Five things I learned writing Fire: Nimue’s Destiny

One of my favorite bloggers (okay, the favorite blogger to many), Chuck Wendig, seems to have a series going on on his blog, Terribleminds: “Five things I learn writing…”.

It’s really interesting to read what others have learning writing their last book. It made me think about the five things I learned writing my last book (this might have been Wendig’s evil plan all along, who knows. It’s entirely possible that he’s just nasty and clever that way. I don’t know the man.).

But as I was trying to think of these five wonderful things, it hit me.

Every single book I write… every single book any writer writes, no matter how many books they’ve written before—whether this is their first one or their thirtieth—teaches us something.

I always tell my writing students that writing every book is a different and new experience. It doesn’t get any easier the more books you write because each book is individual.

Just as we, people, are all individuals, so too is every book.

Yes, we (or nearly all) have two legs, two arms, a head, eyes, nose, mouth, and all that other good stuff. So, too, do all books have a beginning, middle, and end. Most follow the same basic story structure (although, just as not every person is born perfectly formed, not every book follows a basic structure–it’s not bad, it’s just different).

But that’s where the similarities between people stop. Every person is different. Every book is different. Every book is a new and different experience to write.

Therefore, for every book you write, it is entirely likely (and, I would say, hopeful) that you will learn five things as you write it.

So, as I sit here on the brink of my third and final book in the Children of Avalon series, Fire: Nimuë’s Destiny, to be released (Monday!!!), what five things did I learn writing that book?

It’s okay to be short. I always write short. I’m just a concise writer. And I, sometimes, take to heart a little too much the old adage: “Only write the parts people will read”. It makes for very short books.

I worked and worked on getting Water to be “long enough”. After I wrote it, I went back and added a character and a subplot. It made for a better book.  A more interesting book. It was a good thing.

I thought, after I was finished writing Fire and it was, once again, too short, that I might do the same thing. But then I didn’t. Not only because I couldn’t for the life of me think of another character or subplot to add (there are already too many characters, honestly), but because I was happy with the way the book was. The story worked. I didn’t want to add anything else. So I left it. Short. And that’s okay.

Don’t ever, ever give up on a book. I wrote Air, then quickly followed it up by writing Water. I started writing Fire immediately after that and then stopped half-way through deciding the shelve the series until later.

I had other things I wanted to work on (my Storm series) and I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with the Children of Avalon series. I shopped Air around to a number of agents and publishers and wasn’t getting the enthusiasm I’d hoped for. But then at the beginning of this year (yes, on January 2nd) I went back to it. I read what I had written of Fire. I reworked a lot of the story and then I finished writing it. Something I hadn’t been sure I was ever going to do when I put it away years ago. I can tell you now, I’m really happy I did.

You’re allowed to change your mind. Plotting out a story’s structure is really important. But it’s just as important to not hold yourself to it. Allow for change. I’m a pantser. I plot out everything in my books before I write. With Fire, I plotted it all out, but then it wasn’t working and it wasn’t enough. I changed my outline. And then I changed it again. I added scenes and took others away. Things changed even as I was writing. In the end, it worked, and that’s all that matters. So, now, I’m more open to change.

Family is really, really important. It’s the theme of the entire series, but in Fire I bring it home when Bridget’s brothers are captured by Lady Nimuë (my villain). It touched me personally because I’ve got brothers (like Bridget, who was raised as the only girl in her family, I too was the only girl in mine, only I’ve only got two brothers and she’s got five—eek!).

I love my brothers dearly, and even though we don’t talk all the time, we’re close. The thought that anything could happen to them… well, when I wrote the scene where Bridget sees her brothers shackled to a wagon, let me tell you, I was feeling it! And then I went and did something worse… but you’ll have to read the book to find out what. (Insert evil laughter (and a few tears) here.)

It’s hard finishing a series. I’ve done it once before with my Merry Men Quartet, but that was years (read eons) ago. I’ve really gotten attached to these people. I have lived every day with them for so many years (the year or so when I first wrote Air and Water, and then again when I went back to Fire). I’ve struggled with them and fought with them. I’ve shed a few tears with them and laughed a whole lot with them. And now they’re gone from my writing life.

Well… not completely. I just can’t quite let go! That’s why I’m writing Sir Dagonet’s story. I’m not ready to let go, quite yet. J

Fire:Nimue’s Destiny will be on the virtual bookshelves on Monday! Look for it.