Courtesy DreamTime/Ksena 2009
Doesn’t it look wonderful? Yes sir, that’s my baby, the first draft of my novel.
Ok, so I admit it’s more like a pockmarked block of Swiss cheese than a real novel, but that’s not the point. The first draft, the biggest milestone (in my opinion) is done. I feel like a huge weight is lifted off my shoulders.
Hoo baby!
No more nagging from the Writer’s Conscience shaming me into writing when I dare take a day off to rest the creative juices. (Ok, so I hung out watching old TV show reruns but in my defense, it was the Midsomer Murders series and they gave me creative shots in the arm).
No more hair pulling frustration over why the last fifteen pages simply refused to step out of the shadows onto the pages. And of course, no more caffeine over-indulgence. Ugh, I can feel the withdrawal symptoms even as I write.
Nevertheless, the first draft is done. Hallelujah, on to the next phase!
Call me weird, but I’m one of those people who actually like revising. Note: I didn’t say copyediting. I hope to hire a freelance copy editor to help with that side of things because it’s just way too detail-oriented, even for me.
Nope, I’m really looking forward to the chance to make this baby stronger, give it more impact, make it sing for its supper. The best part is that these are smaller, more easily achievable milestones (again, in my opinion) than the humoungous milestone of getting the monstrously bulky first draft completed.
So I’m taking a few days off to relax and regroup. When I come back, it’ll be the start of the substantive editing phase.
My SIL is free-lance editor if you don’t already have someone lined up.
I will definitely keep her in mind! Thanks for the suggestion.
You amaze me!