So, this novel I have been working on, and off, and on again, for the last two years, working title “Underland” has been kicking my butt! I had all but the last 12,000 words written last year and then the weight of the book came crashing down on me as I realized I had 100,000 words and I was nowhere near finished with the story!
So about 8 months ago the thought hit me. Why am I trying to cram everything into one book? There is so much still to write that this should really be a pair of books. Wahoo! I was suddenly inspired to write about 4,000 more words. And then it happened. I got to the climax of the book and became so overwhelmed with wanting to get it perfect that I stalled out and couldn’t move forward.
Then I started taking a Pro Screenwriting series from Hal Croasmun. Hal said that you should write, even if it’s crap. Write it without judging yourself for what you are writing. Just get it down there.
I was determined to finish the book. And, I did it! Wahoo! Throw a party! I finished the last 8,000 words and completed the novel. Now this is a Steampunk novel that is going to need a LOT of work. All those little things need to be put back in there to make the world more magical. All the ingenuity, and advances in science, need to be thought out and placed just right, but – I finished the first draft.
I am so proud of myself and totally excited! But for now I need to just take a step back from it and let my brain rest and work on something else, before I tackle a second draft of it. But not to worry! I have a ton of other projects to work on, and just as many to polish!