Asher Tensei: Writing the Novel (guest post)

Hi! I have debut author Asher Tensei here today. His new book, Mana, is due out this summer. As many first time authors feel, writing that first novel can be a difficult undertaking. Asher shares his writing process in hopes of encouraging others as they tackle their dream.

Writing the Novel

It’s true what they say: writing the novel is the hardest part. It’s harder than finding an agent (maybe…this involves query letters and that’s a whole ‘nother story), harder than editing, and a lot harder than publicity in my opinion.

A good book sells itself, but you need to make sure the book is good first. How do you do that?

I’m glad you asked. I want to share the journey I went on while creating my first novel, Mana, a young adult urban fantasy. Before I start with the heavy, I want to say that I am very excited that my book has been pushed back for edits. Keep up with my Twitter feed and website for updates. I’ve wanted this for so long, so this post is dedicated to my journey and future journeys my readers may have!

Ask anyone and they’ll tell you. The idea of writing came to me when I was at work one day. I was in Germany, working at a joint restaurant (ok, it was Burger King and Anthony’s Pizza) and the Twilight Saga was having a promotion. Immediately, I thought that I could write a book like that, I can do it!

It turns out that was all the motivation I needed to start writing. Sure I had already learned how to form sentences, but the fame of the Twilight Saga gave me the incentive that I needed to actually start writing. As I entered the fabulous world of story-building, I made sure to follow some guidelines to ensure that I wrote the best story I could.

Find a setting

Before I could form any type of Idea, I had to check to see if the story was in the right place. In my case, I needed an area where trees were plush and plentiful and an area where the seasons were somewhat on the correct cycle. It’s important to know where the story takes place, even in fantasy. Magical realism is the way to go. After doing some research, I found that Roanoke Virginia would be a perfect setting. Once you have that idea setting, you can focus on making your idea unique. Make sure your writing stands out!

Write an outline

Now I know this part sounds boring as hell and I understand why people choose to skip this. The outline doesn’t have to be a bland description of every little detail, you can use this time to develop character personalities and possible conflicts. That’s the exciting part, in this phase of writing you can pour all of your imagination out. Still write with style, this will make the editing part much much easier!

Final Draft

Personally, I loved this phase while I was writing. By the time I got around to writing the final draft, so many new, cool things happened in my life that I just wanted to express. I had just built somewhat of a fan base, took a few courses in writing (mostly essays ), and learned some of the harsh cruelties that life can deliver. All that aside, during the final draft, I was able to edit with a newfound writing concept. I made changes that I believed bettered the story. Make sure you polish as much as you can before sending it out to publishers, agents, or editors!

This was the guideline I followed. Will it work for me? I hope so, but I won’t find out until I get a new release date!

Happy Independence Day!!!

P.S. There are bound to be some failures with submitting, but always remember to keep trying!

Thank you Asher for sharing with us. To keep up-to-date on the editing process and new release date, you can find Asher:
Twitter
Website
Goodreads

Mana by Asher Tensei

Eurich is thrown into what seems like an ill-fated destiny. After learning of his legendary magic, he is convinced that he alone must stop the impending doom, but nothing is ever as it seems. Best friends Jason and Raine try their best to help him save the world, ut help isn’t what he needs…he needs a way across the barrier.

Though not his choice, Eurich knows what’s going on. The world is headed towards Chaos and it’s because of a weakening barrier that hides Earth from a world that hasn’t been present in millennia.

The world is about to take a sharp turn for the worse. Extra moons are rising in the sky, panic is at an all-time high…and the worse thing about it is—there are no explanations.

Saving the world is just a step away…but is humanity worth him risking his own life? From Goodreads.com