The question isn’t answered in the plot

I’m ten days out from turning in my last Miraculous edits. (I have a release date — July 5, 2022!) I’ve simplified and streamlined, my editor Stacey told me. Now is the time to connect the last dots.

A few months ago, I’d read through the draft and found a few holes I needed to fix. I had ideas! Plans! But each time I tried to work through them, those ideas felt convoluted and dumb. I was forcing my characters to do what I needed, working from the outside in, moving them around like chess pieces in service to the story.

Don’t look for the answers in the plot, Stacey said. You’ll find your answers in understanding your characters. I knew this. I know this. I’ve written lots of books! But, wow, hearing these words with this book at that moment opened up so much to me.

So this time through, I’m staying close to what’s already developed on the page. The answers are there! I don’t need new hoops for characters to jump through. I don’t need to invent new steps; I need to trust my characters to lead.

This is my absolute favorite part of the writing process, when I can (finally) grasp the whole story in my head and everything is coming together. After this, it’s on to copy edits and then first pass pages. I should have a cover to show you in the next month or two.

Friends, I can’t wait to introduce you Jack and Cora and Dr. Kingsbury and all the people of Oakdale. Soon!