Behind the scenes of the writing process, things are often far messier and more magical than they seem from the outside. It usually starts with a spark—an image, a phrase, a feeling, or a “what if” question that refuses to leave your mind. That spark might sit quietly for days, weeks, or even years, growing roots before a single word is written. When it finally feels ready—or when Luna just can’t hold it in any longer—the words begin to flow, sometimes in a rush, sometimes in hesitant drips.
The first draft is rarely clean. It’s raw, awkward, emotional, and full of contradictions. Characters may change names halfway through. Plotlines veer off course. Dialogue can feel stiff. But the goal of this phase isn’t perfection—it’s momentum. Luna dives in, letting the story lead, often discovering twists and truths they hadn’t planned.
After that, comes the real work: revision. This is where Luna becomes part detective, part sculptor. She digs through the draft for the heart of the story, the emotional spine that holds everything together. Whole scenes get cut. New ones are added. Sentences are reworked until they sing. Characters are deepened, timelines tightened, dialogue sharpened. Luna reads aloud, paces the room, makes notes in the margins, and occasionally questions her life choices.
Along the way, doubt shows up. So does inspiration. Some days it feels like everything is clicking; other days, nothing sounds right. Luna wrestles with imposter syndrome, distractions, and the weight of wanting to do justice to the story in her head. But still, she returns – again and again – because the story matters.
Eventually, after multiple drafts, the work begins to resemble something whole. Something with shape and soul. Maybe then it goes to a trusted reader or editor, opening the door for new insights and more refining. Even then, it’s never truly “done” in the Luna’s mind—but at some point, she lets it go.
And through all of it—the coffee-fueled nights, the moments of clarity, the silent battles with self-doubt—there’s a quiet joy. The joy of building a world from nothing. Of turning invisible thoughts into something real. Of capturing a fleeting feeling in words that might one day move someone else.