I finished the first draft of my 6th novel (code name: DTA2) yesterday. It was quite a struggle. I’ve never had a book fight me like this one did.
It was giving me such a hard time that I finally had to sit the book down and have a long talk. It was enlightening, once we got the pleasantries out of the way.
Me: What do you mean, you’re not going to let me finish! I have to finish!
Book: No you don’t. You’ll never finish. You’ll just push me aside, like you always do.
Me: Push you aside? What are you talking about? I’ve never-
Book: Look at me. You started me in first person, then switched to third.
Me: Well, I thought you’d work better-
Book: You left me this way!
Me: Yes, but-
Book: Don’t ‘yes, but’ me! I’m a mess because of you. Look how lopsided I am!
Me: Just until I write the ending-
Book: Which you never will.
Me: Of course I will. I-
Book: Don’t kid yourself. Until I’m fixed, until I can hold my head tall and not tilt to the side, there will be no ending. And that’s final. I’m not going to be ‘one of those’ books who goes around half undone. Do it right, or don’t do it at all.
Me: But I promise! As soon as-
Book: You’ll get caught up in another project. I know you. Fix me now or leave me alone forever.
Me: But-
Book: No you don’t. You’ll never finish. You’ll just push me aside, like you always do.
Me: Push you aside? What are you talking about? I’ve never-
Book: Look at me. You started me in first person, then switched to third.
Me: Well, I thought you’d work better-
Book: You left me this way!
Me: Yes, but-
Book: Don’t ‘yes, but’ me! I’m a mess because of you. Look how lopsided I am!
Me: Just until I write the ending-
Book: Which you never will.
Me: Of course I will. I-
Book: Don’t kid yourself. Until I’m fixed, until I can hold my head tall and not tilt to the side, there will be no ending. And that’s final. I’m not going to be ‘one of those’ books who goes around half undone. Do it right, or don’t do it at all.
Me: But I promise! As soon as-
Book: You’ll get caught up in another project. I know you. Fix me now or leave me alone forever.
Me: But-
That’s when I found myself talking to a blank page.
So I caved. I had to, the book was right. I would want to set it aside as soon as I wrote the ending.
I spent three solid days converting the first 80 pages of the book from first person to third. As soon as that was done, the book moved out of my way and let me write that ending.
I hate it when my book is right and I’m wrong.