The Chronicles of a Keyboard Warrior
...what really goes into the making of a Georgia Lee series novel?
Hello, fellow adventure lover!
This past month, rather than pursuing an outdoor expedition, I've been facing an equally monumental task: wrangling the wild beast that is my latest manuscript into submission. While it might lack the immediate adrenaline rush of my usual adventures, I can assure you it's an quest in its own right. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to write a book, well, allow me to draw back the curtain on the method to my manuscript-making madness…
Step 1: The Great Gathering
Our journey begins in the Land of Learning, a chaotic realm where history books and travelogues pile high, documentaries play on an eternal loop, and conversations with people from far-off cultures echo in the air. Here, I hunt down ideas, trap intriguing premises and cage exotic plotlines. My weapon of choice in this pursuit? Copious amounts of sugar, the writer's trusted friend.
Once I've gathered enough inspiration, I take a leap of faith and plunge into the First Draft Abyss. Believe me, it's a terrifying place - the literary equivalent of diving into a shark-infested ocean, armed with nothing but a pen. It's messy, confusing, and occasionally panic-inducing, but there's a certain thrill in taming this chaos into the rough sketch of a novel.
Next, based on the literary map I've sketched in the Abyss, I plan out my research trip. You see, to make my stories truly come alive, I have a steadfast rule: I must tread where my characters tread. It's like method acting, but for authors.
Step 2: The Inhabitants
During my earlier reincarnation as a holistic counsellor (this is a long story, perhaps for another day), I developed a fascination with the human psyche. That fascination is the wind beneath my character-creation wings. With each character, I play detective, uncovering what makes them tick, their strengths, flaws, desires. It's like hosting a party inside my head, getting to know each guest one by one.
Step 3: Navigating the Manuscript Maze
For my first book, The Imperial Alchemist, I relied on my internal compass, wandering the maze without a plan. Result? A 13-year odyssey that would've made Odysseus himself proud. For The Golden Khan, I discovered the treasure map of Plotting, which, trust me, was a game changer. Instead of getting lost in a labyrinth of words, I found a more direct path to The End, taking only a fraction of the time.
Step 4: Writer’s Block: The Forbidden Forest
This dreaded obstacle lurks on the edges of the writing journey, a dense forest that seems impenetrable. There's no one-size-fits-all tool to navigate this terrain, sometimes it requires more research, other times a brisk walk, or simply less self-pressure. For me, walking, exercising, reading, and journaling my thoughts are my trusty compass, guiding me out of this forest.
Step 5: The Revision Quest
With the initial journey complete, I return to the manuscript, armed with memories of my research trip, copious amounts of chocolate, tea, and cognitive-function-enhancing supplements. The second draft is a formidable monster, but I wrestle it into submission, turning the madness of the first draft into a narrative that makes sense. The beast tamed, it's time for the beta readers, my trusted council, who offer valuable advice on what works and what needs reworking.
After that, it’s off to the editor, my final checkpoint, before the manuscript is ready to spread its wings and fly into the hands of you, dear readers.
Step 6: A Day in the Life of a Literary Adventurer
How does a typical day of manuscript wrangling look? Picture this: I board my morning train and voyage to my studio, my literary command centre. A comforting cup of chai kickstarts the day. Mornings are spent revisiting and refining the previous day's conquests, followed by a well-earned lunch break. A meditation session later, the afternoon is dedicated to fresh battles on the writing front. And by 4pm, chocolate and sugar become my lifeline, fuelling my brain for the final push.
There you have it, a peek into my writing adventures. It might lack the panoramic views and historic sites of my usual journeys, but it's an exhilarating escapade all the same.
What I’m Reading/Watching
Since my formative years, I’ve been an avid Indiana Jones fan and a devourer of thrilling adventures, so I eagerly attended the latest installment in the franchise, 'Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny'. This newest adventure was a delightful reprieve from the disappointing 'Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'. It masterfully recaptured the exhilarating spirit of my childhood hero, even if it was through an eerily youthful, AI-generated Indi. Despite a touch of Spielberg's magic missing from the original trilogy, this latest addition to the series left me, a diehard fan, pleasantly satisfied and creatively reinvigorated. It might not be perfect, but it's a heartening comeback that fans will appreciate.
Until the next update (maybe less chocolate-stuffed),
A. H. Wang
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