Hi Kate! I love the octopus metaphor - that's exactly what it feels like.
As for the last leg of the manuscript, I have no ideas, just sympathy. I always feel that for my initial drafts, the first three quarters of my manuscript is so much stronger and more deeply worked than the last few chapters because, by then, I just want to get the damn thing over and done with and I rush to the finishing line. I literally have to make myself sit down and just work on those last few chapters as its own special project, separate from the manuscript, so I don't continue to charge through them. My books are usually around 130,000 words so by the time I reach say 110,000 words in an edit, I'm exhausted. But if I hive them off and pretend they're a separate creature, it feels more manageable. The games we play in our minds as writers to get the work done!
Natasha! Love this advice (and sympathy!!) thank you! SO true re the last bit - that's a great idea to keep it separate. Smaller chunks are far less intimidating! Keeping this in mind as I push towards the finish line xx Thank you x
Hi Kate! I love the octopus metaphor - that's exactly what it feels like.
As for the last leg of the manuscript, I have no ideas, just sympathy. I always feel that for my initial drafts, the first three quarters of my manuscript is so much stronger and more deeply worked than the last few chapters because, by then, I just want to get the damn thing over and done with and I rush to the finishing line. I literally have to make myself sit down and just work on those last few chapters as its own special project, separate from the manuscript, so I don't continue to charge through them. My books are usually around 130,000 words so by the time I reach say 110,000 words in an edit, I'm exhausted. But if I hive them off and pretend they're a separate creature, it feels more manageable. The games we play in our minds as writers to get the work done!
Natasha! Love this advice (and sympathy!!) thank you! SO true re the last bit - that's a great idea to keep it separate. Smaller chunks are far less intimidating! Keeping this in mind as I push towards the finish line xx Thank you x