First Draft ~ Fini!

Yes.

The first draft of my novel is done.

It had to end sometime, and today was the time. I can't keep picking at it like a pustulant sore. I've said everything I have to say.  

What I've done:

1. I added a coda. I recently learned that the proper term for a brief summation, if you will, is "coda"; not epilogue. I even solicited opinions on Reddit as to whether I should do it, and the most comprehensive response was, "no".  Sorry ~ I do value your input, responder, but a coda was right for the story. In the end, I had to go on instinct.

On the plus side, my last line is just right.

2. I rewrote the lyrics for "I Was Wrong". All that was required was the first verse, which the main character begins singing onstage before a surprise guest kicks in on the chorus. My first iteration of the lyrics was pretty bad. Every character had built it up as if it was the best song ever, and my original lyrics were woefully pedestrian. (Maybe the melody is fantastic.) I didn't waste a lot of time rewriting it, because I think I've put too much emphasis on the song. It's a song.

3. I reviewed my opening via the Read Aloud feature in Word and fixed the clunky passages. Honestly, this exercise is a pain in the ass. I "reread" the opening paragraph about ten times, and I'm still not thrilled with it. I keep tweaking it, then rereading it, then beating myself up over my inability to get it right.

What I haven't done: 

1. Obviously I haven't read the manuscript all the way through. I anticipate discovering lots and lots of flaws. I guess that's why it's called a first draft.

 

I don't ever want to go through this again. This will be my last novel. I'll fix the things that need fixing, but I won't be adding anything. I'm done telling this story.

I don't know how other writers do it. I'm drained. Maybe the novel's good; maybe it's not, but right now I'm feeling nothing but hate. Resentment. Why did the characters put me through this? 

Know how long it's going to take me to read "aloud" the whole thing? Then fix it, then go back and start reading all over again? Can't it just be done? 

And I don't even have a title. It was called "Second Chance" the first time around (when it was a novella), but that seems featherweight now. I feel like, to be trendy, I need to have the title start with, "When". "When it was...." something.

But I'm too exhausted to think about that now.

I know I should be rah-rahing, but frankly, I'm just tired.