So far this year I’ve used this space to talk about my word of the year—brave— and trying a different way of plotting, and apparently I still have more to say on these topics.

Whenever I talk about my writing process, I proudly tell people that after I outline, I start writing my book at page one and don’t stop until I hit The End. I don’t go back and edit, and I only reread the previous couple paragraphs to get myself into the flow of the story. If something changes that will require edits in what I’ve already written (I’m looking at YOU Mike from The Trail Rules), I note it in a separate file and continue writing as if that change has already been made. I’ve sworn by this method and have told countless writers that you’re more likely to finish a first draft this way than if you constantly edit as you write.

The book I’m currently writing is a YA romantic suspense (even though I’m realizing that’s not a current subgenre in the young adult space) and when I reached the 50-page mark, I realized something:

Nothing suspenseful had happened yet.

That might fly in adult novels where it can take a little longer to get to the exciting action, but young adult readers expect a fast-moving plot. It’s what I love about the age category and why I continue to write it.

I made a few notes in a separate document like I have with past novels, but I quickly realized that the twists and turns of this story relied too much on the initial setup, and if I didn’t go back and fix what I’d written now, I’d be cursing myself later. I already hate editing, and the sense of dread that lingers when I know I have a lot to fix would be even worse with the amount I needed to change.

So I threw out my rules, scrolled back to page 1, and started reading.

I cut scenes with abandon (well, I saved them in a separate document) — including my favorite joke I’ve written so far. (I WILL find a way to work it in someplace else.) I combined scenes to speed up the plot. I introduced characters much sooner than my outline previously instructed. (Which reminds me, I need to update my outline.)

I’ve been editing for the past couple weeks, and while I’m itching to get back to writing, I know I made the right decision to break my rules. This book will be better because of it — and hopefully the editing process will, too. Which I don’t even want to think about right now.

Does this mean I’ll continue to edit while I write, or will I stick by my usual ways and wait until the end?

I don’t know.

But the idea behind my word of the year is to do something regardless of whether I’ve tried it before. And if it makes my editing process easier, maybe it’s time I ignore my own advice and try something new.