Last week I finished the rewrite of Dwarf Mountain. It’s a completely different book now, and it’s for the better. For now, I’m going to set that book on the back burner. Starting November 1, I will begin writing the sequel to Dwarf Mountain, and I want to give you, fair reader, a look into my writing process.
Last night I began plotting out where my second book in the series will take us. Of course, I already had a plan of what would happen, and what needs to happen, but I had not yet written it down. Fortunately, I have begun.
I know that November 1 is not very far away, but I intend to have a general outline sketched out before I begin. I am more of a discovery writer than anything, but from past experience, I find it helps to have at least some sort of plan so as to keep my thoughts together. And so I have begun my outline.
Dwarf Mountain stayed in and around the same area the entire book. For the second book, I had to print off a map of the world and start labeling it. Let’s just say, they’re not in Montana anymore, Toto. I have never used a map before in my writing, but I can already see how incredibly useful it is to keep track of everything! I can actually see (and not just in my mind) where their travels will take them.
Another lengthy bit of work I have to do before I start writing is research. Fortunately, I have Google. Since the protagonists will be traveling to many different places, I need to know all about them. I have spent quite some time finding the perfect locations for them that actually exist. Now that I have found those, the next step is to learn the lay of the land. I have started this process, and I hope to write it as close to the truth as possible. Of course, in a fantasy novel, some things may differ, and you, dear reader, will hopefully be OK with that.
And that is all that I have done in regards to book two. As I continue plotting, learning, and developing this story, I will keep you up to date with how things are going, what challenges I’m facing, and how I’m overcoming them. In short, this blog may very well become a novel in its own right! Much more boring, of course, but a lengthy narrative of my exploits (for once, I’m the main character!).
As we move ever closer to November, I will be working frantically to finish my planning and plotting and outlining. Once November comes, the real party starts (and you’re all invited). I’ll keep you posted on what’s going on with this book. Until then, please enjoy the first chapter of Dwarf Mountain, the first actual novel-length book I’ve written.