We’re officially 80% through NaNoWriMo.
I talk about what the 24th brings, but let me quickly recap, we’ve hit our wall and all our lifelines are used up. This is the hardest part of the month. Nothing is more difficult than this point onward.
Are you still in a cheery mood? Good.
Today is the day we look at the ugliest parts of our manuscripts. It’s unfinished, held together by glue and tape, and we’re questioning all the choices that have brought us here. Everyone gets apprehensive at this time. I mean, what if they mess up? CTRL Z.
You know how people say, “Before you can respect others you have to respect yourself.”? Today we learn to respect our projects.
In my experience, I learned the same lessons from The Dragon’s Tear and Led Astray, it’s time to wrap things up. Two parts in my brain get into a fight. One side screams that a word count must be hit. The other rationalizes that there is not enough content to reasonable reach that word count. And then I freeze.
I have to deal with the fact that the major story beats all have to stand on their own. Is it as exciting as I want? Is it unique or will people read it as derivative? These thoughts always happen, and I have to push through them and connect the lingering threads.
I don’t know why I get scared, because I’m always so proud of my story when it’s completed. I’m not proud of myself, although there’s probably a little of that in there, but mostly I admire that the story comes together. You own yourself the satisfaction of seeing your book stand tall all on its own.