From Articles to a Novel: The Evolution of My Writing Process by Margarita Barresi

November 13, 2023 Michelle Cornish

Today I’m sharing a special guest post from Margarita Barresi as part of the WOW! Women on Writing blog tour for her novel A Delicate Marriage. Take it away, Margarita!

Writing has always come easily to me. Perhaps it’s an innate talent, but one I’ve also honed through hard work and practice. I did not write creatively as a child, teen, or young adult. Instead, I chose to spend my time reading everything I could get my hands on. At age 10, my most prized possession was a set of leather-bound children’s classics my grandfather gave me. And although I, too, wanted to write a beautiful story one day, I did not set pencil to paper.

Yet my teachers always lauded my writing skills, and I grew up confident in my ability to string words together well. My career began in journalism, writing feature stories about personal computers. This was back in the early ‘80s and even though PCs were hot, the topic didn’t interest me much. I shifted my career to the world of public relations and marketing communications, working for clients like Smartfood Popcorn and Dunkin’ Donuts.

For approximately 25 years, I wrote and edited pieces that helped market these brands and many others—everything from ad copy to annual reports. My approach to each piece was generally the same: I wrote a strong lede first, spending time to hone that first paragraph, and then I spewed out the rest of the first draft, which I’d later edit and beautify.

When I finally dipped my toes into creative writing, I chose to write personal essays, and this approach continued to work for me. My memoir essays were short, typically less than 1,000 words, so I spent time on the first paragraph, scribbled the rest down, and went back to edit. Easy peasy. The words flowed like lava.

Finally, as a middle-aged woman, I felt ready to try my hand at writing a novel. I was inspired by the story of my grandparents, star-crossed lovers during turbulent times in Puerto Rico. I took craft classes on plot, structure, character development, and many other facets of novel writing. These required me to write snippets, nothing long or elaborate. Then I took a class where the goal was to jumpstart your novel’s first draft.

I was in unchartered territory. What is considered the lede in a 100K-word manuscript? I read all the advice about writing a first draft, which boiled down to: write drunk, edit sober. My instructor told us to just get the story out and then worry about making the language sing. But I couldn’t do it. I agonized over every word of dialogue, each sensory detail, all action descriptions, namely everything. And, boy, did I write some gorgeous prose! I’m talking prize-winning, you know? I spent a good eight months writing about six chapters this way. And then I realized my story needed to start at a different point, namely when the characters were much older than in the chapters I’d written.

I finally understood the meaning of “kill your darlings.” Most of my work to that point ended in a file I named “writing not used”, because I couldn’t bear to delete it. I did utilize bits and pieces as flashbacks, but most of it had to go. All that blood, sweat, and tears for nothing. Lesson learned.

Released from the shackles of perfection, the rest of the novel flowed more quickly. I was able to step away from each draft and see what worked and what needed attention. I probably still spent a little too much time making the language pretty during this time, but I got much better at slicing and dicing. Ruthless, in fact. And I got good at banging out a rough draft and then going back to edit and bring words to life. In fact, that’s now my favorite part of writing a novel. As I prepare to write my second book, I feel equipped to get it done efficiently. I only wish I’d listened to the experts the first time around.

Thank you so much for this look into your process, Margarita!

About Margarita Barresi

Raised in Puerto Rico by her grandparents, Margarita Barresi grew up hearing stories about the “good old days”—the genesis for this, her first novel. She studied public relations at Boston University, and after a successful career in marketing communications, now devotes her time to writing. Her essays have been published in several literary magazines and compilations. Margarita lives in the suburbs north of Boston with her husband and two Puerto Rican cats, Luna and Rico.

Learn more at www.margaritabarresi.com.
Instagram: @margaritabarresi https://www.instagram.com/margaritabarresi/X/Twitter: @Barresi_Writes https://twitter.com/Barresi_WritesFacebook: Margarita Barresi

About A Delicate Marriage

From glittering ballrooms to verdant mountains to poverty-stricken slums, A Delicate Marriage takes the reader on a vivid tour of Puerto Rico forty years after becoming a U.S. colony, a time of great change and political turmoil on the island.

Isabela, a wealthy woman, sacrifices her artistic aspirations to marry Marco, a penniless man dedicated to improving conditions on the island. As the island's insular government enacts pro-U.S. policies, Marco builds a real estate empire while struggling to maintain his populist principles. Meanwhile, Isabela feels unfulfilled in her traditional role as a wife and mother and becomes disillusioned with Marco's shifting moral compass. She begins to identify with anti-U.S. factions, leading a dangerous double life that puts her family in peril.

As political violence threatens their paradise, Isabela and Marco question whether their marriage, like the island's relationship with the U.S., should continue. Margarita Barresi's debut novel celebrates Puerto Rican culture while delving into themes of class, oppression, and the effects of colonialism through the lens of a marriage.

Publisher: Atmosphere Press

ISBN-10: 1639889302

ISBN-13: 978-1639889303

Print length: 352 pages

Purchase a copy of the book at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, and Bookshop.org and add it to your Goodreads reading list.

Praise for A Delicate Marriage

“Margarita Barresi’s A Delicate Marriage is an electrifying debut … smart, heartfelt and timely… a trenchant portrait of an island and a marriage pushed to the breaking point.”

— Junot Diaz, author of This is When You Lose Her

“Immersive and interesting, empathetic, and expansive, Barresi skillfully interweaves a love story with the history of Puerto Rico politics. An impressive debut!”

— Susie Orman Schnall, author of We Came Here to Shine

“Barresi is a naturally gifted storyteller with a talent for narrative structure…What emerges is a fully three-dimensional portrait of a couple trying to find a way forward in a time of political and social upheaval…An absorbing and deeply nuanced romance.”

—Kirkus Reviews

“Barresi expertly weaves captivating details of Puerto Rican history into this gripping love story.”

— Independent Book Review

“A Delicate Marriage, with its blend of glamour, charm, and a nostalgic nod to a bygone era, promises to uplift readers’ spirits on even the dreariest of days, inviting them to revisit the tempestuous yet enchanting landscape of Puerto Rico.”

— Literary Titan

Follow the Blog Tour

November 10th @ The Muffin
Join us as we celebrate the blog tour launch of A Delicate Marriage by Margarita Barresi. You'll have the chance to read an interview with the author and win a copy of the book.

https://muffin.wow-womenonwriting.com

November 12th @ World of My Imagination

Stop by to read Nicole's review of A Delicate Marriage.

https://worldofmyimagination.com

November 14th @ Michelle Cornish's blog

Read a guest post by Margarita Barresi about the evolution of her writing process.

https://www.michellecornish.com/blog

November 16th @ Deborah Adams's blog

Check out Deborah's spotlight of A Delicate Marriage, read a guest post about Puerto Rico by Margarita Barresi, and enter a giveaway.

http://www.deborah-adams.com/blog

November 17th @ A Story Book World

Visit Deirdra's blog to view a spotlight of A Delicate Marriage.