THE END. It’s usually a good place to be. It means you have completed a journey. The last day of November marked THE END for writers who participated in NaNoWriMo or PiBoIdMo. They’ve slogged through the hurdles of drafting a novel, or worked through creative bursts of ideas for picture books until they accumulated at least 30. But writer or not, when you’ve completed a task, it is always good to find yourself at THE END of it.
When I get to THE END of a project, I’m usually surrounded by chaos. I think I’m that classic creative type who works best in a mess. Up to a point… This November, I not only participated in PiBoIdMo, but did the final proofing of my forthcoming novel, The Boy Problem AND finished a novel I’ve been working on for years. I met all of my goals! But when I was finished, my desk looked like this:
As much as this desk helped me get to THE END of two novels, I found I couldn’t begin to start a new project on it. So I did something I don’t like doing very much. I gave up a day of writing to organize. I stacked all of the drafts of The Boy Problem together. The result was a ten inch, twenty seven pound stack. When you look at that you can kind of see how I work through a novel. With lots of little flags noting pages that still need work. This probably only represents half of them, many were pulled out along the way.
There were a few more stacks not-quite-so-impressive stacks as well… but eventually, my desk looked like this.
Yeah, I know there are still two pretty messy piles, but you don’t expect me to create in a completely clean environment, do you? The point is, I’ve reached THE END of some important projects! And now, with space on my desk, I can start a new project… a new beginning!
I recently received the ARCs for THE BOY PROBLEM! When an author actually holds an ARC, the book finally feels real.It marks THE END of a great journey!
Onward we go! What does THE END look like to you?
Nerdy Chicks Rule 
Ah, THE END. I just reached the end of NaNoWriMo, and my daughter asked “Now what are you going to do?” I told her I read a blog that recommended putting NaNo work away for the month of Dec and I would do that. She said “You can’t! Keep writing!” I have to confess that I read through my Nano novel yesterday and my fingers are itching.
You don’t HAVE to wait a month! Put your itching fingers to work! 🙂
Now MY fingers are itching. That looks like success. Congrats!
Thanks so much! It feels like success too. Crossing fingers that this will prove true.
Ahhh! I don’t feel so bad about my environs now. I also have chaos by the end and have to clean for the next project.
And you have the best blog name Anna… Creative Chaos!… this describes both of us, and may others, probably!
Congrats on the book and neat desk! When I’m nearing the end of a project, my desk looks like I just finished final exams. Papers everywhere!
Thanks for the congrats. Next I tackle the computer cart!
Your END looks like my whole life. At the moment I can find neither my computer desk nor my overlarge craft table. And it’s spreading onto the day bed in the computer room. But heaven forbid I clean anything up or I will never, never find what I’m looking for.
So what’s the new novel about?
Well, my life looks a little like that too. There is a room in this house where few have boldly gone before. Yes, cleaning is scary business. The new novel is a fantasy. I have no idea if anyone will want it, but it is one of those manuscripts I just had to complete. Out with beta readers now. Wish it luck!