An Artist’s Gratification

I finally did it! I finished the first draft of my novelette, Four Days to Islana. I’m going to let it settle for a while, then do a rewrite, which I don’t anticipate to take too long (maybe as quick as a week). I may share it now with a person or two, but I’d really rather wait until the rewrite is finished.

There is something intensely satisfying about “completing” a work like this. Especially this one, since it has taken me entirely too long to do. It was on-again-off-again with the distractions of other works and some of just plain real life. Not to mention that my plan of a 7,000-word short story somehow augmented itself to 11,000 words.

It’s amazing to see it come together. Honestly, I thought I had another day or two of writing to do, another few scenes, but it just hit a point and I realized it was the end. The other scenes I planned would only detract from it. And the meaning! In three short pages the themes which had been subtle and difficult to get a grasp on just leapt out of the story. I suddenly realize what the story is about, and I like it.