I finished my third draft today! Or second draft if you look at is as Trash Draft, First Draft, This Draft!
I am emotionally exhausted. Seriously. A week ago I was about a third of the way through editing and I powered through the rest really in the last four days or so. It was a productive weekend.
But I had to get deep in character emotions in the rewrites and, as I drew from some pretty knotted emotions in my own life, I have multiple times in the last few days been gently crying over the keyboard. I promise I’m fine, but I was just really feeling what Jack feels? Is this a normal writer thing? Uff da.
I read through the whole story today though (early morning, work breaks, this evening) and polished off some last edits. The result is an 87,000-word manuscript, 7,000 words longer than my previous draft. And hopefully much better. But I am a little too close to it at the moment so I’ll have to throw it back out to critique partners (including my new queer writer’s group) for some feedback and validation.
I have no idea what I’m going to write in the meantime. A problem for tomorrow.
For now, here are my last sentences from this past week:
- 11/5: Some days I wished I could just wake up.
- 11/6: Mom wouldn’t even recognize who I’ve become, but I don’t know how to go back.
- 11/7: I’m bone tired afterward, so I don’t know why it keeps happening.
- 11/8: Even Nolan, who hasn’t retaliated since I went back on my promise, so I think maybe we’re okay now.
- 11/9: The next day is Mom’s birthday.
- 11/10: I’m out of practice.
- 11/11: I still go to see him every week.
With Love,
Natalie