The new year is nigh. 2022 is going to be the year to write the YA Western book.

I’ve already reviewed my 2021 writing year in my 2021 Reading & Writing Wrap-Up, so in this post I’m going to concentrate on my 2022 plans.

2022, huh? I can’t quite believe that we’re this far along since the start of the COVID1-9 pandemic. Seriously, I still think we’re at the end of 2019, about to go into 2020… I’m rather hoping that I get myself out of this loop and it’s not something that I get stuck in for the rest of my life. Perhaps it will be some sort of psychological trauma that people in their 20s have for the rest of their life due to the pandemic…

Anyway, 2022 includes some big plans for me – including a big birthday, which I’m still not sure how to feel about. I’ve also got some big work related plans, which I am super excited about. And, in terms of writing, I’ve also got big plans there as well.

In 2022, I will be concentrating on writing and editing the book that I am currently calling the YA Western. I already have a name for the book, which I have mentioned on this blog before, but for the purposes of appearing mysterious, I will refer to it as the YA Western until I do the cover and title reveal.

This book is one that I have actually already written. I wrote the original manuscript around 10 years ago when I was in my final year of uni as part of my Writing for Young People module. I wrote part of the book in that module (for which I got a First *head swagger*), and then I finished it the following year. I tried pitching it to agents, but no one was interested in taking it. I gave up on the book and put it away.

And even though I did put it away, it occasionally comes back to haunt me. Even though I finished the book, I hated the middle section. It was too detached from the rest of the story and it felt so flimsy in comparison. Ideas for how I could change the plot have been popping into my head over the past 10 years. I seriously feel like the book has haunted me, demanding to be completed to a standard that I will be pleased with. So next year, I’m going to grant its wish and finish the damn thing so it leaves me alone!

I’ve already spent a couple of months working on the book. During October, I completed an online course on the Old West, to give me some more historical context for the events that take place in the YA Western novel – something that felt was lacking in the original manuscript. I’ve also completed character templates for all the main characters and also plotted out the book.

So all that is left to do is to write it! And here’s how I’m going to do that:

January – April: Draft 1

This is the part of the process that I dread the most, but also enjoy second best (I love the planning part of the book process, and then really despise the editing end of it all). I dread the thought of starting – of having to type those first words on that blank Word document, but I also know that once I get into it, I do really enjoy myself.

The main struggle I can see with the first draft is deciding how much I want to keep of the original manuscript, and how much I want to chuck. I’ve already planned out the YA Western, so I’ve identified the scenes I want to keep from the original book, but I’m wondering whether to put them in as they are or to re-write them completely. The original manuscript is written in a western American dialect. Looking back at it now, I’m not 100% certain that it works, so I’ve also got to make the decision about whether I keep that dialect or write the book in standard English.

I think quite a lot of those decisions would likely be made if I just read back over the original manuscript. But for something that at the time I was very proud of writing, I’m now fearful of reading it because I know it’s going to be pretty awful!

In terms of other projects, I’m planning to post Book 2 of Six Hands of Fate on Wattpad during this period, likely from the start of April.

May & June: Rest

Time for some R&R. I have big personal plans for these two months of the year, which will include looking at my writing career and perhaps making a decision as to what I want to do with it. I might have a play around with some other story ideas while I let the YA Western stew, with a view of what I’m going to work on in 2023. But this will be a period to rest and to let my writing brain flop on the sofa with the TV on. Although, I might also use the time to think about what I want to work on after I have finished the YA Western.

July – September: Draft 2

After a two month break, I’ll dust off draft 1 of the YA Western and work it into the next stage. Draft 2 will be all about fixing the big issues, like plot holes, or character inconsistencies. I’ll likely be checking historical facts in this draft to ensure that I’ve got everything correct. Aside from the first time I wrote this book 10 years ago, I’ve never written a historical book, so I’m very worried about getting some wrong.

October – December: Draft 3

Once draft 2 is done, it’s immediately onto the next stage. Draft 3 is all about fixing the small issues – so the grammar, the spelling etc. I always think it never takes very long. But it does. It really does, so I’m allowing myself a good three months to whip it into shape. It might only take two months, but I want to give myself plenty of time to get it right.

And that’s it! (As if it’s going to be that simple!)

Once I’m happy with draft 3, I’ll be sending the book off to have someone check it over for any last glaring errors. Once that has come back, I’ll be posting the book somewhere. I’m keeping it vague, because I’m not sure yet where I’ll be posting stuff, as I’m not sure Wattpad is doing it for me. We’ll see.

WHAT ARE YOUR WRITING PLANS FOR 2022? COMMENT DOWN BELOW. LET ME KNOW.