I have just finished a rough draft of the next Cousins in the Time of Magic book (the first book will be published in February), and I kept a detailed log of my process. Here’s a photo:
If you can squint through the messiness, you will see that each time I sat down to write I recorded the date, the manuscript’s starting word count, where I ended, and the total written for that day. The most I ever wrote in one sitting was 2,398 words, the least was 96 words, and average days fell somewhere between 500-1500 words.
A few notes for fellow writers (and the curious):
My motto for writing is and always will be, “Keep coming back.” I believe that if we want to read a true diversity of voices, especially the words of educators, mothers, and marginalized groups, to name a few, we have to give up on rigid discipline and unflappable devotion to craft as the markers of good writing. In real life, children get sick and writing routines vary from day to day. The words of the people who attend to interruptions are still important, precisely because we don’t often get to hear from them.
Instead of telling aspiring writers to have a routine, get on a writing streak, and wake up at odd times of day, I say, “Keep coming back.” Everything worth having takes time, and your manuscript is no different. Your life won’t stop, but if you keep coming back, you will eventually have a book.
As you can see from my photos, this manuscript was an exercise in coming back. I started the manuscript at the very end of my pregnancy, then set it aside for many weeks immediately after Paloma was born. In the months of June, July, and August, I got two nap time writing sessions in per month. Only when Paloma went to daycare did I start writing more frequently, and even then it really took until October to get going.
It is true that writing streaks are useful: while it wasn’t possible for me to write every day, I found that the days when I wrote the most followed a string of consistent writing days. I tried to set myself up for success by writing a little bit even on the days when I didn’t have much time, but for the most part I had to let go of writing on weekends. My children are very young, there are three of them, and we share a small space–I need and want to be with them, and my manuscript can wait.
Drafting is only one part of the writing process. I also spent a lot of time reading and researching the historical topic in the book, as well as outlining scenes and reviewing notes. It will take another year to revise the manuscript, review illustration sketches, and correct galleys. A draft is only the first step.
I use time as an anchor. Staring down an entire book is overwhelming, and even word count goals are daunting. I need to contain it all, so I do that by writing in 45-minute increments. On days when I really don’t want to write, that 45-minute timer is an invitation to dip my toes into the manuscript. Usually, when the timer rings, I’m engrossed and keep going. But on days when it’s really miserable, I give myself a break at that point.
It is normal and expected that the writing process changes from book to book and with our life circumstances. I wrote this book almost entirely by going to a coffee shop right after dropping off my kids and not scheduling anything before 11am, giving myself about 2 hours of uninterrupted time in the morning. That worked well for this book, but for the first Cousins in the Time of Magic book, I did the opposite. It was during the pandemic and I wasn’t going out much. In the mornings I had to address the total mess the kids left in my apartment before I could think about anything else. I would often spend the morning cleaning, taking calls, and answering emails before settling into writing in the afternoon.
I started this log because so many of the writers I work with ask me about drafting, but I myself learned a lot from this introspection.
When you read a book, you’re holding years of wrestling and dreaming. You’re reading a love letter from peer to peer, ideas that someone needed to share so badly that they put themselves through the day-after-day slog that is the blank page. With a lot of editing and a little bit of magic, all of those pages turn into a book.
Signed Holiday Books:
Would you like a signed book for the holidays? You can always order signed copies of my books from Astoria Bookshop, which will ship anywhere in the United States. Please order early to give me time to go to the store. Leave any personalization requests in the comment box at checkout, and if you reply to this email and let me know you’ve placed an order and tell me who it’s for, I'll add a personalized note for the holidays, too!
Other News…
I am now booking virtual and in-person author visits. Check out my booking page at Lonni Lane Marketing or email Lisa Nadel directly at lonnilanemarketing@gmail.com.
Save the date for an in-person book party on Tuesday, February 25th at The Corner Bookstore in New York City. All are welcome—I would love to see or meet you in person!
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Publisher’s Weekly Review
“This high-flying, fast-paced adventure by Otheguy (Sofía Acosta Makes a Scene) gleefully embraces and explores Latino history, particularly the intersection of Mexican and United States relations. . . . an accessible and entertaining look at the events that led to contemporary Cinco de Mayo celebrations.”
– Publishers Weekly
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