Sometime in late May, I finished the first draft of my book. I even typed THE END to mark the occasion. It took me a year and a half to get there! Though this is only the end of phase one, it's a significant milestone. So, with this post, I stop for a moment and allow myself to take pride in what I've accomplished.
In the words of author
Louise Penny: "If you've actually finished your first book—well, you're
amazing! You're already so far ahead of the pack they can barely see your dust! Most people never even start that first book. Of the few that do, most never finish ... frankly, as far as I'm concerned, the pact you made with yourself, probably as a child, is complete. You wrote the book. You did it ... you've accomplished something most people only dream of."
[ applause dies down ]
Thank you. Thank you so much. :-) And to other writers out there: if I can do it, you can, too. Stay true to your voice and your vision. Perservere. Sacrifice. Risk. Do whatever it takes.
For my next trick, I'll be spending six months polishing what I've written. I have a second draft of 15 of 17 chapters and am beginning a third as we speak. The goal is not to create the "perfect" book, but to craft the best manuscript I can with the resources I have. I have faith that the rest, whatever it may be, will take care of itself.
