Saturday, May 11, 2002
So. I've just about finished packing (except for my computer, obviously) and my day has been, overall, quite productive.
Alec and I finished The Arithmancer's Apprentice.
Well, I say "finished", but we still have a good bit of editing to do on the last three chapters. But it's all there.
You know, after all the trouble this story has been, and after all the anticipation I've had for The End... well, now that I've reached it, it's rather anti-climactic. I totally expected to be completely thrilled and happy once it was all finished, and yet... I'm not. I mean, it's a relief that it's (mostly) done, and that I don't have it really LOOMING over my head anymore, but otherwise, it's just sort of there. It's basically finished. OK. That's it.
I dedicated four entire months of my free time to this thing, and I'm at best relieved to have it done -- and by no means overjoyed. Perhaps it's just because I know there're still more changes left. But knowing the majority of it is over hasn't even dispelled that urge I've had ever since we started writing this story: the desire to print out a copy of the manuscript and burn it. Only now the thing's too many pages for me to bother.
Rebecca encouragingly said that my sadistic feelings towards the story were actually a good sign. Quoting Pamela Dean, she explained that there were several stages in an author's attitude toward a book:
1. The book
2. The darned book
3. The gosh-darned book
4. The gosh-darned frigging book from heck
I suspect Pamela Dean probably used slightly more colorful language. But I'm most certainly in Stage Four -- which means the story is close to REALLY being finished.
But not this weekend. I have to take a break from it for a day or two, to have suitable distance from it.
| 12:17 AM |
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