“How long did it take you?” / Revision Process

It often amazes readers that it took me approximately seven years to complete the manuscript for Only A Girl. Why did writing a story, using modern technology, take that long?

While modern technology definitely was a huge help, (I didn’t have to re-type edited pages and answers to research questions were often just a mouse click away) it still took a considerable amount of time to collect the historical data which serves as the narrative’s back bone.

Another time consuming exercise was finding the “right voice.” Only after writing the story first as Jenny’s then as Nanna’s story, did I come to the conclusion that Only A Girl is Carolien’s story. I consider myself fortunate to have worked with editors who patiently allowed me this search and helped me through the process.

Once I had the whole story on paper, there was still another obstacle to overcome.

Though I speak English fluently and read it with ease, English is not my first language and I had to master enough of the craft of writing to be able to produce a publishable manuscript. Every language has its own idioms and as we went through the manuscript revisions, my editors and I often picked out and laughed about what between us became known as “Lianisms.”

I cherish the years I spent writing Only A Girl. I learned a lot on many levels.