Take the Extra Time and Make Better Deadlines

Have you ever worked on something and then thrown it away multiple times because it wasn’t quite … right?

That’s what writing stories is like. If something doesn’t work, instead of stirring a pile of crap repeatedly, you toss it away and redraft it.

I found myself in this predicament with my next novel, A Knight Stained Black. The premise is so goofy that I needed to reattempt this story multiple times. And redraft means not using anything from the old story apart from themes and elements.

I wanted to release it on Independence Day for symbolism because of the totalitarian themes, but it needs more passes before it’s out there.

And I don’t mean grammar and syntax passes. I mean thematic structure and following my kishotenketsu plotline archetype. To make sure there is a tension of some kind on every page. To make sure dialogue is trimmed down to the bone, and to make sure foreshadowing isn’t obvious and in your face but still there—so when the twists come, it makes sense as it was supposed to happen all along.

I’m an author who focuses more on artisanship than deadlines or projections. No book is perfect, and I understand that. But there’s a level that I’m satisfied with, and this book needs just a hair stretch of extra time in the oven.

Artisans are skilled at their craft. I don’t want to be just a writer. I aspire to be a skilled craftsperson. An auteur, with distinctively Bryan Rivera-Rivera elements to each book.

Taking extra time with our art means we’re not rushing things, and my goal of releasing four or more books a year (with some shadow drops) might seem like rushing as it is.

But this is a long game, a patient plan with time to get things right.

If your book or project needs a little more time, then take it.

Delay can be good, but rushed is a wreck.