The last 24 hours have been particularly satisfying. I finished the final rewrite of my first novel and will now start the final edit and then prepare for submission. Today the short story I was working on at the same time was finished. For the first time in a while I’m happy because I’ve had the time to actually create. If there’s one part of writing that sucks, it’s the editing process. Yes, it’s the most important part but it’s such a stressing and boring thing when I’d rather be creating something instead.

Anyone who reads the short story will be both surprised that the main character is so unlikeable. In fact, she has few redeeming qualities, but it’s written and constructed in such a way that it can be stretched into a novel rather easily if I so choose. In fact, if I can get it published in a magazine, I will seek to retain the rights to any novelization of it. Another thing that separates it from other works I’ve done is that I leave the ending intentionally open. There’s no conclusive closure to the story, and that’s done intentionally. It allows the reader to make decisions for themselves about whether Athol has a future and reaches her destination. Also, it allows me to be able to write more stories about her if I so choose.

Talia, though, is also calling to me, trying to tell me there’s another adventure of hers to tell, so I really want to get the first novel polished and ready to go. All in all it’s been a pleasing twenty-four hours. Hopefully it’s been good to you too.