Finishing what You start
Guess what today is? It's my finish line. My book will be ready today. For better or worse. I struggle, because you know what? I want to give my best. Excellence. It's not good enough just to get it done, I want it polished and clean so that when my editor sees it, all I hear is WOW. (before I hear the inevitable--'gotta change this part').
That's the thing about setting goals and accomplishing them. Before I finished my first book, I was a quitter. I would start projects and not see them to completion. God used my love for writing to teach me to follow through. I truly believe there are people out there just filled with greatness, people who could be the next Mark Twain or Francine Rivers. People who need to glue their butts to the chair and finish their books.
It takes guts to be a writer. It takes hard work. I've worked fifteen hours a day for the past two weeks to meet my deadline. NOt all that is writing. Part is editing, reading and rereading. Making sure certain facts are straight.
Today my friend is reading through the entire book (except the final chapter)to look for final mistakes I don't see. Faithful friends. She reads each chapter as it goes to her, then reads every manuscript for me at least once. I would be lost without someone to help me see the mistakes. Today I will writes THE END. I will print out the book, read it, go back through it one more time for editing. And Monday, (deadline day) it'll be on my editor's desk. And I have about three books piled up that I'm going to READ. And I'm getting my nails done (a little guilty pleasure I discovered before the last ACFW conference). I'm going to go to noon prayer at my church and reconnect with my church family. Mid week, I will start on a rewrite for another editor and a copyedit on another book for the same editor. I have a full, wonderful, stressful, BLESSED to the Nth degree, life.
I love this job God has given me. I look forward to a couple of days off though. I want to play a game with the kids. Take them to get hamburgers and maybe see a movie if there's a decent one out. They understand when I'm on deadline, but they're always ready for some reconnect time.
Time to finish up. CLAIRE is coming to her lightbulb moment (for the moment). Had to force myself to stop last night. I'd written over 5000 words. My arms were hurting, my head was fuzzy. I knew I couldn't give it my best at that point and the scene coming up is too important for half-effort. I'm wide-eyed and clear headed now.
Love to you all, Next week I hope to be more consistent with daily or every other daily blogging.
Sad, the loss of Johnny Carson. All the oldie greats are dying. I might watch a Dean Martin/Jerry Lewis movie next week.
That's the thing about setting goals and accomplishing them. Before I finished my first book, I was a quitter. I would start projects and not see them to completion. God used my love for writing to teach me to follow through. I truly believe there are people out there just filled with greatness, people who could be the next Mark Twain or Francine Rivers. People who need to glue their butts to the chair and finish their books.
It takes guts to be a writer. It takes hard work. I've worked fifteen hours a day for the past two weeks to meet my deadline. NOt all that is writing. Part is editing, reading and rereading. Making sure certain facts are straight.
Today my friend is reading through the entire book (except the final chapter)to look for final mistakes I don't see. Faithful friends. She reads each chapter as it goes to her, then reads every manuscript for me at least once. I would be lost without someone to help me see the mistakes. Today I will writes THE END. I will print out the book, read it, go back through it one more time for editing. And Monday, (deadline day) it'll be on my editor's desk. And I have about three books piled up that I'm going to READ. And I'm getting my nails done (a little guilty pleasure I discovered before the last ACFW conference). I'm going to go to noon prayer at my church and reconnect with my church family. Mid week, I will start on a rewrite for another editor and a copyedit on another book for the same editor. I have a full, wonderful, stressful, BLESSED to the Nth degree, life.
I love this job God has given me. I look forward to a couple of days off though. I want to play a game with the kids. Take them to get hamburgers and maybe see a movie if there's a decent one out. They understand when I'm on deadline, but they're always ready for some reconnect time.
Time to finish up. CLAIRE is coming to her lightbulb moment (for the moment). Had to force myself to stop last night. I'd written over 5000 words. My arms were hurting, my head was fuzzy. I knew I couldn't give it my best at that point and the scene coming up is too important for half-effort. I'm wide-eyed and clear headed now.
Love to you all, Next week I hope to be more consistent with daily or every other daily blogging.
Sad, the loss of Johnny Carson. All the oldie greats are dying. I might watch a Dean Martin/Jerry Lewis movie next week.
posted by Tracey Bateman at 11:20 AM
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