I've finished the first draft of my first novel!

Hippo

Hippo

Yaaaaay!  Well, there's been many a time I never thought I'd type that subject line, but here I am nearly 120,000 words (I know, too long - I'll worry about that another day) and quite a lot more grey hairs later, with that precious first draft all done and dusted.

I missed my self-imposed deadline for completion, but only by two days (due to having to go away unexpectedly last weekend) - I managed 30,000 words in these last 8 weeks, which makes me wonder what the heck I've spent the rest of my time doing. Though I've had no social life for 8 weeks, so that might account for some of it!

In fact, I did keep a weekly log of my word count and it's funny to look back and see that on weeks where I wrote nothing or had a poor word count, I've noted things such as 'unwell', 'bad week at work' and 'week off panicking'.  I also 'lost' 9 weeks at the end of last year, 4 spent writing a short story and then immediately afterwards another 5 drowning in Christmas and preparations for two 40th birthdays in December (sister and boyfriend)!  So all in all, I've calculated that I was only working on my novel for 40 of the 57 weeks since I began the first draft...very slack, eh?

I started researching, planning etc on 1 August 2005, so I'm just over a month off 2 years on it so far.  I can't believe I've stuck at it this long - and I reckon I've up to another year to do now to fix what I've got...amongst other things: sort out all the multitude of themes and ideas that have crept in, take out the clunky, serving-no-purpose chapters, find another title (because now my working title doesn't fit the novel) and edit, edit, edit.

But for now I'm taking two months off from it.  Four weeks today I'm on my way to the Arctic, so my focus is on final preparations for that - nerves are really kicking in now.

I also foolishly (?) agreed to take on a new role at work, which has meant an intensive two weeks of training, prior to taking over from the outgoing person a week tomorrow (after a much needed week off).  The upside is I get my own office, which will take away most of the colleague induced stress, and will be running my own department - the downside is more responsibility with no extra money.  I've said it before and I'll say it again - join a union, just don't work for one. 

No time to get bored, eh?  No wonder sometimes the writing suffers...

Apologies, finally, for charging into Talkback with my exuberant post, before I've even looked at anyone else's to see what I've missed these last few months.  I'll have to do that in a day or so, when I have a little more time - priority now is a bath and a celebratory glass of wine while I watch Rome!

Catch you all again very soon.

Love H xx

Allie

That's brilliant. I always think that's the biggest hurdle over with. :)

Jay Mandal

Well done! Salute! (as you're watching Rome and having some wine).

Carol

Good to see you here Hippo, and well done on the first draft completion.
You had a lot of delays last year, so I'm sure if those 'extra' stresses hadn't occured you still would have got to 120,000.
Have a break, enjoy the benefits of the new job, and get yourself ready for the Arctic.

Jan

That is a huge curtsey of achievement Hippo,

Well deserved, enjoy indulgence in the satisfaction of completing the toil.

As for catching up on "these last few months" you will find pages and pages of threads. It has taken me all evening to read just a few days of postings.

Would you like your back soaped?

Nefertari

Great news. Hippo.
Hope you enjoyed the wine and didn't do what my husband did, he dropped a glass of red on the carpet. It looks awful and this is a rented flat. I am just off to town to get something to clean it, we didn't have any white wine to hand to clean it.

Well done! Have a good rest.

Betsie

Well done Hippo - brilliant achievement.  Oh dear Katyanne - sounds like you need a new rug to put over the stain.

dorothyd

great stuff, Hippo! Take it easy now before starting the revision.

Kangaroo

Well done Hippo! Goodluck with the stain Kateyanne!

M. Welshman

Congrats Hippo. Is it a wonderful feeling finally getting that first draft under your belt?  Corset is. Now girdle your loins for the re-write and re-write and re-write.  But that actually can be quite satisfying as there's no sense of panic that you have to find inspiration.  It's there already, on the page.  Have a (snow) ball in the Arctic. Will you be doing any Pole dancing while you're up North?

Jay Mandal

Don't mention girdle to me! (A virtual prize goes to the person who can explain.)

I thought sugar or salt was good for a wine stain?

RichardS

Congrats Hippo, you're where I hope to be in the next few months. Keep us informed on how it's going.

Cheers

Rich

Amanda

jay if you want to get rid of redwine stains use the white wine to get it out.  poor some into a saucer put the stain into it to soak - drink the rest! it will either 1. get rid of the stain.... 2. get you to a point where you won't care about the stain! 3... make youthrow the darn thing in the bin!  4.... or simply..just give in a buy some vanish! still its nice to have the wine anyway. 

Hippo sorry didnt mean to ignore you!  we are all very proud of your acheivements.  you have admirable persistence well done.

M. Welshman

And that, Hippo, is without a stain on your character.

Girdle?  Girdle?  Waist not want not Jay. Or is it a question of what's there 'stays' in place? 

Jay Mandal

Very good, MW, but not the answer. Clue: you'll probably have to check the Internet to find out.

M. Welshman

That's good PR Jay.  Guiding us to your books I would guess.....Poor old Hippo's being pushed off her thread.  What's the title of your book Hippo?

MorbidMaiden

WELL DONE!!!!!!!!!!

Tessa Tangent

Good for you!  I'd be glad to see you on the Board a bit more than merely to trumpet your success.  I felt that I had some success once finishing the first draft but, with the second, I see I have a long way to go.

Fantastic anyway.  That first draft is something to work with.  Go for it!!

Jay Mandal

Quick answer: I thought 'girdle' was a password, and it would remain hidden. Unfortunately, it's not, and everyone can see it. It seems to be the one thing I can't change. If I'd realized, I'd have thought of something that sounded better.
Sorry, Hippo!

doodle

Well done, that's some good going to fit that many words in around little things like life!  Enjoy your break and all the best with the 'edit'