Finished with the first rough draft of my first novel...

Oh, by the way... I finished the rough draft of my first novel! Big news for me. Of course, now I have the arduous task of attempting to revise 305 pages of storyline, character, and mechanics. That's frightening. I've decided to put my manuscript aside for a time while I study the works of my favorite authors for revision inspiration. So far I have already learned some things from J.K. Rowling and C.S. Lewis about good story-telling that I'll need to go back to insert in my own story. Techniques only, of course, not ideas. It's fun.

I have to warn other authors who may be reading this blog: after I printed out the finished first draft of my novel, I immediately began to look at it with a very harsh eye. In no time, I had determined that I'd just wasted a ream of paper and that my book was crap. However, after putting it aside for a day and then viewing it with fresh eyes from the beginning (which I haven't looked at in ages), I have to say that I am pleased with my work, though it is nowhere near perfect!

I think this is probably very common--to finish a huge project and then hate it immediately. The reason, perhaps, is the hours of work I put into it only to find it is not as graceful or flawless as my favorite authors' work. But I am resolved to forgive myself for that, and to continue on in my quest for a finished story--one that, I hope, I will be proud of.

Now that the middle of the story is at least down on paper, I am beginning the first novel of the series, which will actually be the second novel I'll have written. I do have outlines for the first and the third books, though they are subject to alteration just as the middle book still is. I hope to get them all finished in rough draft form so that I can tie the ribbon of fluency throughout the series with coordinated plot, characters, and themes. That's the goal. I shall keep you updated on how I am doing.

Keeping this writer's blog/journal has been very beneficial to me, though I am sure nobody reads it but me. It lets me brag and berate myself with technologically-enhanced ease, so that I don't have those thoughts all pent up in my mind, threatening to explode. Thank you, blogger.com. Truly.