Iona Winter

Kia ora Dear Readers,

I’m nearly there. Nearly finished my first draft of “The Novel”. Nearly…

I have managed, for almost a week, to be less distracted by other things, e.g. chocolate, housework, researching ways to stop dyeing my greys, baking biscuits, catching up with friends and family (otherwise known as having a life). All of this hermit-like behaviour has manifested in a “nearly” completed first draft.

Friday is hand in. And as I work more than 55% of the remaining hours (yes I’m down to counting hours and percentages) in what I call “my other job”, I must confess I am surprisingly calm and not at all panicked. It’s actually not my “other job”, it’s my job and the writing is “the other job”. Confused? Me too?

Oh I wish it were the other way around. But it’s not. Perhaps that’s the reason why I find it difficult to prioritise at times. I apologise if it seems like I’m always looking for an excuse. But I’m being truthful here, really I am.

Here I am rabbiting on about being “nearly” finished my first draft, BUT the “nearly” is because I don’t yet have an ending. Oh I could again provide a rationale for how I write, you know being an organic process blah blah blah… BUT I am required to have an ending.

I do have an idea about how it ends. I just don’t know how to get there from where I currently am. The (previously mentioned) pages of sentences, images and incomplete chapters stare at me with bug eyes. Nothing there of any use, in terms of getting to an ending. I may just have to write a wee note saying, “It’ll end like this…X goes to B and then F dies”. Or something like that.

Clearly this is the downside of being “character-driven” as a writer. I am more interested in characters than I am outcomes. BUT I am interested in the process of the outcome, don’t get me wrong. Oh it all feels like such a jumble, and I have two (writing) days left to get this (delightful) thing ready for hand in.

Therefore (being an organised woman) my plan for today is this:

1. Read the WHOLE document from start to finish (aka where I’m up to). Knowing that this will take ALL day and many cups of tea (and possibly chocolate)…

2. Check it makes sense and that there’s a flow to it, i.e. that it’s not a random set of thrust-together words, sentences and dialogue which leaves the reader thinking “God this woman is weird. I can’t understand what she’s on about” (aka secret fear)…

3. Fill in any gaps with “write more here”. I reckon that should be adequate and it shows I’m “thinking’ about what to write next. That sounds cheeky. Is it? Too bad, I’ve decided that’s what I’m going to do…

4. DO NOT, under any circumstances, be DISTRACTED by surfing the internet. I know it’ll suck me in. It’s not called the web and the net for nothing you know…

5. Fall into bed (at some point) utterly exhausted, to dream pleasant dreams which have absolutely nothing to do with writing!

That said, I’d best be off. See you on the other side of hand-in.