I have written ‘THE END’!

This morning it’s over.

Fifteen pages into Big Pink Book F, and just short of the 90,000 mark in twelve chapters (88,891 words according to yWriter) which counts as just over 90,000 words because there’s one early-on scene unwritten. Shorter than hoped, longer than feared.

That skipped scene is for the rewrite, as it didn’t and isn’t going to ‘just come’ so it needs building step by step, which is more an edity than a creaty process and can wait.

I’ve been expecting to feel relieved, as i have been looking forward to being rid of the thing. For some time the point has been, largely, to see if i CAN finish Draft One rather than being desperate to spend more time with my characters or find out what becomes of them. (Don’t tell Turner, my lead character!) But at this moment, i think i’m going to miss him. And it. The story, the world where it takes place, the colourful and somewhat eccentric characters, the writing of it, the lot. And that in itself is a relief.

Since i have decided not to pursue this as a definitely-the-main-ambition project – at least for the time being – it now goes into the Pending drawer. One day i may kick it into better shape, or add a thread to make it a decent size for a novel, or turn it into a longish short story. Or bury it for good. Whichever, it has to hide away for months at least before i can cast an objective eye over it. Bye for now, Turner.

Sometime (not now, i’m packing for a weekend away), i’ll tell you what i have learnt from writing a whole First Draft. Meanwhile… i’ve proved i can. What shall i do to celebrate?

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