“Unearthing Stories: Discover the Hidden Treasures Beneath Your Novel’s Surface!”
Writing a novel can feel like unearthing a long-buried treasure, don’t you think? It’s a grueling process, much like an archaeological dig where every fragment you uncover holds the potential for a riveting story. Over three years, I’ve been digging through drafts, trying to piece together the narrative while dodging some rather muddy turns and heart-wrenching moments. There are often days when it feels like I’m grappling with the remains of a lost civilization instead of crafting a hopeful tale of forgiveness. Yet, just like in archaeology, the real magic lies in the meticulous process of connecting those broken pieces into a cohesive whole—finding the right balance between despair and hope. So, what parallels might there be between the writer and the archaeologist? Let’s dig deeper into this intriguing connection and explore the intricacies of weaving a compelling story from scattered clues! LEARN MORE.
Both are meticulous and involve creating something viable from fragments and clues
I’ve been writing my current novel for the last three years. I’m coming to the end of a third draft, the story is now in reasonable shape, but it’s been a hard slog.
The subject matter is difficult, which could cause the book to be unremittingly miserable. I want it to be about hope and forgiveness though I suspect that I will have to stitch more of that into the story.
When I wrote the first draft, I found myself saying “meh” about most of what I produced. I journaled with my main character several times a week. Each time I asked her if she’s sure that she wants to go this direction. Each time she responded by saying “That’s my story. That’s what happened. And it’s your job to write it down.”
And so I continued to plod on.
Writing a novel is like doing an archaeological dig
Another way of looking at novel writing is that it is like doing an archaeological dig. My story exists but I have to dig and find it. I have to keep digging, piecing together fragments, discarding others, until my story is whole. With its own truth and integrity.
Here are the similarities between novel writing and archaeology:
- Both are a hunch.
- Both have some sketchy details.
- Both require a lot of work to bring to fruition.
- Both may take a while, much longer than your initial estimate.
- Both may contain some disappointments and some false turns before they yield tangible results.
- Both can be expensive and may not bring any financial return for all that hard work.
- Both are meticulous because they involve piecing together clues and fragments to create a viable whole. This usually takes several attempts. Equally, you might have some fragments and have no idea how they fit together.
Let’s look at each stage of the process.
