E2: First book lessons

I mean, it’s not like it would’ve been a terrible book series—I’m sure it would’ve had some good twists and turns. But honestly, Michael would’ve needed a calendar and a GPS just to keep track of all the plot lines! I wanted to go bigger and have different protagonists with new characteristics. This just goes to show how much things can evolve when you’re planning—sometimes for the better, sometimes for the hilariously chaotic. 

This being said, I didn't plan any of the book in advance. I pretty much just let my imagination run wild and wrote whatever popped into my head, keeping in mind what I'd written before. When writing a book, however, I definitely wouldn't recommend this as I kept losing track of which character was in which timeline, and let’s just say it led to some very interesting plot twists! 

Luckily, the ideas began to connect perfectly, and it built up to a great ending. What excites me most about writing my books is the ending and how it will all conclude. It wraps everything up and shows just how crucial each character’s actions were throughout the story.  When writing this book, I was inspired by a lot of futuristic video games and movies about time travel. Because if there’s one thing those movies taught me, it’s that you can never have too many explosions! 

One thing I aimed to improve in my other books was making them less complicated—because, let’s be honest, my first book could have used a bit of a "simplicity" upgrade.  For me, when I wrote my first book, I tried making it as serious as possible and over complicating it slightly. The final result? Characters flipping their emotions faster than a cat chasing a laser pointer. So, I decided to dial it back a bit and let my characters’ feelings unfold at a more realistic pace. 

After writing this book, I didn’t suddenly become a literary genius. It just brought me a step closer to writing better. I am certain that anyone who wants to write a book can do it. But here’s a little secret: if it’s your first book, it doesn’t have to be perfect. Think of it like your first attempt at cooking—you might end up with a dish that’s more "experimental" than gourmet, but you’re learning how to handle the heat. Just keep stirring, tasting, and refining your recipe!

I also learned after writing Time Traitor how important it is to have another pair of eyes on your work. Trust me, you might think your manuscript is fantastic, only to realize you’ve sprinkled a hundred spelling mistakes like confetti. So, always listen to feedback. Having someone else read it and give feedback is invaluable. 

When writing this book, I discovered just how crucial it is to know who your characters are before deciding what they do. Their actions should reflect their personalities and motivations to give them purpose in your story. Get to know your characters first; it’ll make your story flow smoother and keep your readers from scratching their heads. 

One thing I didn’t do with this book until later was edit it myself. I jotted down my ideas and got help from someone to revise the book, but I never actually edited the book myself. It’s like building a sandcastle and then forgetting to smooth out the rough edges—yeah, it might look okay, but it could be a lot better with a little more effort. This is a huge mistake when writing, as you might find that changing something about the story can make it a lot better. So, don’t skip the editing stage; your future self (and your readers) will thank you!