I didn’t have this lightbulb moment where my life made sense. But, over the course of the holidays, I began to let go of that first book and was able to see the flaws in it that agents had mentioned in their rejections. By New Years, I was ready to ready tackle Side Effects and completely immerse myself in it. So I guess the way I overcame one of my low writing moments was to take a step back, eat some good food, and love on my family.

Julie lives in North Texas with her husband who loves her, her dog who adores her, and her cat who tolerates her. When she’s not writing or trying to catch stray cats, she works at an academic library. Side Effects May Vary is Julie’s debut novel.

Keep up with Julie:

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— Emily