Am I still allowed to get emotional?
Silly question; of course I am. I’m a human being. I got the doctor’s note to prove it.
Welcome back, Kinthur fans, and all you lucky people who’ve just stumbled into this corner of the internet. I’m Trevor Jones: author, dungeonmaster, and creator of the fantastical world of Kinthur. On August 28th, the edited manuscript for Hats Off to Chaos landed in my inbox, and something happened while I was reading through it that I need to tell you about.
But first, some context. This is book two in the Adventurer series, following five characters who originally walked into my vampire story completely uninvited. They were so compelling that I ended up writing their whole origin story, which became That Damn Dragon! Now they’ve got a saga of their own.
Editing, for an indie author, is a strange process. And we all do it somewhat differently.
In my case, I write a rough draft, and then attempt to edit, rewrite, parse, and tear it apart and put it back together into the best version I can. I do better in some cases than others. As some of my editors have noted, I have no idea where to put commas. I’ve considered including a page of extra ones at the back of the book, so you can place them where you like.
But I digress.
Once I’ve done what I can, the manuscript goes off to my editor, who does their magic. Now I’ve many projects in motion, so it’s not as if I sit around biting my nails waiting on a reply (though emotionally, I’m doing just that).
Once the editor is satisfied, the book is sent back to me. Now, I know some people think that is all there is to it, but not so for an indie publisher like me. The editor has gone through the document and made changes, additions, cuts, and suggestions, and it’s on me to accept, reject, or find some other solution (which they may or may not agree with).
At this point in my career, I have written, co-authored, or edited ten novels and over a dozen short stories for publication.
So today, I sat down to go through the edits on Hats Off to Chaos. And it very much felt like watching a trailer for a movie. Flipping through the pages, I watched my protagonists and antagonists spar and battle, maneuver, and attempt to outwit each other. The emotional impact of those scenes was no less powerful than when I wrote them.
And that’s when I noticed something. The ‘worst’ writing I did was during the most emotionally heightened scenes. It’s like the emotions got in the way of finding words for the story in my head. My brain was too busy feeling the scene to describe it perfectly.
Here’s the thing, though: I didn’t mind. If a scene moved me that much while I was writing it, badly-chosen adjective and all, I have to believe it’ll move you too.
Then, at the end of one chapter, my editor left a note. Not the usual ‘well said’ or ‘what a twist!’, this was different. A full compliment on an entire chapter.
I was moved, sitting with that note longer than I probably should have. Because here’s the truth about sending my stories out into the digital world: you never really know if anyone’s reading them, feeling them, or if they’ve slid into a slush pile somewhere, forgotten. That compliment from my editor cut through the silence and told me this isn’t just me screaming into the void.
I did a whole blog on ‘Why Writers Write’, if you want the longer version of this.
I write because sharing these stories brings me joy; that part’s never in question. What is always in question is whether that joy makes it to you. Whether any of it lands.
Hidden in the fantasy genre is every emotion and circumstance one can imagine. My stories are pieces of me. I hope they resonate with you and make you feel something close to what I felt when I wrote them.
And if they don’t? Tell me that too! Drop a comment; I read every one, and I’d rather know than wonder.
Hats Off to Chaos launches September 22nd. Join the Kinthur newsletter so you never miss a release date. And ff you can’t wait for the next book, you could always become an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) reader and get the book for free before anyone else.
Email us at kinthurchronicles@gmail.com and ask how to join.
Until next time, Keep Reading!
~Trevor Jones