Know the Novel - Part Three // a reflection & words written

Hi, friends! I'm back with the final post in the Know the Novel blog linkup. I just want to thank you all for sticking with me through this, and I hope you enjoy this final post!

Let's dive in!

1. How did writing this novel go all around?

I'm going to be honest with you. It . . . was QUITE the journey. As Josiah Queen sings in one of his songs, "It's a journey, it's a climb." Writing this novel was most certainly a climb. It was hard. There were days when all I wanted to do was give up. But the most beautiful part of climbing a mountain is reaching the peak; seeing the sunrise. In the end, the hard work is so, so worth it. And that reminded me of one thing, to not give up on my dreams.

2. Did it turn out as you expected or completely different? How do you feel about the outcome?

Both! It turned out just as I was hoping, but also . . . different. More beautiful. More tragic. Those handwritten, tea-stained pages of mine are filled with hope and despair and tragedy and love. I treasure it all so much.

As for the outcome, I'm happy with it! I've put my characters through so much, and the outcome for them is SO beautiful. There are things I would like to rewrite, however, but I need to be content with it now because the time for editing will come later on.

3. What aspects of the story did you love writing the most? (Characters, plot, setting, prose, ect.)

The characters, definitely!

They are filled with so much emotion and personality. It makes me bounce on my toes every time I get to write a scene with one of them in it. Each one is unique from the other in their own way, with their own backstories and hopes and fears and all that fun stuff. Sometimes, after hours of writing this story, it almost feels as if they were real. #TellMeYourAWriterWithoutTellingMeYourAWriter

4. What was your least favorite part?

Honestly, probably getting discouraged about the whole thing when I was so close to finishing. But if we're talking about in-book things, then probably weaving together some of the deeper themes when it would all be so much simpler to ignore those little problems and wait until editing.

5. What do you feel needs the most work?

I have a few scenes I desperately need to work on, but Kal's character arc is the biggest thing right now. I have most of it down but there's also that struggle of writing a duel POV and having to keep each character's voice unique from each other. Unfortunately, it's even harder when one POV is a sassy, reckless character and the other is more quiet yet determined. They kind of decide to blend together. 😅

But! That's what we have editing for hehe.

6. How do you feel about your characters now? Who's your favorite? Least favorite? Anyone surprise you? Give us all the details!

Ohhh, these characters . . .

Kal is still my favorite, with all his drama and sass and regret. Each time I sit down to write a scene from his point of view, he's always so full of surprises and things I'm not expecting and let me tell you, I love it. He's by far my favorite character I've ever written!

Savannah is still my quiet but determined girl, stubborn but in her own way. She cares so deeply about others, and very rarely about herself. I so deeply enjoy writing her!

Jarek has by far gone above and beyond my expectations. My snarky, suspicious, mysterious side character gets on my nerves so much, and yet I love writing him. He's wrapped in mystery, from the way he speaks to the way he acts. He keeps to himself and, like his brother, has wits. Trust me when I say there's never a dull moment when he's around.

Trev is my fun little side character, who's annoying and awesome and pretty much views Kal as an older brother and role model 😂. To sum up his whole personality, I have a fun quote by him (note: this quote is not in the book, just a fun little something I made up):

His father: "I only had three rules, and you managed to break them all in thirty seconds!" Trev: "It's a skill that can't be taught." (Ignoring the fact that he got them from Kal.)

7. What's your next plan of action with this novel?

My favorite part ehehe . . . editing!!

I'm planning on taking a two-week to month-long break from this project, re-watch my favorite editing lessons, then go through and edit edit edit. I'm so excited to re-write a few scenes and tie up some loose ends. I even bought some colored tabs to use - I have plans to try out some new editing strategics which I'm excited about!

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

This story about a boy forced to grow up too soon and a girl with nothing left to give has grown so dear to my heart. I want this novel to touch readers the way it's touched me. To tell them that even in the darkest moments of their lives, they aren't alone. That there's still hope and that there will be a better ending.

9. Share some of your favorite snippets!

Ack, I wish so bad that I could, but I'm planning on keeping the actual fiction part top-secret until I have it fully (or mostly) polished. I did share some snippets in the second Know the Novel, however! 😉

10. Did you glean any new writing and/or life lessons from writing this novel?

That even in the hardest times, hope is still there. Even if it's hard to see at the moment, hope is there. Always there. You just need to have the strength and courage to grasp onto it. And that's why we write — to bring our readers hope. To let them know that they're not alone. We write because they need it — we need it. So I was reminded that even in the darkest moment, hope is never far off. <3

Conclusion

And, that wraps up the 2025 Know the Novel! I had such a fun time participating in this, and can't wait until next year's!

Which character do you think you'll like the best? Do you enjoy editing or writing more? Let me know in the comments below!

Until next time,