Mastering Novel Writing: My Journey

Daily writing prompt

What skill would you like to learn?

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As a creature of curiosity, I find immense joy in learning new things. Almost anything that piques my interest becomes a new learning opportunity. For instance, within the last several years, I eagerly volunteered during a Japanese tea ceremony at a campus cultural fest, driven by my desire to experience the customs firsthand.

But if I had to name an art I am deeply in love with, it would be Novel writing. It has been my most extended area of study and struggle, particularly within the Romance genre.

Since childhood, I adored romantic tales such as Lisa Scott’s series Flirts and Teresa Medeiros’ Breath of Magic. I’d trace the words with my fingertips as the events played like a movie in my mind. When a well-written piece crossed my path, I re-read it until I could quote my favorite scenes. Along the way, I became fascinated with fan fiction. I was intrigued by ordinary people writing continuations to an already finished book, anime, or manga. Yet, I was bothered by two things. One: pieces of unfinished prose were standard. Two: eight times out of ten, the grammar was sketchy at best. In my first year of high school, I came to a single conclusion: I could do better.

Two hours later, I grinned as one of my favorite fan fiction lay rewritten on the family desktop. Run-on and comma-less sentences were unincluded. I loved editing so much that I tried my hand at writing my first narrative. Although it was subpar, it wet my thirst for learning the skill.

Even now, I continue to practice before work, relishing the process of seeing what my mind creates. Novel writing is not just a hobby, but a skill I am committed to studying and mastering throughout my lifetime.