I have been working on a young adult fantasy novel for – literally – years. I have always been a slow writer, (more about my process later) and learning to write a novel has been a huge learning curve. But I wanted to do it right, and I feel certain that I have.
I have taken writing classes, and attended countless conferences, webinars, and workshops. I have read a multitude of writing craft books and articles. I’ve watched YouTube videos on writing. Has it contributed to my slow pace? Yes – because I didn’t want to write a crappy book, or two, or three, while I learned to write, and end up round filing all of them. So, I wrote parts of two books and a novella while learning to write. The novella *may* be salvageable with more work. One of the novels may be also. Or I may round file one or both.
But I am excited to share that the novel that was most important to me – that young adult fantasy – is now complete. It’s also a better book than if I had not educated myself before finishing it. I think this book, The Appearance of Power, has a chance.
In short, the main character is a son of a deposed tyrant mage who is being tested for magic. Chaos ensues.
My timeline for publication is uncertain right now. I will share more about this book as I get closer to publishing it. That will be a journey all its own, with a similar challenging learning curve, but it will be so worth it.
Right now, The Appearance of Power is out with beta readers. I have six people reading it and giving me feedback. I’ll probably collect comments from about three of them and make additional changes. Then I’ll send it to a professional editor for more comments in August.
Stay tuned for more updates.
