Sorta Done

Look over there.  No, to your left.  Down, down…see it?  That word meter that’s busting out the top?  First draft is in the bag!

Not that it’s actually anywhere near done.  And not like it’s actually the first draft.  Because I edit as I go, it’s more like the second or third draft.  But it’s the first time all the words are living on the page together.  It’s a good and accomplished feeling.

There’s a great deal of polishing and editing to be done.  It needs work.  But that’s okay, because I know it, and I’m prepared for it.

Of course, that’s not stopping my brain from moving on to the next thing.  And there’s actually a couple of “next things” in the pipeline.  And my brain can’t seem to decide what should be next up.  And when.  Have to admit, that I’d really rather there be too many ideas than not enough.

It’s always sort of a bittersweet moment for me when I complete that first draft.  Because it means all the plotting and planning and actual creating is done.  Now comes the hard work, the changes and the  fixes, the editing and the polishing, the working towards making it the best story I can make it.  Sigh, if only I were perfect and could write the perfect story on the first go.  I’m still waiting for the brain-to-computer interface that can take the story right out of my head and put it on the page.  Now wouldn’t that make life easier?

Until then, it’s all about the work. And hey, maybe someday soon, I’ll actually have a manuscript worth putting out there for public consumption.  Wouldn’t that be great? 🙂