A few years back, I wrote a story. Okay, that’s not all that unusual, as I have been writing stories for as long as I can remember. And I guess it was a bit more than a “few years,” since I found a copy in my files dated 1998. It was a long short story- yes, I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but just looking at word count, it was up in the upper limits for a short story. I had decided to do a bit of work on it, and possibly put it out as a novelette. I did the revisions, and sent it to a couple of readers. And they felt that there was enough there to make a full novel. I debated that one, and ultimately decided that I liked the story and the characters enough to give it a shot. I finished it the first draft last Wednesday. It was kind of a weird feeling.
Of course, I have finished things before. This was a little different, however. Most of the time, I have a few things in progress at any given time, and I will switch off between them. For the past five or six months, I have been working pretty much exclusively on this one thing. I have other things started, but I really concentrated on this one. As September and October arrived, I knew that National Novel Writing Month was looming on the horizon in November. I want to participate again this year. I have a story and a plan. So, I really wanted to get this draft done before November 1. I finished it with just about a week and half to go. A good thing. And a kind of weird thing.
It was a strange feeling. I didn’t do much the day after I typed “The End” on that story. My brain was just tired, even though I really didn’t change my writing schedule to finish this draft. I didn’t stay up all night to get done. I sure as heck didn’t get up extra early to work on it. My allergy to morning wouldn’t deal well with that! I think it was just that I’ve been so focused on this one story, and on finishing by my deadline, that I put every bit of creative energy I had into those last chapters. Oh, not that I don’t do that with everything, but for some reason, this time seemed different. I’m not sure why, but there it was. I guess I just needed to rest for a little bit. Rejuvenate, so to speak.
At any rate, the draft is done. It is being read, on a chapter by chapter basis, and I am taking notes on the questions and problems brought up. As of right now, I will get back to it in December, and work on revising based on the feedback I get.
What’s next? Well, NaNoWriMo, of course. I have a lot of the prep done for that story idea. I am not a discovery writer. I need a plan, and I’ve been working on that, a bit at a time over the last couple weeks. I do need to type up some notes in my workbook file, but I think I may wait until the end of the week to do that. Use them to get me anchored in the story so I can start it off in the right frame of mind. Until then, I have a few short stories to look at, and I may work on some things that are just for fun. We’ll see. You never know when a wild plot bunny will appear.
=====================================================
Six of One: A Collection of Short Fantasy by M.A. Kropp is a set of short fantasy stories. Meet wizards, imps, gangster angels, and frogs in this group of varied tales of magic and mischief. Escape from the everyday into worlds of fantasy with Six of One: A Collection of Short Fantasy.
Download a free sample or purchase in your favorite ebook format at:
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/354855
Also available at:
Amazon: (Now also in paperback)
Apple iTunes Bookstore
Barnes and Noble:
Kobo:
And So On... 