Writing a Novel = Journey of Discovery

“Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.”

~E.L. Doctorow

They say writing a novel is a journey of discovery, and that’s been true for me.

As I work through a plot and explore a theme, I have to refine my opinions and beliefs. It’s an interesting process, and in the end I always seem to grow a bit with each book I write.

At this point I’ve written nearly five books. The process always changes me, but I never imagined how writing my wip (work in progress) would affect me. I’m discovering more than I ever imagined.

My character Margaret travels through time. She doesn’t know when she’ll travel or even why turns up at a certain time and place. In a moment of introspection she thinks about her journeys: Surely her time travels changed something, like ripples in a pond. How might she change the future by living in the past? By being the tiny pebble tossed into the distant waters of a past time?

I’ve never had to research for a novel like I’m researching for this wip I’m tentatively calling The Journeys of Margaret Caruso. I’m more fortunate than most authors because I have the blessing of being assisted by two genealogists who have shared some amazing information. What’s even more amazing is that they are distant relatives whom I have never met.

This past weekend I realized that Margaret’s journeys are a personal map of my spiritual heritage. I’m finding commonality with people I had never heard of before—people who lived on another continent over three hundred years ago.

I’m on the edge of a discovery. I’ve had an insight into my journey of writing Margaret’s story that has stunned me. Writing this novel means something to me, something more than tapping out an amusing tale. The exciting part is that I’m not even 100% sure what that something is.

But don’t worry. One day I’ll share this epiphany with you.