Sunday, August 19, 2007

The End Again

Nose to the grindstone, I made a goal to finish editing and writing this novel today. Last night I stayed up until all I had to write was the very last chapter...the ending. I knew what I wanted to happen, but not quite how I'd begin the chapter, so I went to bed thinking about it.

Got up at 6:30am to get ready for church and didn't have time to do any work on it beforehand. Got home around noon, went grocery shopping. Finally at 3pm I sat in front of the computer and began to write. I love when I don't really know what my characters are going to do or say. The story just seems to come out somehow. And the whole chapter did just that. I haven't gone back to read it, because when I finished I thought it was a bunch of garbage. I suppose all writers have that tendency to think their work is substandard. But I did it! It's finished.

Um, that is until I print it out and read it all again. **sigh** I'm already sick to death of the story. And, I'm sure there will be some pages where I missed a few things that will have to be corrected and then printed again...and I still have to expand upon the synopsis. My goal is to finish reading it by bedtime tomorrow night. And I will have the synopsis finished by Tuesday night. Wednesday is my deadline for mailing the whole kit and kaboodle to Steeple Hill.

And...the waiting will begin again. I'm sure it won't be a quick three week turnaround like the request was.

I plan to take a week off and read my latest Dean Koontz novel. Then I'll go back to the WIP which is nearly at the half way point.

There is never rest for an author...especially one who has to work a full-time day job besides.

Oh, before I go...yesterday afternoon I attended my RWA local chapter meeting. Had a great presentation by Lori Foster and Dianne Castell. It was how to write when your whole world has gone to hell. I came away very inspired. I think that's why I managed to finish JOSHUA'S HOPE today. But...here's the fun part. At our meetings, if we have bad news (i.e. rejections), or good news (requests, or we submit something) then we get to "dive" into a goody basket. Since I had a request for my full, I dove in and got the cutest piggy bank. It's hard rubber and the piggy has cute black eyes and...WINGS!!! Yep, and on it's back are the words: Writer's Retirement Fund. Very appropriate, I think.

Good night, and thanks for reading!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Congrats on finishing up--that's a major accomplishment. And what a cute little prize!

Unknown said...

Congrats on writing "The End"!

When you do go back to check it, you may be surprised at what you find. I bet it will be wonderful.

Good luck!

Lee
:)