I
finished Designing America yesterday
afternoon!
Admittedly,
that makes it sound like a much bigger accomplishment than it actually is, so
let me restate. I finished the first draft of Designing America. And I’m about 40,000 words short on my word
count.
I
was planning on writing a decent bit more before the “the end” part, but it
just didn’t turn out that way. “The end” happened without asking for
permission.
My
stories are rude like that.
The
thing is, normally they’re also a heck of a lot wordier. So I’m not quite sure
what happened this time around.
One
logical possibility is that I was focusing too much on the historical detail
and not enough on the actual story. Because, guess what? I was.
I
knew it all along, and I knew I’d have to fix it. There are so many important
characters I introduced and then didn’t engage or utilize nearly well enough,
all because I was so determined to get as many facts down as possible. At the
expense of everything other than the plot.
The
other reason why I might not have written as much as expected for this first
draft is that – SPOILER ALERT! – the
love interest isn’t even there most of the time. He’s in the very beginning and
the very end. That’s it.
Without
any swoons and sighs and such, it does make for a quicker read (and write).
Yet,
regardless, I can’t be all that upset about the additional work I’m going to
have to do for the second draft now that the first draft ended so soon. Not
when it ended on such a perfect note!
I’m
normally horrible about last lines. Like absolutely horrible. I hate them. They
always sound so contrived to me. Might as well write “and they lived happily
ever after,” as that’s as good as it’s going to get.
This
one though? It’s beautiful! It’s perfect! It doesn’t require me to tear my hair
out in anguish!
Which
is a major relief. So I’m not going to look this mixed-gift horse in the mouth.
Designing
America
Draft 2? Here I come…
Good job finishing the first draft!!!! :) :)
ReplyDeleteCongrats!
ReplyDeleteThanks! :-)
ReplyDelete