Thursday, October 21, 2010

The End

I finally got to the end of my draft.

Oddly enough, that sounds like more a milestone to nonwriters to than to writers. Nonwriters think it's a huge milestone. Writers nod, but know it's only an intermediate step. It's an end, but it's the beginning of revision.

This is only the second book I finished, and now, after congratulating myself nonwriter-style, I take a step firmly into the "writer" camp -- into Revisionland.

When a book crashes and burns, whether at the query, submission, or post-publication stage, the standard advice is to keep writing. Write something new. Writers write. Etc.

I didn't know if I could do that. I'm not one of those people with bottomless wells of resilience who keeps going against all odds.

Writing the second one makes me feel that I can really be a writer. Published or not, I don't want to be one of those people who only has one book in her. But more importantly, I decided to write another book after rejection. Maybe I have the stick-to-itiveness I'll need.

Now if I can just stick out the revision...

15 comments:

Pam Harris said...

Woo hoo--congrats! The first draft is always the most difficult for me. I'd much prefer to be in Revisionland. :)

Kristal Shaff said...

Yeah!!!! I'm proud of you!

Angelica R. Jackson said...

It may not be the end of the journey, but it is a milestone just the same. One of my critique partners just signed with an agent, and we all toasted her with some Martinelli's. Then she started in with, "I know I have a lot of work ahead of me. . ." I told her to celebrate the milestone that it is!

You can't use the milestones as an excuse to be complacent, but let them have their moment!

Jess said...

I agree one hundred percent with Angelica. It IS a big step (finishing the first draft), so go ahead and relish your awesomeness!

Katrina L. Lantz said...

Woot for THE END! I'm proud of you, too! It is a huge milestone, and one many people never reach.

It's proof you are a writer. :)

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on finishing the first draft!!! Woot!

Instead of doing NaNoWriMo, I'm going NaNoRevisions! Ripping into the MS again...perhaps I'll see you on the revision highway in revisionland. ;)

Andrea Mack said...

I think it IS a milestone. With a draft done, you have something to work from and know where your story is going when you revise. Congrats!

Michelle McLean said...

It's a huge milestone, congrats! And finishing that second book...ahhh, it really is special. I felt the same way when I finished my second book - that maybe I really really was a writer, not just a one trick pony :) What a feeling :D

Unknown said...

I wish you an INSANE amount of luck. I still consider it a huge accomplishment each time a draft is completed. I'm currently working finishing my third novel, though they have not made it past revision it is still more than I did a year ago. One triumph at a time!

Look forward to passing the revision stage at least once!

Golden Eagle said...

Congratulations! It may not seem so big to writers as it does to non-writers, but it is still a substantial milestone!

BK Mattingly said...

Congrats!!! Good luck with revisions :) BTW, I think Perceval is just a very proper name for an owl.

Kell Andrews said...

Thanks all! Lbdiamond, I'm with you on NaNoRev month. Even if it's just you and me there, it's national (unless you are in Pennsylvania. Then it's PaNoRev month)

Lindsay said...

Yay for finishing the first draft. I'm sooo proud of you my friend.

Here's hoping I join you in the first draf celebration later this week. :)

Lindsay said...

It would also help if I could spell draft today as well. lol.

Kell Andrews said...

Lindsay, awesome! Then we can then have InNaNoRev month.