Celebrating THE END
Posted by Gail Barrett on 19 Jul 2008 | Tagged as: Chit Chat
This week, I finished writing another book. Hurrah!
I’m always surprised by how few people understand exactly how difficult it is to write a novel. It takes planning, plotting, thinking. The characters and fictional world consume my thoughts for months, even before I sit down at the computer to write it. The actual writing is frustrating, grueling, sometimes exhilarating, but mostly it’s just plain hard work. And I mean hard! Anyone who thinks a writer just sits down at the computer and lets the words pour unedited on the page is delusional. And even after I’ve finished a manuscript, it still occupies my mind for weeks. I wonder how I could have made it better. I begin second-guessing the plot points. I anguish over how my editor will react.
What’s odd is that no matter how many times I start a new project, it doesn’t get any easier. That defies logic. A task should get easier with repetition, shouldn’t it? But perversely, each subsequent book becomes harder to write, probably because I keep raising my expectations and can more easily spot the flaws in my work.
Despite all that, it’s still enormously satisfying to finish a book. Sure, the work isn’t as brilliant or perfect as I’d hoped it would be. Maybe it won’t win awards or hit the best seller lists. But I brought my vision of a story into existence, and that deserves celebration.
So how do you celebrate when you’ve finished a book? Do you have a routine you follow, any special treat you reward yourself with? Please share!
Congrats on finishing the book, Gail!
My own philosophy is that it gets harder because we start to know too much. When I first started writing it was relatively easy to get the story down - I didn’t know I was doing anything wrong. Then as I started learning craft, it felt like everything I did was wrong. (Sometimes, it still does
) But nothing worth having ever came easy. Right?
My own end-of-story celebrations always involve chocolate, and lots of it. Then I get straight on with the next story, which is usually nudging like crazy to get told.
I wish you much success with the book.
July 20th, 2008 at 4:21 amCongratulations! I don’t care if it’s the first one or the hundredth, finishing the book is an accomplishment. I do agree it gets harder but, then, the stories just get better too. For me, my reward is sleep. I write in the morning before anyone gets up (4:30 am), so I reward myself with a couple of weeks of sleeping late.
July 21st, 2008 at 4:07 amWhat’s odd is that no matter how many times I start a new project, it doesn’t get any easier. That defies logic.
That cracked me up, because it’s so true. All of sudden it’s like you’ve never written a book before.
Congrats on finishing.
July 21st, 2008 at 12:00 pmI totally agree. Getting the words out is really really hard work and each book gets harder. I know part of it is that I have higher expectations. I hope that’s a good thing.
To celebrate I ususally catch up on housework and other things that get neglected. LOL. Which just makes me happy to jump into the next writing project.
Linda
July 21st, 2008 at 1:37 pmCongrats!
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:37 pmI hope yto join you by Friday-I’m just struggling to bring it all together!
You guys made me laugh. I usually “celebrate” by cleaning the house, too. And sleeping! My biggest luxury after making a deadline is taking a nap.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who feels as if she is reinventing the wheel each time she writes a new book. I guess it is a matter of knowing too much and having higher expectations because of it.
And Kate - good luck on finishing!
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:42 pm