Finished my novel!
Thursday, 28 July 2016, 9:53pm. Then passed out for most of the following day.
Freedom!
Now to find a publisher. And start the next one.
I field-tested the method I teach in workshops and it works after all. Anyway, I enjoy being able to focus instead of constantly scrambling for something to say, so I am extending my vacation from column-writing. After writing three columns a week for 23 years, I’m tired and I want to do something else.
Back to watching Stranger Things. Good thing it’s only eight episodes.
Answers to questions you might be asking, unless you wandered onto this site purely by accident >>>
August 1st, 2016 at 17:14
congrats, ma’am. i look forward to procuring and reading a copy. :-)
August 1st, 2016 at 22:17
I’m having a hard time with my second one. After making it a habit to write a chapter a week (with only two times this rule was broken), I’m up against the wall trying to finish phase one of the sequel.
August 1st, 2016 at 23:40
YAY! Congratulations!
August 1st, 2016 at 23:50
Edrie: When I am stuck on a chapter, I skip over it and move on to the next one. Then I double back to check for inconsistencies. Or I watch a movie or TV show and try not to think about the problem. Overthinking just makes it worse.
August 2nd, 2016 at 07:49
I’m excited to watch Stranger Things! I’m just scared that after watching an episode, I won’t be able sleep at night. Is it that kind of scary? Or different?
August 2nd, 2016 at 11:08
cjspotless: It’s not scary. It’s an 8-episode hommage to Spielberg and Stephen King. Nostalgia.
August 2nd, 2016 at 21:48
Jessica: With regards to publishers, I used Amazon’s Kindle Direct Publishing. Sure it’s slow and serves only a certain market but I needed readers and it was the only one that blurs the line between vanity publishing and legitimate distributor. I know you prefer print, but I’d like to have a copy of your book through an electronic device (that was piad for, e-book piracy is a line I will not cross.)
Well, I do ruminate on some of the later chapters but I fear jumping might create certain plot holes (both novels’ genre is eldritch horror which needs a tightly-sealed plot to satisfy suspension of disbelief).
August 2nd, 2016 at 23:58
Edrie: Andy Weir’s The Martian would be a good model. It started as blog posts, readers vetted the material, then he self-published, then the rights were acquired.
August 3rd, 2016 at 10:06
yey!!! congratulations! can’t wait to read it :)
August 4th, 2016 at 01:17
Enjoy your book-reading appearance in Baguio! I miss the old stomping ground.
August 5th, 2016 at 06:41
Hooray! You deserve to do whatever you want to do at this point. ;-)