It’s slow-going, this writing business. I’ve been working on the first draft of my first ever full-length manuscript since November last year and it’s STILL. GOING. I got it almost finished a few months back and then left it for a bit before coming back to fill in the holes. I’m edging ever closer to being done and I expect to have somewhere around 95 000 – 100 000 words once I’m finished. That’s a lot of words.
I have to keep reminding myself not to rush. I’m so impatient, always wanting to get to the end or to the next thing. Life is so fast these days, everything so instant, that it feels strange to spend so much time on just one thing.
When it comes to writing I’m accustomed to short stories. It’s always the plot that takes a while for me but the writing, once I’m into it, is quite fast. Then I spend a bit of time editing and send it off out into the world. It’s hard but it’s relatively fast. I always find an amazing sense of satisfaction to have something complete.
Writing a novel is HARD and there really is no way to rush it. Already so many hours of work have gone into this manuscript and I know that I have many more hours of editing and rewriting ahead. The more I get into this process the more I’m constantly amazed that there are so many novels in the world when they take this much work and time. How lucky we are as readers that writers are so freely giving of their time.
It takes time.
I’m learning to be patient, taking it slow with the words and the process. It’s not a race. I want it done NOW but I’d much prefer to have it done PROPERLY.
It’ll take as long as it takes.
JW
Writing in the gaps 