Station 429

RE-WRITING

author's note #3: RE-WRITING NOTICE

I honestly had thought I had put this story to rest for a long time once I uploaded the last author's note. I mean, I had marked it as completed, I thought I had wrapped it up quite nicely with the words, "Love always, Colleen". That should have marked the end of Station 429, right?

But those words only marked the end of the beginning. As I look back on this story, I realize that there are so many layers that were not shown, perspectives not seen, and backstories not read. (While I was looking back, I also realized that my writing as greatly improved since the beginning of this story, so much so that I physically cringe while re-reading my first few chapters.)

Station 429 was the first story I threw myself fully into, the first one I took completely seriously. There are pieces of me in here, ones that I don't think I'll ever get back. It was therapeutic for me to write, and taught me about healing and moving forward even as I was writing it. All of these things make this story one of the closest to my heart, which makes it that much harder for me to give up.

I tried to set it aside, I really did. I had so many plans for this book that I wanted to jump into right away, but I knew that probably wasn't the best idea. As much as I loved the story and the characters I had created, I was burnt out. Not only did I need a break from this specific story, I needed a break from writing. I decided that when I felt I had a good idea apart from Station 429, I would start back up again. I mean, I had been working on this story for seven months, and it wasn't even a full novel, I figured I deserved a break.

So I took a break, and while I was on my break, I searched for my next idea. It didn't come easily--I burned through one idea (which I ended up scrapping five chapters in) and a couple of short stories before I came up with something I wanted to work on for NaNoWriMo. I wanted to write about something close to my heart, like I had for Station 429, and I decided that the theme of self-love would suffice. I also wanted to write about a tea house hidden in a big city. Thus, The Tea Agreement was born.

There was something nagging at me in the back of my mind, though, telling me that it wasn't going to work, but I ignored it for the sake of NaNo. It turned out to be a big mistake, seeing as I couldn't even finish NaNo on the accounts of TTA not working out and lacking in time management skills (no thanks to school obligations).

Towards the end of November, I was back where I started--burnt out and story-less--and added frustration into the mix. All I wanted to do was write, yet I couldn't bring myself to work on something new. Writing a backstory and plot seemed so tedious and slightly pointless, yet I didn't like where anything I had already made up was going. So why don't you work on something old? I thought, which was the most brilliant thing I had told myself in a long time.

I took my own advice, diving head first into writing the first chapter of the revised version of Station 429. It was like a breath of fresh air, one that I hadn't realized I needed so badly. I'm so happy with how it's shaping up, and I'm finally excited to sit down at my computer and start tearing away at it because I know that I'm bringing it to it's full potential. Even months after I finished it, Station 429 is continuing to bring me happiness in more ways than one.

So yeah, that's why I haven't been active on Wattpad for a while. With these recent developments in my writing life, other developments in my social and school life have been hindering my ability to write/be active as well, so I hope you'll forgive me. I know I've been flakey ever since I finished the first draft of this story, but I hope that bringing it back in a new and fantastic way will make up for it.

The second draft will start being uploaded in January some time. The original will stay posted at least until I post the first update for the re-written version.To those of you who may be asking what's going to happen to The Tea Agreement, it's being put on hold for now. (And by for now, I mean probably for a long time because I have so much planned for Station 429 that it'll be a long time before I get back to it.) I feel like there's something there, but I just want to focus on Station 429 until it's completely run its course.

As always, thank you so much for all of your support, and for sticking with me through this rough patch. I hope you had a lovely Christmas/holiday season!

Much love,

Abby xx