Beloved Lore Keepers,
As the new year dawns, I have exciting news—Lily’s Passage is 100% edited! For those who have followed my journey for some time, this day has been long anticipated. I began a huge edit in June 2024 and after many long months of work, I’m excited to share my (near) final word count: 71,376. My starting total was 153,517. Crunch some numbers and… I cut over half of my manuscript. (A book from my book, as my husband likes to joke.) If those numbers sound scary or leave you wondering if I have any story left, fear not! Read on for how editing has transformed my perspective on storytelling and the craft of writing.
Book Spotlight
An excerpt from my recent edits.
“You speak as if there’s another life.” I leaned against the railing, not yet ready to face my responsibilities.
“I believe there is. And that faith gives me hope, even in the darkest moments.”
I cradled my head in my hands. “I never realized how dark the world is.”
Dawn came beside me. “You don’t have to walk in that darkness, Farrah.”
Something stirred within me, a longing for guidance. But a knock on the clinic door drew our attention. I inhaled, steeling myself for the task ahead. “I’ll do what I can to bring light to other’s lives.”
Reading
I’m finding new rhythms and balance in this season of life, so leisure reading is something I want to prioritize instead of social media scrolling.
Quote to Ponder
“How much do you care about the font size of your name?” Thomas Umstattd Jr., on The Novel Marketing Podcast
This quote came from an episode on ghostwriting, but I find its meaning applicable to more than the writing industry. It begs the question, Am I okay with others getting the attention, even if I did the work? What if God gets the glory and I’m never recognized?
Updates
✨ Edits are complete! Lily’s Passage is one step closer to publication. And this milestone is HUGE. Now that I’ve written and typed all of my edits, I have one more read-through to make sure I didn’t cut too much. A brand new set of eyes gets to give some feedback on my story, then it’s off to the publisher for this novel!
✨ My next project is finishing my short story, Laurel’s Price. My goal is to have the story available by the end of January, and as a Lore Keeper, you will be among the first to read it!
✨ The next big thing (other than a book launch) is dusting off my draft for Holly’s Portent. Though it’s too early for me to set any definitive goals for this project, I plan to have book two ready for beta readers by this time next year.
Lore
I heard something recently that resonates with my current season: “Boldness is acting without fear. Courage is acting despite fear.” The difference between these two qualities comes down not to the action, but the motivation. Taking the next step can be difficult when fear grips us. But beginning any new venture starts with that first step—even if our feet tremble in our boots.
My 2025 word for the year is COURAGE. While I can think of many areas of my life where this word applies, writing is my focus for this newsletter. When I set out to trim my manuscript at the loving insistence of a trusted writing friend, fear dogged my footsteps. What if I’m wasting my time? What if I don’t have a story afterwards? What if I can’t finish the work—am I a failure? At the heart of my worries, I feared what would happen if I succeeded. Does that mean all my past work was for nothing?
No. As with any craft, writing takes countless hours of practice. Every ounce of energy I put into writing the early versions of Lily’s Passage measured up to the time this book required. My storytelling skill has improved simply through studying craft over the past couple years.
When I talk to people about my edits, I’ve received one question multiple times: “Are you losing yourself when you cut from your book?” A fascinating question, really. In a way, yes. Every word I delete cuts part of who I was when I wrote it. But in a big picture sense, no. Because this story isn’t for me. Though there are pieces of myself embedded in the pages, my identity isn’t—and will never be—wrapped up in my work. Who I am is greater than any earthly recognition I receive. To borrow from another quote I mentioned earlier, I’m okay with my name being in fine print or not at all.
Am I losing myself through editing? Hardly. My voice is stronger because of the pruning. Perhaps I’ve learned how to say more with less. And more importantly, I hope my edits have allowed God’s voice to grow stronger within the pages of my story.
So onward into the new year. Take heart, face the morning with courage.
Like dawn, so ends the night.
As the wind blows,
Sydney Frusti