ROW80 Check In 8/10/11 – I’m Finished! |

ROW80 Check In 8/10/11 – I’m Finished!

August 10, 2011 by Lauralynn Elliott

At 10:40 PM Tuesday, August 9, I finished the second novella in the Libby Fox series. I finished almost 10,000 words ahead of where I was supposed to be at this point. I wrote 2800 words tonight, which is a first for me since starting ROW80. That may not be a lot of words for some of you, but it’s a lot for me. My hands hurt, my butt hurts from sitting…but my heart is light. 🙂

I agonized a little over the ending. It’s probably going to make a few readers mad, but it will also make them want to read the final novella if they want to finish the story. (I still think it could be read as a stand alone story.) And I did put at the end to watch for the next novella in December. Yeah, I know it’s not a good idea to mentioned a release date, but unless something really bad happens, I should be able to do it. I wasn’t sure whether or not to end it the way I did, but in the end, I had to do what felt right. I was in Libby’s head so deeply that I had to write what she wanted me to.

So now what do I do? Of course there will be editing, but I also should be able to work on my short story that I started. And I’m also getting Starfane ready for print. But top priority will be editing right now. Wow…I can’t believe I’m done.

33 Responses

on August 10, 2011 at 3:32 am | Reply jamilajamison

What an accomplishment! So happy to hear that you’ve finished the novella. Take some time to enjoy yourself before digging into edits and the next WIP. 😀
- on August 10, 2011 at 8:22 am | Reply Lauralynn Elliott
  
  Thanks, Jamila. This might be a good time to play some computer games. :0)
on August 10, 2011 at 4:09 am | Reply Claire Farrell

Yay on finishing! You’ve flown through this one, so you probably won’t have any trouble sticking to the release date you’ve set. Well done on finishing this ahead of time. 🙂
- on August 10, 2011 at 8:24 am | Reply Lauralynn Elliott
  
  Thanks, Claire! This project has gone a little more smoothly than any others. I just hope I didn’t write a bunch of crap. LOL. I sent a copy off to my first beta reader last night, completely unedited and unproofed. After I go through the first proofing, I’ll send it to a couple more.
  - on August 12, 2011 at 5:58 pm | Reply Claire Farrell
    
    I’m sure it isn’t a bunch of crap. 😀 I could never let anyone read my very first draft, they would never speak to me again. I hate myself for making me reread them. 😉
on August 10, 2011 at 8:34 am | Reply Kait Nolan

:cheers: Congrats! There’s nothing like writing “the end”. Now what are you gonna do to celebrate?
- on August 10, 2011 at 8:41 am | Reply Lauralynn Elliott
  
  Thanks, Kait! I’m probably going to buy myself some Big Fish games. I might even splurge on a collector’s edition. LOL
on August 10, 2011 at 9:06 am | Reply Rebecca J Fleming

Awesome work on finishing the novella 😀 Typing for long periods of time is agony for the body, but the feeling of actually finishing something would make it feel worthwhile, I’m sure (I say this as someone who is yet to finish a draft…).

Good luck with book 3!
- on August 10, 2011 at 9:31 am | Reply Lauralynn Elliott
  
  Thanks, Rebecca. Even though my body was telling me to stop, my mind was saying “I have to finish this”. My husband interrupted me right in the middle of a love scene to ask me to help him bring in the ladder to change the light bulbs. LOL. But afterwards, I carried on. :0)
on August 10, 2011 at 11:34 am | Reply Stacey Wallace Benefiel

Yay! Awesome job. You definitely deserve some game time. 🙂 Now kindly pass your good writing groove on to me. Ha! No, really.
- on August 10, 2011 at 1:21 pm | Reply Lauralynn Elliott
  
  Thanks, Stacey! I do enjoy my games. If I could pass along some mojo I certainly would!
on August 10, 2011 at 11:35 am | Reply Matt

Mentioning a release date can be bad… but it can also be motivation :-).

Also, computer gaming is a great, time-honored way of rewarding one’s self. And by time-honored, I mean since computers have been around, of course. Whatever they lack in time, they make up for in honor.

