Saver of Memories: Know the Novel

Here we are, at the end of 2018. And what better way to finish this writing year out with a final tag??

Firstly, how did writing this novel go all around?

Pretty well. I especially enjoyed the new scenes and characters. Having the original 2015 draft was helpful, as well as knowing the first and third books fresh in my memory. I never really got writing block.

Did it turn out like you expected or completely different? And how do you feel about the outcome?

When I made my 100K goal, I wasn't 100% certain I would make it. I knew that I could, if I kept on schedule and nothing else took over my daily writing time (like watching a movie, working late, etc).

And everything went well until the last week. And I had some family movie nights, some work late nights, and then company for Thanksgiving...and lost my word count.

I pushed really hard and finished on the last day. So, all in all, I'm very happy with the outcome.

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

Characters. Always the characters. I love seeing them struggle and then grow throughout the story.

How about your least favorite part?

The thing I like least about this story is that's it's a middle book. I've never liked middles. I love beginnings and endings, but middles...just seem to drag on for me.

What do you feel like needs the most work?

Little things - a bit of extra description here, add some worldbuilding here, change the focus for this chapter, and so on.

How do you feel about your characters now that the novel is done? Who’s your favorite? Least favorite? Anyone surprise you? Give us all the details!

Mask really took me by surprise. He showed up in the last book (Words of Peace) as I wrote it last year for NaNo. And when I was back to editing Words of Gold, I got to where Marywyn is constantly followed by some stranger, and I was like "Hmm....maybe this person is Mask??" which meant he had parts to play in Words of Song and really, those parts were some of my favorites.

Mithrin will always be my least favorite, because I personally find him stuck-up and rude, even though I know his #tragicbackstory and his #charactergrowth but still...

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

It's going to sit for a while. Once I finish editing Gold, Song will be next in line!

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

Honestly, it would be getting the whole trilogy published and put out on bookshelves for people to read and love. With pretty covers and everything. (Though I wouldn't cry if a movie trilogy was made as well.)

Share a snippet of one of your most favorite scenes!

Most of my favorite scenes are rather spoiler-y, but here's just a tiny snippet of something for you anyway...

Yes, Conn had definitely gone mad. Perhaps it was a good thing. I had never seen her grin so much. She had to be so tired from the days of traveling, the long hours spent on horseback. Her life had been in danger, causing her to hide in a city and escape at night. She was covered in dirt and grime and hadn’t even been recognized as the Princess in her own castle. And yet, here she was, grinning madly.

Perhaps adventures weren’t all that bad. Perhaps they made us grow, to become new people. And maybe those new people weren’t always colder, toughened versions of ourselves. Perhaps adventures could make someone happier, see the world to be more lovely, make us nicer. I couldn’t quite imagine it. The more I traveled, the more I saw the danger I was in. I was no longer the happy village girl. I was Marywyn the Hunted, a girl spending every day wondering if she would see the next. I was a girl in great danger. Every new day might be the day I was captured.

No, adventures only made things worse. Much worse.

And on that cheerful note, happy new year, everyone!!