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Celebrate with Me!

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So I achieved a great milestone yesterday: I actually finished my first draft of my current novel.  I don't know if it's fully sunk in yet because I don't seem as excited as I think I "should" be.  Don't get me wrong - I am so glad it is done, but I'm also not finished with it yet.

Maybe that's the thing.  Maybe I'm dreading the next part.  This is a novel I really want to pursue publishing with, but I know that is going to be a lot of work.  And what I'm dreading most is what it needs the most: cutting.

My biggest weakness when it comes to writing is cutting.  Remember all those length requirements you had on your essays in school?  Yeah, I never had even a twinge of a problem meeting them.  In fact I usually had a harder time staying within the upper limit requested. 

I have a really hard time knowing what is essential, crucial information, and what is fluff.  I don't know what I can reasonably get rid of and not sacrifice my story; or (heaven forbid) what might actually make it better.  I really need a good, critical reader who is willing to read through it and say, "This is useless, but this is good."  Unfortunately, I don't have the money to pay someone who does that professionally on a regular basis (though I am joining a critique group, so I'm hoping they will help).

But today celebrate with me because I have a good first draft.  Now I just need to focus and teach myself how to make it great!

Comments

  1. Eric SwedinJanuary 22, 2010 at 9:43 PM

    This is indeed a milestone. Congratulations! Now you get to learn to delight in a red pen killing your children (I mean words).

    ReplyDelete

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