03. Empty Well
If there was ever a time to invest in yourself, it’s now.
I think part of investing in myself is using any tools or resources that will help me grow as a writer and as a creator.
I finished the first draft of my manuscript in December 2021, exhausted, but happy. I finally finished a story — from an idea to plotting to actually writing it all out. The Bonai Chronicles, Book One: The Eternal Flame finished at 206k words. But that wasn’t the end of it.
After rounds of edits, it was cut down to 109k words and then sent to beta readers (who were really just friends who don’t really read much) and it never got read. So I went to Fiverr and paid for a beta reader to analyze and answer questions for me. She helped me tremendously.
She highlighted all of my blind spots and brought things to my attention that needed fixing. But after reading her analysis — the good, the bad, and the ugly — I realized the plot of the story wasn’t what I wanted. It needed tweaking.
My beta reader told me how much she enjoyed the story and how the characters felt fleshed out. It made sense because I worked years on developing them, but where I was excelling in character arcs, my plot lacked. And I felt after working so hard to bring this story to life, it deserved even more time and attention.
So I began my rewrite.
Before I headed back to the drawing board, I started looking into resources that could help me with story construction. I lacked the knowledge of how to complete an actual book. I couldn’t produce a story from an empty well.
So I found three areas that help me fill up my creative well to become a better, more established author:
1) Books about Writing: When I was first working on my rewrite, I looked up some books about writing. Before even plotting my book again, I read Story Genius by Lisa Cron. I took my time, explored the writing exercises, and applied the advice to my story. It was a great way to look at my manuscript through another lens and help me see what different blocks make up a book in my desired genre. The book’s advice wasn’t ground-breaking, but still, very helpful tips to keep in mind when constructing a story. Your character’s voice, motive, and agency matter and directly influence your plot.
2) Reading, reading, reading: I wanted to become a writer when I learned what words could really do. I fell in love with reading at a young age like most. Fantasy became my ultimate genre because I loved that it only took a few words to create an entirely new universe. It fascinated me. It still does. So reading has become a bigger part of my life even more so now because I’m a writer. I typically read mostly fantasy, but I like to branch out and read anything that may catch my interest. And I realize when I’m reading, I’m learning. I’m learning new words. I’m learning sentence construction. I’m learning what I like and don’t like in a story. And all of that helps me become a better writer (while also enjoying a good story).
3) TV: Now, I’m not sure if other writers or readers may agree, but watching some of my favorite tv shows helps me become a better writer, too. What happens on screen doesn’t always translate well into the written word, but what I can glean from my favorite TV characters is still valuable. I’m sure if you ask anyone under the age of 30 who has the best redemption arc on TV, most of them would say Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender. We learn through the shows we watch and I pick up on those strong familial bonds that are forged through characters’ hardships. I learn more about the human condition through certain TV shows and those lessons can definitely be applied when writing my own stories.
As of right now, I’m going through my rewrite, hoping to finish by at least the summer. But I realize that as much as I want to get this project done and move on to the next one, I’m moving at my own pace and taking the time I need to create the story that I feel in my heart and see in my head. I just need to remember not to live off of an empty well and to always fill my cup.