It’s been over a year since I first began working on my now finished novel. Sometimes it’s still hard to believe. Even if my novel doesn’t go anywhere – which, it will, I’m determined to make something happen with it – it was still an awesome journey I took, writing a book. I learned a lot in my faith as I wrote it, something I didn’t even know until I was finished. Since the pathetic blog post I wrote when I finished it gave you absolutely no information, I thought we’d visit that process of writing a book. I want to remember it all, so here we go…

Fall 2013

Working super hard at a novel that had all my emotions from entering fifth grade.

Spring 2014

That novel was just not clicking with me. I knew I could do better. I knew that we could always be questioning our writing, too, but I just had to take a break with that story. I kept it (a lesson learned the hard way danggit), but I decided to begin a new story I’d really felt confident in. The story (which I called HOURS APART) was postponed at a little over thirty thousand words, a record for me.

In the spring at the end of my fifth grade year, I began the story I have now finished. Beginning a sparkly new idea is a blast at first, but later it takes tons of grit to persevere through. My goal was to finish my book by Christmas 2014.

Winter 2014

I was getting super close. Before I started typing, I set a goal for myself at forty thousand words to reach. When I filled the white space with that many words and still had more to go, it was a great feeling! I still had to finish the book, though.

Around Christmastime, I only had four or five chapters left. I remember it was the day after Christmas, and I was telling my mom I was almost!!! done!!! That feeling though when you finish completely. I was so thankful to God. This book was going to be about faith because I want to spread it everywhere, and it was just an amazing feeling for me. As an adult, it takes grit to write a book. As an impatient little eleven year old, it took even more. I prayed, though, that God would help me persevere through it and that He’d use me. And He did.

There were plenty of errors. Some of the things I learned in my language classes this year you could tell were obviously lacking, but that’s okay. That’s why I’m editing it. I was also stoked that I had exceeded my goal of forty thousand words. I finished at a little under sixty thousand! I don’t want to be one of those people who’s just throwing out phrases about glory to God, so when I say glory to Him I MEAN IT. Writing a book is not easy, and there’s really no way I could do it without God guiding me. No way I could have done it as fast – I was shocked that it didn’t take at least a full year. It’s taken over a year to be edited completely, but I expected that.

Spring 2015

This would be the time where I started revising on the document. I have my own process that goes through it about six times. It’s no joke! Before I begin, I like to read through what I’ve done without making any corrections. I don’t really read the books I’m writing until they’re done! Sometimes I’ll read a chapter if I need a refresher on something, but I don’t read the whole thing until the end. It’s really cool to read it beginning to end and be like, I wrote this. 

Afterwards, I go through and just make any corrections I need to start with. After that, each time has a certain area I’m correcting, and I just keep doing that. I wanted somebody to look at it like a teacher, but I think a lot of them were really busy, and I never heard back. I let my blogging buddy who I’d been talking with for quite awhile have a peek at it, but other than that, it’s just me who’s read it. I think I’m going to keep it that way, too. I definitely don’t have all the grammar rules figured out, but I would say I have a natural ability with spelling, punctuation, and just writing good sentences. If God can help me finish it, He’ll help me edit it. He’s not just going to drop me there.

I also think, worst case scenario, I send it to an agency, and they will write back if I have some major areas I need to work on. Again, God always remains faithful. I know it will work out.

Summer 2015

It took awhile to print my book because of how long it was, but finally I got it in the summer. It was HUGE, probably because I had it double spaced. I worked on editing quite a bit, and then I made the online corrections.

Now

…I am working on the finishing touches, and I’m learning it will never be perfect, so I’ll just do my best.
…I am trusting that God will use me and this book to glorify Him.
…I am pushing away doubts and lies of Satan, and I am fully trusting God’s truth and promises. All glory goes to Him through it all – whatever happens. Thank you all for being such an encouragement in my journey, this is only the beginning!