I did it! I finished the first draft of Book 2! Woop woop! Finishing this draft was one of three goals I had this summer.
The first goal was preparing Book 1 for Beta Readers. The second goal was crafting my query letter. The third goal was writing the first draft of Book 2.
I completed my summer goals just in time for the season to shift from Leo to Virgo. With the evenings getting cooler and autumn creeping closer, I always feel a nervous yet excited energy around this time of year.
For example, later this fall, I’m participating in the Highlights Foundation Whole Novel course, where I’m excited to dig into Book 1. However, I’m nervous that I don’t have enough time to finish all the revisions I have in mind before the course begins.
But before I get ahead of myself, I want to savor the last few weeks of summer and reflect on what Book 2 has taught me thus far.
What Writing the First Draft of Another Book Taught Me
1. I’m motivated
I am reinvigorated to finish Book 1 so I can work on other books. The other night, for example, I was awake in the middle of the night thinking about Book 3. I tried to quiet my mind and tell it that we have to wait until Book 1 is out the door because I won’t start any new projects until I have some off my plate.
Taking a break from Book 1 was needed, but I’m ready to resume working on it. I’m planning to do one big overhaul that I hope will tighten up the story. Then all that will be left is polishing and sending it out into the world. I’m so excited to see what magic happens.
2. I can write another book
It’s not only possible for me to write another book, but it’s also possible for me to love another idea equally, if not more. The act of putting words on the page turned the idea into a story and freed up space in my mind. Because I have a plethora of ideas swirling in my head, I know I can do it again.
3. Discipline
Writing Book 2 was a lot easier and a more enjoyable experience once I became disciplined. I wrote most of Book 2 curled up in my bed, aka my throne, either writing in my notebook or revising on my laptop.
After I wake up and meditate, I write. If I don’t finish what I’m working on before breakfast, I crawl back into bed and keep writing. For whatever reason, this routine worked well and helped me stick to my daily writing goal of working on one to two chapters a day.
Because writing in this posture is more comfortable in my bed than on the closet floor, I’m ignoring the recommendation not to work in bed. It hasn’t impacted the quality of my sleep yet, so I’m going with it.
4. Timelines might not align perfectly
I planned to work on Book 2 while Beta Readers read Book 1, but most of my Beta Readers are still reading Book 1. I hadn’t accounted for how long that might take. Oops.
Although I’m jonesing to work on Book 1, I’d prefer hearing reader feedback before I begin the next round of revision, which puts me in a precarious position.
Option 1: I start the next round of revisions before hearing back from them, but I may have to backtrack and rework things based on their feedback.
Option 2: I wait. However, if I wait, I risk not having enough time to address the changes I want to make in my manuscript before the Highlights Foundation course begins in October.
Because I believe in divine timing and trust that everything will work out, I don’t think there’s a wrong option. At the moment, I’m leaning towards Option 1 because I want to keep my momentum going, but we’ll see how things play out.
Book Talk
The Let’s Get Cozy Book Club podcast is reading History Lessons by Zoe B. Wallbrook. You can read along with us and listen to the podcast to hear our thoughts on it. So far, I really like it!
The Magician of Tiger Castle by Louis Sachar was kinda hilarious. Anatole, the king’s magician, is the master of mishaps and mayhem. The story is entertaining, and I never really knew where it was going to go because Anatole’s magic is that unpredictable.
“I was able to resurrect the spider’s potent saliva by adding a few drops of urine that I collected from…well, from me.” As you can see, the humor is a little disgusting, but Anatole is a little disgusting, so it totally works, making it a delightful, lighthearted read.
Conclusions
I’ve learned that the desires I’ve been sending out to the universe have been mixed messages. I’ll say something like I want a house, but not until I’ve started querying. I want this, but not yet. The desires are conflicting and canceling each other out.
So I’m working on making things crystal clear. I want to finish Book 1 by the end of the year and have it ready to query for Spring 2026. That’s it. Nothing else. As for Book 2, I’m setting it aside until Book 1 is out of my hands.
When I talked to my 93-year-old grandpa on his birthday, he said, “Time goes fast. Some days I feel like I’m 120, and others I feel like I’m 39.”
I’ve got some work ahead of me, and I don’t want to waste any time. To prevent the last four months of the year from getting away, I’m going to lean into my excitement about Book 1 and stay disciplined by working on it day by day until it’s complete.
Sending you lots of lingering moments savoring the last days of summer and fairy dust,
Liza