See the Man With the Blue Guitar, Maybe One Day He'll Be a Star

[snurri]

Book. Is. Finished.

It's drafty, to the extent where if I was to hold it up to your ear you could probably hear it whistle. But it's a thing to work with, and I know what most of the stuff is that needs fixing.

I was curious as to how long this took, and since I'm horrible at keeping track of things I went looking back through the blog. It looks like I must have started in early August. So, about eight months, during most of which time I was still working part-time. For some reason I thought I'd started later, but this makes more sense. If you're hoping for a word count, I don't have one, 'cause most of it is still just longhand. Much typing in my future.

Oh man, it feels good to be done. Now I will sleep.

P.S. This is the new, unsold book, just to forestall any confusion. We start edits on Superpowers hopefully next week-ish.

Comments

[gregvaneekhout.livejournal.com]

Such awesomeness! Congrats!!

[snurri.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Greg!

[rnb.livejournal.com]

As a congratulatory gift, I give you this link.

[snurri.livejournal.com]

I liked the customer comments especially, at least the first few before it got out of hand.

[squirrel-monkey.livejournal.com]

Congrats! And yay book!

[snurri.livejournal.com]

Yay us for finishing books!

[psamphire.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! That's awesome.

[snurri.livejournal.com]

Thanks! It's a good feeling.

[stephanieburgis.livejournal.com]

Woot! Congratulations! What are you doing to celebrate?

(And of course - let me know if you ever want another reader. I loved the excerpts!)

[snurri.livejournal.com]

To celebrate? I guess I'm going to see Excene Cervenka at the Hideout tonight, so that'll be the fun :-)

I would love to have your eyes on it, once it's ready for other eyes. Thanks for offering, Steph!

[rudi.livejournal.com]

Congrats on finishing! There's nothing like being at an ending, whatever the draftiness en route.

"Drafty" opens up a whole world of revision-as-insulation metaphors. Plot caulk, anyone? :)

[snurri.livejournal.com]

Yes, being done is a good feeling regardless. Some of the chapters near the end were a bit rushed, and I knew it, but it was time to finish.

I would be a loyal customer for Plot Caulk. A spokesman, even.

[justinhowe.livejournal.com]

Congratulations!

Would you care to explain why you have to write it out longhand first? I'm curious about that in general, how it makes a difference with people whether or not they type or handwrite. Yeah, I'm a big ole nerd...

You are the King of Tomorrow, today!

[snurri.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Justin!

I don't know exactly why longhand works for me, but I tend to use it for first drafts. My feeling, though I can't prove it, is that it forces my brain to work differently, and it definitely forces me to measure my words; when I type, my fingers tend to go a little faster than my brain, and so I end up with more crap that will end up being thrown out. It also helps in revision, I find, because I'm not as wedded to the words once it comes time to type them in.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_stranger_here/]

YAY Dave! YAYAYAYAYAY!

[snurri.livejournal.com]

'splosions! Thanks :-)

[jlundberg.livejournal.com]

Congrats on finishing!

[snurri.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Jason!

[ajjones.livejournal.com]

Congrats!

[snurri.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Adrienne!

[bondgwendabond.livejournal.com]

Yay! Can't wait to read it!

[snurri.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I can't wait for it to be read!

[fishsanwitt]

Congratulations!

[(Anonymous)]

Congrats, David. There's no more rewarding feeling than completing a novel. Well. Maybe getting a check for it. But I wouldn't know...

Congrats!!!

Darby

[http://users.livejournal.com/_swallow/]

Wow, congratulations!

[snurri.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

I hope you're doing well, BTW.

[matthewsrotundo.livejournal.com]

Well done and congrats, Dave!

[snurri.livejournal.com]

Thanks, Matt. Is that a bird on your head, or are you just wearing a funny hat? :-P

[tacithydra.livejournal.com]

Woooohooooo! Draaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaft!

Congratulations!

[snurri.livejournal.com]

Woohoo! I wish it was a better draft, but hell. I ain't looking at it for a couple of weeks.

Thanks!

[darinbradley.livejournal.com]

Sw-eeet!

[snurri.livejournal.com]

It is. TASTY.

[sallytuppence.livejournal.com]

Hey, great! I had no idea you were so close to being done. Congratulations!

And happy typing...

[snurri.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I've been impatient to finish up for like a month. Thanks!

[megmccarron.livejournal.com]

OMG i saw this post last night when I got home and i was really drunk and I wanted to write something absurd but then I thought to myself, "no meghan. stop harassing Dave on his blog."

that is so awesome that you're done. Though can I admit i'm also totally jealous? I've gotten nothing done since the desert at all. you're gonna let me read it, right?

[snurri.livejournal.com]

You love that word, absurd. :-P I encourage you to drink 'n comment anytime. It's the stuff that Internet humiliations are made of!

I'm sorry to have made you jealous. Console yourself with the fact that I am a jobless bum and therefore have ridiculous amounts of time for writing, while you are a fine upstanding citizen with the minds of our youth in your care.

And I totally want you to read it! But it needs lots o' fixing first.

[czakbar.livejournal.com]

Many happy returns!

[snurri.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Mr. Milne!

[jenfu.livejournal.com]

Hooray, hooray, congratulations! Done books are such nice things.

[snurri.livejournal.com]

Yes! How is yours? Agent-bound yet?

[haddayr.livejournal.com]

woHOOOO!

You have just inspired me to stop browsing LJ and start typing the longhand stuff I have done for my Long Arie Essay, which is why I booted up the damn computer in the first place.

yay, yay, YAY!

[snurri.livejournal.com]

I'm an inspiration! Nothing makes me happier.

[o-kiki.livejournal.com]

Awesome! Congrats, Dave.

[snurri.livejournal.com]

Thanks! (Rosalie?)