First Draft to Final Cut: The Evolution of East Freeland

When people ask me about my writing process for East Freeland, they often expect to hear about a perfectly organized system. But the truth?

My first draft of Ricky and Jung began with a scribble on the blank side of a receipt pocketed after a meaningful conversation with an Asian-American police officer at a noisy fish market beyond Dallas and a late night wandering the streets of K-Town in Carrollton, watching motorcycles thunder past. These moments would eventually become Ricky’s twisted perception of justice, Jung’s first appearance, and the development of his loyal followers—the 7 Streeters.

Shattered Beginnings

Picture holding a delicate glass vessel, knowing the first step was to drop it and observe as this breakable object exploded into broad concepts and tiny specifics. These were what I referred to as my “story shards” – pieces of anonymous dialogue, snippets of film references, and essential photography spread through various notebooks, desktop documents, mobile memos, and any available scraps of paper within reach. Whether at a diner for dinner or a quick stop at a cafe for coffee, these fragments began to form a pattern, like pieces of a puzzle I didn’t know I was solving.

I remember the moment Ricky and Jung became brothers. One was originally imagined as a street-fighting police officer with a vengeance, while the other was his partner’s killer. But during their fateful encounter at an underground bike racing event, the narrative suddenly clicked. They weren’t just adversaries—they were family members torn apart by circumstance and choice, and this changed everything.

The Refinement Process

My second draft was where the real work began. To start my day, I chose a location where I planned on locking myself in for hours, spreading everything out—physically and digitally—looking for connections. I became Ricky.

Another crucial part of my process involved “Becoming Wanted,” a title I coined over the years, where I visualized my characters walking among us. This method has been the cornerstone of Become Wanted Entertainment’s philosophy for over a decade. I’d step into their clothing, handling their weapons and personal possessions, all in an attempt to perceive reality as they would. What was the difference between a policeman’s nightstick and Ricky’s Tonfa? Could Ricky defeat Jung’s 7 Streeters with his bare hands? These transformations allowed me to become the personas my audience would later discover on the page.

The Final Cut

The final stages of writing were both technical and intuitive. Yes, there was the mechanical aspect of checking plot consistency and pacing, but there was also an emotional component. Did each scene serve the spirit of this story? Was every character’s journey authentic to who they were?

One of the last changes came in the revised portrayal of Unity East. Initially, it was just another police precinct in Freeland City. But during this revision, I realized it needed to be something more – a symbol of tradition meeting modernity, much like what I witnessed in Korea. Thus, adding the martial arts training center and developing First Sergeant Kato’s character gave the precinct its unique identity.

Lessons Learned

The biggest lesson I’ve learned is that there’s no “perfect” writing process. What works for one story might not work for another. The key is remaining open to inspiration while maintaining the discipline to shape that impulse into something imaginable and eventually readable.

My advice to beginners:

• Let your characters surprise you. Some of my best plot twists came from letting characters act in unexpected ways
• Keep everything. Even the ideas that seem unusable might find their place later
• Don’t rush the process. Each draft brings you closer to the truth of your story
• Immerse yourself in your story’s world
• And of course…Become Wanted

Looking Forward

As I work on the next installment of East Freeland, I’m still discovering new aspects of my writing process. Each story presents its own challenges and requires its own approach. But that’s what makes writing such an adventure – you never stop learning, growing, and finding new ways to bring your vision to life.

What’s your writing process like? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and let’s learn from each other’s journeys.

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