Here's the discipline I set myself for Lent: I wanted to finish the first draft of the novel I've been working on for the past, oh, since-I-left-London. (As an auxiliary to this discipline, I have banned myself from facebook--the Number 1 Procrastination Weapon in my arsenal.)
And today . . . I did!
I didn't know it was going to be today when I sat down to write. I just got to this point and thought, "Oh. This is how it ends." It was pretty cool.
Stephen King says to wait a couple weeks after a first draft before you start revising it, but I have already established that there are some things Stephen King says with which I cannot agree or comply. Plus, it's only a 300-page book, but there have been weeks between pages, let alone between drafts. I feel I will be more likely to work on it now that I've made it to the end and all there is left is . . . well, possibly rewriting the entire thing . . .
I still can't say it's any good. But at least I got to Page Last.
(Does this mean I can go back to facebook? Or do I still have to wait for Easter?)
10 comments:
Wow! Congratulations, Jenn!! Did you say '300 pages'?! VERY good for you!!! And two weeks early!
I'm definitely looking forward to seeing what came of this substantial -- and nearly abandoned -- project! Need any proofreaders?!
Hooray!
Heh.
First, I apologize for opening a can of worms in the comments a few posts ago (about gifts, writing, etc.) and then not returning in a timely manner to address the questions you posed in response. My life got kind of complicated around that time, and then...well, all of a sudden it's a couple of weeks later.
Secondly, would it be a tiny bit smug if I observed that this post seems to find you behaving in an especially writerly kind of way?
Thirdly, my heartfelt congratulations for this achievement. Blessings to you and keep up the good work.
Yay, that's great, Jenn!
Now have fun with the rewriting and the editing. May you find some real gems in it and have your faith renewed as you read them again. maybe we have a JK Rowling in our midst or a steven king or psalmist in our midst with many sequels. peace scott
I vote for wait until Easter.
And I think it's okay to begin revisions/edits now. But I do think it's good to at some point do an edit after a break. I'm taking a break now before doing another edit (I still need to cut about 4,000 words! Yikes!).
And congrats!
Good job! Glad you made it to the end. That's an interesting Lenten observation and I like that it's in the spirit of "discipline". We could all use more of that, no?
woohoo!
Revjas--thanks! and yes, I did! and . . . I'm positive I need proofreaders, but I'm equally certain close relatives would not be a good idea. ;)
Mom--yeah!
Barry--that's okay. And sure, I was behaving "writerly," but my point was not that I'm not a writer, but that I am not sure I LIKE being one. And . . . thanks!
Dave--also thanks!
Scott--I'm pretty sure I'm neither Rowling nor King, but it would be great if some day my words could impact a lot of people like theirs. (Hopefully for good, although you never know what could happen.)
Heather--yeah . . . I'm waiting til Easter. I was mostly kidding. As for edits, right now I have a freelance article to finish, so they're on the back burner anyway.
AMM--I sure could, anyway.
Dave--thanks! Thanks for the note, too, by the way. You guys are so cute! ;)
Hey Jenn,
Remember me?? Congrats on finishing your first draft - super exciting. And, I'm sorry, sorry, sorry if I was the cause of you needing your Lenten discipline.
Stay strong sister,
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