First Draft

I just did it. I just finished writing a for-real, all the way to the end, 96,853 words, 36 chapters, first draft of a novel.

I'm beyond excited about this, which is why I'm bragging about it on my blog. I've spent a year on this story, but before that, I spent many many years with many beginnings of stories that I never had the stamina to take all the way to The End.

So tiny little pat on the back for myself, while I'm still feeling it. Oh, heck, great big pat on the back and a rum n coke! I'm sure it won't be long before the doubts come back out to play, but for now, I'm riding the high into revision-land for as long as I can.

The one thing I have going for me is that I love my story. Okay, yeah, I wrote it myself, so I probably should, but at least I know I'm not going to get sick of it.

That's right, my book, the book I wrote myself, is now right up there with all my favorites, some of them favorites for the whole story, like Bridget Jones' Diary, others, favorites for just one or two perfect pages.

I've skimmed my way numerous times to that delicious scene where Percy literally kisses the ground Marguerite walks on. I've taken on "Phantom of the Opera" over and over, for Raoul on the roof with Christine, bitterly trying to accept their "secret engagement," or for that moment when the Phantom speaks his name, or sheds a tear.

I've read "A Tale of Two Cities," cover to cover many times, just for the joy of that moment when Sidney Carton does "a far, far better thing."

I'm looking forward to revising and revisiting all the tender and twisted moments I love and savor in my own book. I just have to make sure I work on all the other parts too.

What books do you love to re-read?

Random Rants

I haven't posted in a while, because every time I start to write, I go off on a mega-rant. So instead of subjecting any unsuspecting readers with page-long diatribes, I'll just give you the highlights.

1. Toys. Whoever invented all this crap should be shot. Also, if I had these cool toys as a child, I'd be keeping all their damn pieces together in a set like they should be. Don't you kids have any appreciation for the beauty of a Complete Set? And I cannot believe you broke the Mousetrap game in two places after only two days. Do you KNOW how long I've been waiting for that game?

2. Appliances. Seriously, Kenmore and GE you guys suck. I think of how much you guys suck every time I open my refrigerator or use my stinking washing maching. Hoover you are on my shit-list too, but less so, because you are supposed to suck, and you actually did a good job at it for 5 years, which is more than I can say for Mr. Kenmore and Mr. GE. I would LOVE a new vacuum cleaner, but I'm paranoid now about buying any top-of-the line household appliance.

3. Whining. How about I throw away all your damn toys? Ungrateful little. . .

4. Paper. WTF is all this stuff? And why is it so hard for me to throw it all out?

5. TV. Why don't they make any shows any more that are GOOD and yet don't require me to invest 3 seasons of watching, in order to follow the story? And The Office, calling you out on watering down the funny and expecting me to go to your .com to get "more".

6. Bullying. You know what, no one gave a shit when it happened to me, and even if they had, they couldn't have helped more than me figuring it out on my own. But let's just pretend that bullying causes suicide, so we can continue to ignore the deplorable state of mental health care in this country, which so-called "health care reform" is nowhere close to resolving. Also, let's point and laugh at celebrities with obvious mental illness, unless they die of their "self-medicating." Because it's okay to insult people if they are on TV. Just don't call them names at school. Get the difference?

7. Messes. Your mother doesn't work here.

8. Writing. If I let people read it, then they might think. . . .

 

Cover Art, Yay!

I came home from the Tax Job tonight, to find my family had been busy creating covers for my novel in progress. I'm so glad I live with these awesome people. I love them! Look what they did!

 by Robbie age 5

 From my husband, Matt

 by Sarah age 7

by Sarah age 7

Vote for your favorite! I'll use it to grace the cover of my 1st draft!





One of the characters in the book I'm writing decided to write a sonnet. Which means, I have to write a sonnet. I haven't done that since high-school, and out of curiosity, I headed to the Archives*

Eventually, I found my sonnet, in my poetry binder.** My teacher had generously given it an A. I suppose that's because I followed the proper rhyme pattern and pentameter. The fact that it was stupid apparently didn't figure into the equation.

 

Other treasures I found:

• A radio script I wrote for a contest in middle school. (non winning)
• A picture book I wrote for a contest in middle school. (non winning)
• My elementary school diary (the complete week of entries I made)
• Various beginnings of stories about genies, time travel (with stagecoaches), school hi-jinks, ghosts, death, murder, and some lame story that seems to be all about a kid who didn't want to cook dinner for his family. Not sure where I was going with that one.
• A very funny description of an unsanctioned subversive school club, called "The Writers Bloc" whose mission was to use writing to achive chaos. (not real, but it should have been!)
• Some excellent examples of bad writing. "She picked up her suitcase and transported it to the bedroom." Seriously? Transported? And who gives a crap about her suitcase anyway?
• An OUTLINE for my very best story from high-school, the one I'd come up with an awesome ending for, but can no longer remember. Outline was very detailed, and only missing one thing. The ending. I now realise it was also missing a little thing called plot. 

Digging through all this awesomeness kept me entertained late into the night and I'd like to think that as ancient as it may be, all those efforts can still count towards my 10,000 hours to creative breakthrough.


*Two boxes of notebooks, folders and binders that I have transported through 7 changes of address.
**Yes, it is an actual binder. Yes, it is alphabetized. Yes, those are the two most impressive features of the poetry binder. The actual poems pale in comparison.