This semester I am taking two Literature classes to go with my English major. I’m in American Lit II, a requirement for all English majors, and Fantasy lit, an elective. American Lit is shaping up to be one of my favorite classes so far. In it, we discuss literary theory and analyze American novels from Mark Twain to William Faulkner. I haven’t read most of the books in the class, which adds to my enjoyment.
The class has helped me as I work on my new novel. This is my first book that isn’t fantasy or science fiction, which has proven to be a surprising challenge. Before, I could invent my world, so I was only accountable to myself for making it believable. But now, I am accountable to all reality. In American Lit, we have discussed the role and responsibility of the writer. As an observer, they must do their best to represent the world as it is. When something claims to be realistic but isn’t, a reader senses it and loses trust in the writer.
That has been one of my biggest concerns writing this book. And it has been a challenge, writing characters and situations that feel real. I want the novel to feel poetic; I also want it to be poignantly realistic. Most of the characters have emotionally-driven character arcs. They often find themselves in situations that force them to make hard decisions. These hard decisions produce growth, even when they make the wrong decision. I never wanted these situations to come across as forced. I wanted to honestly communicate the emotions so many freshmen experience. Doing so was a challenge, but one that I relished.
During the first draft, I wrote only the words that were necessary. I included very little artful description or poetic language. I wrote it in a tight third-person perspective. Since I’ve begun editing, I’ve had to add to the narrative, because I felt that something was missing. I’ve played around with the style, and found that a semi-distant omniscient narrator works best, with much more poetic imagery to describe characters and scenes. Though recently I’ve shied away from imagery in my prose, I found that I needed it in this manuscript. Only once I added my personality through imagery did I feel that I could truthfully represent reality.
I am far from done editing this book. But I’ve found a title (hopefully), and greater themes have grown as I write. The writing process has been powerful for me, and I hope that the end result will be just as powerful to read.