.....................The Last Lap
Haven't been blogging much as I've been writing. In September I decided to write a novella. I had absolute confidence it would take six months (max), because it was an uncomplicated story set over a short space of time. Ha! (Bitter laughter at my own innocence.)
Ten months later I'm editing the last chapter of a novel. It's like being stuck in a relationship I'd planned to end months ago. I need to move on. It's over. Except the nearer I get to "The End" the slower my progress becomes...like one of those sentimental moments in the movies when the hero is nearing the finishing line and everything goes in slow motion.
My mantra (stolen) is to "write without hope, and without despair" and I'm getting there. An awful lot of what I wrote in the early stages has been abandoned as the story that wanted to be told emerged, characters I'd spent a lot of time describing were binned (sorry baby Mary!) to allow for this. The process of writing the novel actually became the process of finding out which novel I was going to write. I've learnt not to get too attached to the first draft or too committed to word counting. Otherwise you can be tempted to manipulate a story to fit your early writing when it really wants to gallop off in a different direction. Next time I won't be so precious about the first three or four chapters because they were really just a process of warming up and getting into the story.
Did I just say next time?
Comments
But if she had to go, she had to go!
I always am fascinated by how writers, erm, write! It's interesting to see that a story emerges at a later stage for you. Very interesting. To a lesser extent for me, I find that I start a blog only to edit the first three quarters because I realise that the last paragraph is sufficient. I find these with short stories for me. I start off with something then realised the "real story" emerges a few paras down. :-)
Good luck with your novella ending!!!! Sounds very exciting - especially as you are keen to move on!! To a new project? Wow.
Take care
x
Thanks for your good wishes, all the best
I'd throw you a rope but you'd only use it in some chapter you hadn't even considered yet. good pluck my dear.
Its great to get something finished.
I am a bit like yourself, I dont really like too much structure and like to see where some piece of writing goes, best of luck with getting it out there.
Barbara, Thanks! You have me in a quandry! I'm torn between saying "But I'm not a real writer" and "we're all real writers"! My son is hollaring Hey Ma look at me! from the bath,
...his face was covered in bubbles -yes Papa Smurff is alive and well and living with me! Like you (and old Kitty) I'm endlessly interested in how others write, how they fit it in, how may hours, how they approach their stories, novels, poems... even whether they write by hand or straight onto the computer...and esp writers who have children. Might try and find some to interview! Thanks for your comment. all the best
The completion will be a real big deal for me, a first, so it will be a great feeling to actually finish. I'm terrible for going back over my work, I'd come back from the dead to move a comma!
So congratulations for nearing the end of the novella! And enjoy the editing!
Congratulations on that - that's amazing - completing a short story is hard enough so well done!