Greetings! Happy Friday! It’s been a while since I’ve done a writing update. A long time, actually. And that is because I have some important news about Ready or Not.
After a lot of thinking, I have decided not to finish Ready or Not.
I spent months working on the first draft, but I kept getting stuck. I didn’t know what was going to happen, I wasn’t motivated to continue, and most importantly, I didn’t love the story.
When I started writing Ready or Not for NaNoWriMo last year, I didn’t really have a plan. I knew how it would begin, but I had no idea where I was going with it. I got so stuck at 30k that I stopped writing to create an outline. But that didn’t work either.
For a lot of this process, I’ve wondered why I was trying to force it. Was it because I genuinely thought it was a story that needed to be told? Or was I writing it just for the sake of making a sequel?
Basically, I had an idea for something that could happen in a sequel. But that doesn’t mean it was a good idea. After thinking about it recently, I realized the story I was trying to force wouldn’t add anything to book one. And to be honest, I didn’t even like the story. So why was I still trying to make it happen?
It was because of a misconception I had: that I had to finish every story I started… or else I would be giving up.
That’s definitely not true. Choosing not to finish a project does not make you weak, or a quitter. Sometimes, it’s the opposite. It can take strength to put a project aside and admit that it wasn’t your best work. It’s better to admit that than put out something that you’re not proud of.
I’ve still learned a lot from the writing of this book, so it wasn’t a complete waste. But I don’t want to spend any more time on it. I would rather work on something new, something I’m actually excited about.
So… this is a farewell to Ready or Not. I’m disappointed it didn’t work out, but I think Hide and Seek is better off as a standalone. I’m really sorry for announcing that it would happen, but hopefully you all understand.
I’m currently working on a new project that I’m excited to start writing for NaNoWriMo in November. Right now, I’m working on brainstorming and character development. I’m not going to give too much information on it yet (after all, I haven’t even started writing it). But stay tuned for more writing updates.
Thank you to everyone who has supported Hide and Seek! Your encouragement means so much to me. π I am actually re-editing Hide and Seek right now to fix some grammar errors and messy sentence structure. I also plan on having a cover redesigned by someone who knows more about graphic design than me. π
Have a beautiful day!
~M Y A
Aw I’m sad that there won’t be another book, but I understand! I still need to buy and read Hide and Seek.
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Thanks for understanding! Haha, take your time. =D I understand the struggles of having a large TBR. So many books, so little time…
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Aww, I’m sorry it didn’t work out. But I completely support writers not finishing a project they don’t love. You definitely made the right choice, and we will all stand behind you! β€οΈ
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Thanks Penny! I feel like a lot of writers, especially newer ones, feel pressured to finish everything they start. I plan to make a post in the future about “quitting” projects, actually… π
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Aw I’m sad it’s not going to happen, but it’s great that you learned more about writing along the way π (In the end, that’s all that matters, haha.) I’m excited about your new project and your redo of Hide and Seek – sending all the luck!
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Thank you, Anna! β€οΈ
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Farewell Asher, Amera, Rowan, and all the other H&S characters! *mournfully waves goodbye* I understand your decision. There’s nothing worse than trying to hard to make something work. I look forward to learning more about this new project.
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Thanks, I can’t wait to further develop the new idea!
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It can take a lot of strength to decide to put down a project; I totally respect your decision to do that. π
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Thank you for understanding, Julia! π Iβm a lot more excited about writing now with my new project.
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