Why I Almost Never Finished "The Abandoned"

Some books are written in a season. The idea arrives, the writer sits down, the pages come together, and before long the book is published and the writer moves on to the next project. It is a neat and satisfying process, one that many authors hope for whenever they begin something new. The Abandoned was never that kind of book.

This novel has been with me for years. I began writing it when I was still a student at St. Peter's College Tororo, sitting in a Senior Five classroom with a story in my mind that I was determined to tell. I wrote the first chapters within those school walls, discussed the idea with friends who were there at the time, and believed, with the confidence that often accompanies youth, that I would finish it sooner rather than later. What I did not know then was that the journey ahead would be far longer than I imagined.

As the years passed, there were periods when I barely touched the manuscript. There were moments when I questioned whether I had taken on something too ambitious, whether the story was larger than my abilities as a writer at the time, and whether I would ever be able to shape it into the book I wanted it to become. Looking back, I think those doubts were natural. Every writer eventually encounters a project that demands more than talent alone. It demands patience, growth, discipline, and a willingness to continue even when progress seems invisible.

What kept surprising me was that no matter how far I drifted from the manuscript, I always found myself returning to it. The story never truly left me. Even when I was occupied with other projects, other responsibilities, and other ambitions, The Abandoned remained in the background, waiting patiently. Each time I returned to it, I saw it differently. The story grew as I grew, and the years that separated its beginning from its completion ultimately became part of the reason it exists in its current form.

Between the day I wrote those first chapters and today, my life as a writer changed significantly. I founded Desha Publishing House and continued building my career as an author. In 2023, I published The Pearl. In 2024 came Bard Diaries, followed by The Space Between Us in 2025. Each of those books taught me something valuable about storytelling, structure, character, and the discipline required to carry an idea from conception to completion. Every lesson I learned found its way back into The Abandoned.

In 2023, I spoke publicly about this novel. Some readers knew it was coming, and naturally there were expectations surrounding it. Yet as time passed, I made the difficult decision to step back and allow the manuscript more time. That was not because I had abandoned the project. On the contrary, it was because I respected it too much to release it before it was ready. There is a particular discomfort that comes with announcing a book and then going quiet about it, especially in an age where constant updates are expected. Nevertheless, I believed that the greater mistake would have been publishing a version of the story that had not yet reached its full potential.

The years taught me that not every worthwhile project follows the timeline we initially imagine for it. Some stories require more time because they are asking more of their creators. In many ways, The Abandoned became a record not only of the characters within its pages but also of my own growth as a writer. The person who began the manuscript in Senior Five could never have finished it. It required the experiences, lessons, failures, and successes that came afterward.

Today, I can finally say that The Abandoned is complete. At approximately 300 pages, it is the longest and most ambitious work I have written. Set in Uganda and told across generations, it explores themes of inheritance, resilience, grief, belonging, and the complicated ways in which people shape one another's lives. At its heart, it is a story about what we receive from those who came before us, what we choose to carry forward, and what we must leave behind.

More details about the novel will be shared in the months ahead. For now, however, I want to leave readers with a thought that extends beyond writing. If there is something you started years ago and have not yet finished, I understand that feeling more than I can easily express. I have lived inside that experience for a long time. What I learned is that progress is not always measured by speed. Sometimes the most important thing is simply refusing to walk away completely. Growth often happens while we are waiting, and the version of ourselves that eventually completes the journey may be very different from the one that began it.

The Abandoned is complete. It will be published this year. It took as long as it needed to take, and looking back now, I would not change that journey for anything.

About the Author

Kibirige Desire Edward is a Ugandan author and the founder of Desha Publishing House. His published works include The Pearl, Bard Diaries, and The Space Between Us. Through both his writing and publishing work, he remains committed to advancing Ugandan literature and supporting emerging voices across Africa.