How many husbands does it take to change a lightbulb? None, I flail at my wife to go do it when in the middle of a scene! Nah, just kidding… the couch isn’t all that comfortable. :-p
- on August 10, 2011 at 1:23 pm | Reply Lauralynn Elliott
  
  Matt, it’s a good thing I wasn’t drinking anything or I would have spewed it everywhere. I’m laughing out loud.
on August 10, 2011 at 11:46 am | Reply Susan Bischoff

Congrats, girl!
- on August 10, 2011 at 1:24 pm | Reply Lauralynn Elliott
  
  Thanks, Susan!
on August 10, 2011 at 12:19 pm | Reply crystalcip

Fantastic!!! I hope to post something similar somtime in the future LOL.
- on August 10, 2011 at 1:26 pm | Reply Lauralynn Elliott
  
  You will, Crystal! As soon as our internet is back up here at work I want to go to your blog and see that cover. Right now I’m struggling to type comments on my Droid. Lol.
on August 10, 2011 at 12:42 pm | Reply Nadja Notariani

Congratulations! Finishing feels terrific.
I’m currently editing…….and all I can say is best of luck! It’s satisfying to have that copy in front of you with nothing to do but tweak and correct, but talk about a butt-ache – ha! I feel as if I’ll never be out of this chair……..I may add a cushion…lol.

Again, congrats! ~ Nadja
- on August 10, 2011 at 1:29 pm | Reply Lauralynn Elliott
  
  Thanks, Nadia! I actually did add a cushion. Lol. I dread the editing but it’s a necessary evil. I hate it when I find where something in the story contradicts something else. That’s a pain to fix sometimes. I don’t mind correcting typos and such.
on August 10, 2011 at 1:31 pm | Reply Gene Lempp

Congrats! What a huge accomplishment and sure a big sigh of relief. All the best for the editing round and beyond. You’re on fire!
- on August 10, 2011 at 4:23 pm | Reply Lauralynn Elliott
  
  Thanks, Gene! There was definitely a sigh of relief. 🙂
on August 10, 2011 at 3:54 pm | Reply millibee

Congratulations on finishing your novella, Lauralynn. Have fun celebrating. 😀

Milli
- on August 10, 2011 at 4:24 pm | Reply Lauralynn Elliott
  
  Thanks, Millibee! There will be much playing of the games. LOL
on August 10, 2011 at 4:11 pm | Reply Amber Stults

It’s got to be a good feeling to write “The End” and know you can set it aside for a bit before editing. And you finished early, even. Congrats!
- on August 10, 2011 at 4:25 pm | Reply Lauralynn Elliott
  
  Thanks, Amber. It’s a great feeling. I just hope it’s not crap. I usually take a few days and let things stew before I take up editing. That way I have a fresh eye on things and can pretend someone else wrote it so I can see if it entertains or not. 🙂
on August 10, 2011 at 9:26 pm | Reply Jody Moller

Awesome. Congrats. I hope the editing goes as smoothly as the writing has.
- on August 10, 2011 at 10:53 pm | Reply Lauralynn Elliott
  
  Thanks, Jody. I hope it does, too. 🙂
on August 10, 2011 at 11:47 pm | Reply J.R. Pearse Nelson

Amazing work! Can’t wait to read it, your description has me intrigued.
- on August 11, 2011 at 9:07 am | Reply Lauralynn Elliott
  
  Thanks, J.R.! As soon as I get the obvious typos, etc. taken care of, I’ll send it to you since you agreed to beta read for me. 🙂
on August 11, 2011 at 12:14 pm | Reply Tiffany A White

YAY! I’m finished must be so fun to type and scream out loud! Good luck with the edits and your short story. 🙂
- on August 11, 2011 at 2:07 pm | Reply Lauralynn Elliott
  
  It was great to type those words, Tiffany! Thanks!
on August 11, 2011 at 5:01 pm | Reply Robin McCormack

Congratulations. Can’t wait to read it.
- on August 11, 2011 at 6:13 pm | Reply Lauralynn Elliott
  
  Thanks so much, Robin!