Last night, with literally less than a minute to spare before midnight, I typed the last word of the first draft of my novel 'WALLS' and keyed in the last full-stop. Despite having a busy day and hardly having a chance to write until 10pm, I was hellbent on finished the draft before midnight and I did it without feeling like I rushed the ending.
I'm nowhere near happy with the first draft, but I am proud of it and I'm getting ready to go on a very big editing spree to tighten some inconsistencies and fill in a few blank spots in the plot.
39 days. 88,732 words. Two characters I love and a story that belongs to them.
I knew it was possible and I did it.
I have many people to thank for helping me, simply by supporting me through NaNoWriMo 2013 and beyond. I want to give a special thank you to my boyfriend, who put up with me running all my crazy ideas by him while I wondered which ones to choose and which ones to save for another book, and another special thank you to the five people who I became friends with through the creative writing units at university. The community here on the blogosphere also have my gratitude and I thank everyone who visited my blog and put up with me not returning visits to their blogs as often as I should have while I was busy being consumed by my story.
But I think the two people I want to thank most are Kovax and Mildred, for being the best characters I have ever created and putting up with my whimsical writerly ways as I constructed their story.
Who do you have to thank for your writing?
- Bonnee.
Posts
Congrats on finishing draft one.
ReplyDeleteI doubt I would be writing much today if it weren't for my sixth grade English teacher who let us write a good bit of "narratives." She thought mine were good and let me read them in front of some of the other classes. My cousin and I both started writing epic/heroic fantasy novels the next summer. Everything snowballed from there.
I love how encouraged past English teachers can be. I just bumped into my high school English and Literature teacher today.
DeleteThanks, Patrick :)
Big time congratulations, Bonnee--88,000 words in 40 days is a heck of a writing spree. Relax and enjoy a breather (and a pint, if you're legal in Australia), you've earned it!
ReplyDeleteI'll echo what Patrick said about my sixth grade teacher. She did a lot of creative writing with us and it really lit a fire under me, at least for that year. And of course, my family, who supports me and cheers me on, even though I rarely let them (my kids, anyway) read most of my work.
Cheers to you!
I chose to celebrate with Breaking Bad rather than alcohol, because I was still on Season 3 and hadn't watched any since leaving res. Just finished Season 4 now. Thanks, Jeff! :)
DeleteI think it's great that you were inspired by your English teacher before high school and that you've had people supporting you since. Great work, even if the kids don't get to see most of your work! :)
Thank you again!
A Breaking Bad marathon--not for the faint-of-heart! I'm curious what you think about it. Obviously enough to keep watching.
DeleteCongratulations! I hope you're celebrating with some ice cream ... and chocolate ... maybe some chocolate ice cream? :) It is beyond awesome that you wrote so much in 40 days. And isn't it the best feeling ever to fall in love with your characters like that? They sound so special, and I'm looking forward to hearing more about them!
ReplyDeleteI'm that weird person who would pick most other flavours before picking chocolate ice cream, but it sounds like a great idea nonetheless! I'm really looking forward to developing my characters a little better during the redraft. Thanks as always, Shari :)
DeleteI share your pride in your accomplishment, finishing a novel with so many words in relatively short time. Great boyfriend you have. And from your excitement about Kovax and Mildred, I guess that WALLS is your first novel that might get published. If you are excited about them, many readers will share your passion for them. Best wishes wih the revisions.
ReplyDeleteIt's such a great feeling, if slightly bittersweet. I really do hope other people end up being as excited about my characters as I am. Thank you so much, Giora :)
ReplyDeleteAdvanced Merry Christmas & Happy New Year greetings and also Thanks and Smiles:) for ur support till now Dear Blogger Buddy God<3U:)
ReplyDeleteThe same to you for the holiday season. Have a nice day :)
DeleteWahoo! Is there anything so great as reaching the end, sitting back and sighing contentedly? Way to go!
ReplyDeleteWho do I have to thank for my writing? My wonderful hubby who brainstorms with me and pushes me out the door, ready or not.
It's such a great feeling :)
DeleteSounds like he's a keeper!
As long as the door isn't on second story landing, eh? ;)
DeleteCongratulations! That's great news. Good luck on revisions! :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much :)
DeleteGood luck with you novel. Now you are one step closer to being published.
ReplyDeleteI am hoping so! Thank you for visiting :)
Delete"Nowhere near happy with the first draft" -- yep, that's usually me too; yet at the same time, there's such a sense of RELIEF to have gotten it out on paper/screen. Well done! Who do I have to thank? Funny you should ask. That's the topic of my post this Sunday...
ReplyDeleteI think most writers feel that way about their first drafts! Thanks Milo, and I'd better go check out your blog and find out who you have to thank!
Delete"""Pogba in quarqntine>> Leave the national team"""
ReplyDelete