The End

Of course, typing ‘The End’ on the first draft of a book is not the end of the process, but it is a major cause of celebration. Yesterday, I typed those immortal words on the next in The Tales of Flynn and Reilly. For those of you who keep asking me ‘What happens next?’ the answer is on its way.

Now the process of editing begins. I’ve heard this part of the process described as being like a sculptor carefully crafting a beautiful artwork out of a block of stone. So far, I’ve crafted the block of stone. It’s a fine block from the most beautiful stone, but it’s still a block at the moment. Next week I will take a chisel to it and begin to turn it into something you can all recognise as a thing of beauty.

My books don’t have just the one edit, but the first edit is, for me, the most important. After this there will be something I can ask my critiquing buddies to read and comment on, ready to refine into a work that I can send out into the world.

Now, in theory, I’m taking the week off before I start chiselling. In practice, I’m itching to get on with it and will be carrying on researching things I want to work on and reading the draft through to make some notes of where a bigger chisel might be required!

Have a great Easter.

ps. Don’t forget The Blight and the Blarney which starts the series is available absolutely free as a download.