Um, yeah, so… I have a first draft. Or, I suppose, one could call it a 900th draft but the first one that actually has an ending. A real ending. One that maybe, sort of, works. There were definite moments of delight in writing it, when a line or an idea fell into place, but I haven’t read the whole thing yet so I don’t know how well it all holds together.
I said that I was going to send it out to three people without reading it, but I’m not sure I can bring myself to do that. I don’t know who the three people would be and I hate to waste some of my best copy-readers on a version that might suck. Also, I hate to waste anyone’s time on a version that might suck. But I definitely know that I shouldn’t start reading it myself for at least a couple of weeks. I need a little distance.
Along the way this week while I was eking out word after painful word — I wrote every day but deleted most of what I wrote as I went — I did some editing of earlier parts. The section that I put an “abysmal” comment on a few weeks back? It was still abysmal. I’ve fixed it, I think, but there’s a definite character motivation issue there that I might not have solved.
And I think some of the timing might be flawed. Some ideas might be out of order because of how long I spent writing, and some scenes that made sense… well, you know, I think for the moment I’m going to stop ripping it apart and criticizing myself. I finished it.
I FINISHED!
Also of note, Z took her last antibiotic today and ate three small meals.
And I got an email from a listener — the first person (that I know of, anyway) that listened to the audiobook and enjoyed it. Yay!
What a lovely day it is. 🙂
Congratulations!
Thank you!
Count on me.
I do! But I need you for the version that’s past the big picture round of edits, I think. If you read this version, you won’t be fresh eyes when I need to know that the final text doesn’t have homonym mistakes or get my kayak terminology wrong. 🙂 Although you’d be good at the big picture stuff, too, and perfectly willing to tell me I don’t make any sense… hmm… Well, I will definitely ask you to read it early, and I’ll think about when would be the right time!
What? Wait. Audio book. What audio book? Do they all have that format?
I finished and loved “Spirits of Christmas” and will probably pursue book 3 through my libraries. Sorry if that is sad, but the good news is that the last time I suggested a purchase to the Los Angeles Public Library (Gift of Time), they purchased it–the digital text version that is.
Hurray for Zelda! No more stinky, foul tasting antibiotics!
I am delighted if you read any of my books through a library! That makes me very happy. 🙂 And only Ghosts is currently available in audio. If it ever earns enough money to pay for the others to be in audio, I’ll do them, but that looks like it’s a long way away right now. And thanks for the congratulations on finishing. My experiences with rereading things in the future have mostly been discovering that I like them more than I remember liking them, but Grace might prove the exception to the rule. I’ve spent a long time on it and I know it much, much too well — but also, I’ve written and deleted easily a hundred pages of things that I still sort of remember happening but that the reader will never know happens, so it will make sense if the reader is a lot more confused than I am. I’ll see, I guess! (Also, sorry your comments got stuck in moderation — I didn’t check the post until I was starting a new one!)
Oops! Forgot to congratulate you on finishing! I totally get waiting to read it for a couple of weeks. It’s hard for me to wait when I’m done writing something. I’m so anxious to be finished. But I have noticed that distance does make a huge difference. I recently attempted to read an article I wrote about 8 years ago. I’m hoping it was the state of mind I was in while reading NOT the one I was in while writing that made it practically incomprehensible. I’m afraid to try again. 🙂
Congratulations on the milestone Woman! Yay!
Thank you!
See there?? I KNEW you could do it! LOL It’s the blueberries!!! ROFL here… I would love to be one of your 3, but understand if you don’t choose me. I think you deserve at least a full week off — and hooray for Z’s final antibiotic pill and the meals she’s eating. I so hope the infection stays gone. Poor baby… Anyway… kudos to you… cyber hugs!
You will definitely get to read it before release, but you’re one of those readers that I’d rather save until I have a version that’s ready for copy-editing. You’re so good at catching the minor mistakes, I need you for a final proofing pass. I hope that’s okay with you!
Absolutely! You know, reading Grace feels like reading a letter from a friend that you haven’t heard from in a while… Hooked, for sure!
I will read it!
Thank you! I’m actually working on some revisions, but I may take you up on that.
I so look forward to another of your amazing books. You seem to incorporate the extra – ordinary into the ordinary to make your stories believable.
Thank you so much! What a lovely compliment.
Awesome!! Fresh blueberries full of antioxidants surely spurred your creativity. 🙂
Yes! Also sitting still was really good for me — it’s a lot easier to write when I’m not spending all my energy driving and finding new places to spend the night. 🙂 But I like the blueberry theory!
Hi! I just bought and read all your books in 1 day! That’s how great they are! Wishing there were more but no pressure. Best of luck.
There will be another one very, very soon! I like that I can say that, because I’ve been saying “someday” for almost four years, so “soon” is a huge improvement! 🙂 But maybe by the end of August? I’m so glad you enjoyed them!