The Truth of Artistic Endeavors: Rewrite

How must an author rewrite their novel?

The truth is, frankly speaking, you might not have to rewrite it at all. There’s no rule saying you must do something in writing. Novelists are among the freest artists.

But is it an amazing idea?

Yes.

Please take the time to rewrite the novel. Even if that means rewriting each page sixty times until you move to the next one.

Some might say that looking back or fixing their prior work is time wasted.

Making a story with no reason for it is a waste, not rewriting it.

I recently heard someone say they don’t release things until they feel they are perfect, and that sometimes delays happen to our art—either due to factors outside of our control, or because we strive for excellence.

And that’s the truth. We can get stuck in the perfectionism cycle.

I rewrote Numinous: The Golden Tunists because the first idea was terrible (in my opinion), and I had written it during a time of upheaval in my life. I had some help. Gained some clarity about the novella and reframed it as best as I could.

There were ideas in that book that were from the pit of Satan’s domain with how much they clashed with my decision to focus on quality and prose.

So, this year, I revamped the book into something that would be more fitting as a bridge between the two novels Auminous and Criminous.

The Occultus Ecclesia Saga will run like this:

^Auminous (The First Full-Length Novel)

^Numinous: The Golden Tunists (Setup for the Second Full-Length Novel)

^Criminous (The Second Full-Length Novel)

^Luminous: By Blood and the Stars (The Third Full-Length Novel)

^Acuminous (The Fourth Full-Length Novel)

^Villainous: The Thrice Greatest King (The Final Full-Length Novel)

There is a grand narrative unfolding in this series, and the next full-length novel will be bigger in scale than anything the first novel did.

I’m making sure it’s right for me. That meant writing a bridge book, but making sure the bridge book fits what concepts I’m trying to set up in the larger narrative.

This next novel releases in early 2027, and I will rewrite it from start to finish through six drafts and a polish.

I certainly don’t want to let anyone down if they enjoy the first novel—and I’m grateful for the support.

The setup is necessary to start the next novel with a bang, seeing as it also uses the kishotenketsu story structure and that might be a slower burn.

Criminous takes place between two locations—the town of Silva Isle, Colorado, and Las Vegas, Nevada.

I’m a huge fan of the casino aesthetic. And bright lights make impressive set pieces.

Criminous will see the return of the Tempests, the Darcis as a true threat, and the main cast of Auminous in full swing.

As an artist, I realize that taking full time on a project leads to the best results. So, I will work on this novel during 2026 and release it in 2027.

My light novel series (which isn’t so light anymore) will have two releases a year, and then a couple of shadow-dropped novels with another release to make at least four books a year. This pace works wonders for me, who had foolishly thought releasing a book a month was a worthy task when the best writing is done through time and rewriting.

You might be able to write a pulpy novel in no time—but extensive philosophy, metaphysical concepts, and poetry take time to create.

I don’t seek the pulp—I seek the true fruit of creation.

But please take the time to rewrite your novels to put the best product possible into circulation.

If a musician waits years to write and release an album, and a game developer takes years to create a masterpiece of media fiction, why should a writer be any different? I’ve often said I’ve learned more about writing from those who aren’t in the craft than I have from those in it, even if that oversimplifies things a hair.

For me, four books announced—plus shadow drops—is the way to go. Because I find creating is far more fulfilling to me than consuming art, even though I absolutely adore stories in many forms and enjoy them.

Not awful, not middling, not only high caliber, but the right quality and with something to be said.

It’s not time to retire. It’s time to devote time to more creation. ;)

That is the truth of artistic endeavors.