I would tell you that I am 75% done with the book calculated by word count, but it seems every time I write nowadays I end up with fewer words. It’s not because I’m editing, either. It’s like the Missing Dollar riddle.
The fun parts are in first draft form, but I have almost nothing written for the middle or the bit directly after, because that is the dark night of the soul and unpleasant.
I should not care so much about how close I am to the end of the first draft, but now that I’ve plotted out the ending, it feels like the end is in sight. Yet I’m dragging my feet. I don’t know why: I’m going to enjoy writing the end, now that I know exactly what it’s going to be. But I think this is like painting. I love the finishing touches but by then I am so sick of it I ignore some last needed bits — that extra depth on the sundials, or the cast shadows on everything.
I could just put it away, but things make sense now. The puzzle pieces are falling into place. I think I’m at the part of the painting when I like it, and I fear the next brushstroke will make it all go wrong. And that makes no sense – you can re-paint an oil painting, you can rewrite a book — in fact, you’re supposed to rewrite a book.
It’s been a week since I sorted out the ending. I should be having fun. Why isn’t this fun?
2 responses to “Rewriting the Novel: Zeno’s Paradox”
Normally I’d say to set it aside until it calls to you again, but if the plot makes sense in your head right now, pound it all out, even if it’s just heavily detailed outline [“conversation which starts at A and ends at B with these things coming up goes here”].
KC – the synopsis is all done, and just like field hockey and fencing and painting, it never calls to me but I like doing it while I’m in it.