I just finished a short story.
Sure. No big deal for many writers, but when your output is as limited as mine is and as slow in coming, this constitutes a rare occasion for celebration.
My husband, a professional magazine editor, my first reader and best friend, read my completed draft last night and made some suggestions. Today, I finished it. I think.
No only has Larry been waiting a long time to read it, I have also received frequent reminders from numerous friends, Larry's agent, a mystery magazine editor, and assorted colleagues. So, it feels like there's a lot riding on it.
Now it's time to send it out. But is it ready? Should I put it away for a week and then look at it again? Should I ask some fellow writers to read it and comment? Should I just keep working on it -- going over it again and again, adding, deleting, changing a word here, restoring a deleted sentence there?
Or should I bite the bullet and put it in the mail? Case closed. End of story, as it were.
Damn it. I'll celebrate. Open the champagne. Toast the completion of a project that took a little longer than it probably should have.
There's only one problem. Now, what stands between me and finishing that novel on my desk? Nothing.
Friday, July 6, 2007
Completion Anxiety
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4 comments:
I admire anyone who even dares think of sending a piece out the door. I'd pour over the thing for weeks, moving commas, moving sentences, sweating the dialogue. I'm impressed. Let us know how it fares out in the world!
Just like kids, Meredith, there comes a time when you have to set them free. Give yourself permision to shift two commas and delete one word and then out the door with it! You can polish forever if you're not firm with yourself on this.
Now! About that novel!
Congrats, it always feels good to finish a piece. Since your husband is an editor and he gave you valuable feedback whiich you used, say send that baby out.
Congrats! It's a great feeling to finish something. You should read Telling Lies For Fun and Profit by Lawrence Block. He has some useful suggestions for exactly how to deal with such a quandry (and he's darn funny too!)
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