My three BIG mistakes in writing

Today I bring you a topic that I've been thinking about for weeks and I thought it would be interesting to share. I have read many blogs by writers who talk about the mistakes they made when writing their novels. I learned a lot from them and decided to share mine as well. As the saying goes, no one is born knowing everything, and it's great to be able to learn from friends or people who share your same interests.

Without further ado, here are my most egregious mistakes:

❝ My first BIG mistake:

THE GENDER OF THE CHARACTERS

When I finished the first draft of "Trÿa, the Legend of the God Zanaán," I knew it was time to get the opinion of third parties, so I gave it to my best friend, Sara, to critique. After reading it, she told me that she liked the idea, but that I had made a very common mistake. I had given absolute prominence to male characters and there was a significant lack of female presence in my story.

I realized she was right. There were girls, yes, but they were not very important in the plot. That scared me because it wasn't something I had consciously sought to do. I had no idea how pervasive the messages we receive all the time from social media, books, TV series, movies, or advertisements where women have little presence are, and if they do, it's because that product is exclusively targeted at women. Generally, men avoid certain themes like romantic novels or "chick flicks," which are sold to us in packs at shopping centers.

Solution:

I researched the social impact of sexism and the subtle sexism that surrounds us. I decided not to be a part of it, at least not while I was aware of it. I took all my characters and subjected them to examination. I chose some of the main profiles in the story and changed their gender. I was clear about what I didn't want: I didn't want these changes to distort the characters' traits. If they had been strong, brave, and bold, the women would be too. No damsels in distress or weaknesses, none of those silly notions we're taught as if they were reality. The result? You'll see soon.

❝ My second mistake:

BEING A PANTSER WRITER

Yes, I made the mistake of letting my imagination run wild without organizing my ideas. Whatever came to mind, I ran with it. I let the excitement dominate the writing and didn't consider that it could end up a disaster. When I reread Trÿa, I realized how many plot threads were left hanging, disconnected, or outdated. There were changes upon changes that I didn't account for. I jumped back and forth as I pleased. The result: chaos, chaos at a level where I didn't know where to start.

Solution:

Becoming a plotter. I met with my editor and we began an exhaustive data collection using post-it notes that we spread all over the wall to create a timeline. We reorganized the story to make it cohesive, eliminated, resolved, and improved the plots. A long few months of work resulted in a novel without loose ends, structured and improved.

❝ My third mistake:

BELIEVING I WAS DONE

Foolish of me. When we had done all that, I started celebrating, thinking... it's finished! But there was still the task of reading the entire book to see how it turned out. Of course, there were still small things to improve. You know, you have to be a pro to skip this step, and even then, it's not advisable. It's not that your novel isn't good as you've written it, but it's better to be sure.

Solution:

Read. Read and read. Always from a critical point of view, but without becoming a correcting demon, or you'll spend your life rereading, getting stuck, and never publishing. You need to have a critical eye but not be swayed by indecision. You can do it!

What mistakes have you made?

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Trÿa, the Leyend of the God Zanaán

«Sira Ïn is no longer a safe place. Beyond the Crown of Winds, Nara must conceal her identity, exposed to the dangers of Trÿa. While she strives to become the warrior her people need, Tyrhon Zäeh plots to halt her journey, destroy her companions, and prevent her from uncovering the truths hidden behind the legend of the powerful god Zanaán.»

After an initial local release, "Trÿa, the Legend of the God Zanaán" was published for the general public, becoming one of the four finalists for "Best Self-Published Novel" at the Avenida Awards in 2019.

This book is only published in Spanish.*