I finished the first draft of my newest manuscript and climbed a mountain to celebrate. Now I'm digging into the edit and rewrite stage. I’m elbow-deep in tearing things apart, only to piece them back together more elegantly, and it has me reflecting on the inexplicable magic of the writing process.
Most of the time, I start my books with a general sense of the primary protagonists and themes, if not every detail of the plot. As I write, the story and characters unfold in unexpected ways. They come to life and surprise me. Part of the joy of writing novels is setting them free, so I can see what they’ll do.
I love going back and discovering hidden gems in the manuscript. Things I didn’t necessarily plan, or recognize I subconsciously fixated on, often form the soul of the book. This rewrite stage is ridiculously fun because I get the chance to make it look like I knew what I was doing all along. But also, I can step back and take in the surprising results of the sorcery of creation.
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