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| http://www.janefriedman.com |
I won’t lie. This summer has been out-of-control crazy with me either being a guest or me having guests. It was fun. Exciting.
And frustrating.
Ask a writer what her ideal vacation is and she’ll most likely tell you it’s a lot of intimate time with her computer. Forget the romantic getaways to Rome or the adventure trip to Kilimanjaro. I want a quiet place to write for days on end.
But when you’ve got kids and guests and a husband who’s agenda is more filled up with doctor appointments than Taylor Swift’s is with ex-boyfriends, you have very little writing time on your hands. Little time to write means big frustration. Ask anyone who bumped into me last week. If I didn’t rip their head off, well, they’re just damn lucky.
So this weekend, I decided to let the house crumble around me. I gave the kids the TV remote and didn’t roll my eyes when my husband sat down in front of the X-Box. I opened a bag of potato chips and a box of soup to feed the family. I let them put themselves to bed.
I turned on my computer and wrote for hours. And hours. And hours.
And I finished that elusive draft of my work-in-progress — the novel I’m tentatively calling Sympathy for the Devil. I finally typed in THE END.
Damn. Did that feel good.
But that feeling? It will be short-lived. I’ve sent the novel off to my critiquing group. Once they rip it apart, I’ll have another go and I’ll (eek!) send it to my agent and maybe some beta readers. Who, I’m sure, will also have some things to say. And then the whole process starts over. Rewrites. More rewrites. More and more and more rewrites. Edits. Polishing. Submissions. And finally, preparation for publishing — either with someone else or on my own.
(Don’t even get me started on the marketing. I don’t want to think about it yet.)
So THE END is actually nowhere near the end. Not really. It’s the beginning of a whole new phase in the life of this novel.
But for now? For the next few hours?
I’m going to break out the champagne and chocolate and celebrate with myself.
Because writing THE END is so, so sweet.
katiehayoz.com 
Ooh as one of your biggest fans; can I be a beta-reader or first-round editor? Please?
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I would LOVE to get your feedback, C!!!!!!
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Hooray! I love writing THE END – even though you know it it isn't. But at least you've got your first draft and that's a great place to be. Good luck with all your rewrites. Can't wait to read finished product. Well done 🙂
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Oh, the end is never really the end, is it? Still, congratulations!
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Congrats on finishing your manuscript : )
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Oh, I love that 'the end' moment – and, yes, that's when you're exactly half way through the process! I always find that the re-writes and then all the rest of it takes as much time as the first draft – but it's still lovely, isn't it? Because then the novel actually EXISTS!
My sincere wishes that your agent manages to secure you a great publishing deal, so that you don't have to do EVERYTHING yourself! xx
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So, so, true. Thanks, Bianca!
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Thank you!!!! It's a huge load off even though I know I'll have to do more work.
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But if I do have to do everything myself, I know I'll follow your indie publishing tips. (Wish I had know even half of what I've learned making mistakes!). Thank you , Terry, and congrats on your award!
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