Something strange
May 29th, 2009
Yesterday, I did something kind of strange. Maybe strange isn’t the right word. Maybe it’s just more…remarkable. (As in the literal sense: worthy of remarking upon.) What did I do? I finished the first draft of my novel.
Don’t let me get ahead of myself here: there remains a ton of work ahead. In fact, there are fewer parts of the novel that don‘t need work than do, if that poorly constructed thought gives you a bit of perspective. (It will probably also give you pause about reading anything I’ve written, but so be it.)
But it’s there — more than 200 pages (250 book-size pages, give or take). In a row! There’s a narrative thread that runs from beginning to end. I know what happens and I know how it happens and it’s there on the page. It’s a story. A whole story.
Despite how it may sound, I’m not exactly patting myself on the back here. It’s just that I’m not sure I really thought I could even get this far. And whadda ya know — I have. That feels like something.
That counts for something, right?
Entry Filed under: Just Life
6 Comments Add your own
1. Kathi Ganz | May 29th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
It counts for more than just “something.” It’s everything.
Three cheers and saints be praised…..I knew you could do it!
And it should go without saying, but I’ll say it anyway:
I can’t wait to read it!!
2. Madeline | May 29th, 2009 at 6:09 pm
Wow, that’s fantastic! And it’s not even for a class or anything? Extra credit? A grade? That’s the kind of stick-to-it-ness that I want. Congratulations!
3. mao | June 1st, 2009 at 10:14 am
Amazing. That’s such a HUGE piece of work. And no matter how much revision is needed, the zero draft is always the hardest. Strong work, as our Denise would say!
4. Cresant | June 2nd, 2009 at 10:26 am
Wow!
That is fantastic! Quite an achievement.
I will read it when it is available.
C
5. Julia | June 2nd, 2009 at 10:32 am
You guys are great. I know there’s a lot more work ahead and that the chances of getting published are very narrow, particularly in today’s market. Still, it feels like an accomplishment. Thanks for all your kind words!
6. Julia M | June 7th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
Julia,
Congratulations! (Sorry for being anti-climatic: I missed this post while traveling. And I didn’t quite realize, until we were having dinner last Friday, that you’d just finished draft 1. Otherwise, I totally would’ve shut up about the conference to express excitement about this great moment.)
I just want to say that my mind is casting back to last summer, when you sent me a couple chapters but said you didn’t know where it was going….
Well, here it is. Done! Draft 1! You got there. You got here. Congrats again and I hope you’ve celebrated. More very soon.
xoxo,
Julia
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