I have just finished typing up the first page of my new book, titled ‘Ten Thousand Walks.’ It’s currently available online at Mow Universe in two parts. It’s funny how one handwritten page turned into two typed pages. I always thought it was supposed to be the other way around, but oh well!
I already have four pages written out in my notebook, and based on my writing speed, by the time I type those four pages up, I’ll probably have added seven or eight more. It’s quite exciting to see the story unfold before my eyes.
Writing it online for everyone to see as I go has been an interesting experience. It’s giving me insight into my writing style and process, which I didn’t realize was so laid back. However, as I was typing today, I made a realization.
I have been skipping a step that every novel writing book emphasizes as vital – the rewrite. I always thought I was doing it by going over what I wrote and correcting spelling and grammar mistakes. But I now understand that’s not rewriting; it’s just correcting.
Writing on paper, when I have a few minutes free, has made me realize that I’ve been skipping the rewriting phase altogether. In the past, I would skip straight to the correction phase because my process naturally takes care of rewriting without me having to physically write something twice or go back and fix it.
When I write a story, I not only see the words on my computer screen but also the words that will come next, hovering above my screen. I see a rewritten version of it above my keyboard. What I eventually type is slightly different from what I initially saw. The words on the screen don’t look as real; they appear more faded, like ethereal words floating around me as I write.
But the most fascinating part about this process is that I can see what I’m writing about happening right in front of me. It’s as if there are words all around the events, describing in simple terms like ‘jump,’ ‘kick,’ or ‘punch’ what is happening. It’s like reading a comic book, with the dialogue hovering above the characters’ heads.
I know it’s not normal to see things around you like I do, but I find it incredibly interesting. However, I must clarify that I don’t write about everything I see. Since I’m almost always seeing things that aren’t there, I choose not to let anyone delve too deeply into my mind and write about everything I see. At least, not yet.
