Marching toward Zion

Colleen inspired me this weekend with her candid view of the frustration and elation that continually cycles through this process.

I'm driving toward finishing the first draft of my novel in progress. I know what I have to do. I'm not an outliner at the beginning, but at this point, I use a story matrix to keep everything straight. It gives me a quick-glance way to see where the gaps are that need fill and/or backfill.

So I'm down to these last several scenes that I've been putting off for various reasons -- or to be honest -- for one reason: I don't feel like it. These are puzzle piece scenes that are important to exposition, and it feels like assignment writing. (Bleh.)

Oliver Stone: "The secret to writing a screenplay is keeping your ass in the chair."

The same is true for novel writing. This is the point at which it's most difficult and most critical to do that.

Comments

Congratulations, Joni! There's nothing like that out-of-control feeling of hurtling toward The End. Mostly, it's a Very Good Thing, though sometimes its bittersweet. I often hate to leave the characters behind.

And you better darned well be leaving a certain character still standing. :)

Can't wait to read the full when you're done tinkering.

Meanwhile, I've finished the Chapter from Hell and have moved on to greener pastures. But I'm still a slow poke next to you.