Red: First Draft Finished…Now What?

I finished the first draft of Red. 

And there was much rejoicing.

http://twitter.com/#!/kaitnolan/status/98492640567373824

Then I promptly texted my CPs and called the Magnificent Laurie McLean to tell her it was finished and heap on a mountain of warning clauses and codicils amounting to “It’s not perfect and needs revision.”  Then I made the audacious claim, “I’m going to take a break.  If I last more than 3 days, it’ll be a miracle.”

Then I left the office early to go to the local frozen yogurt place because it was a PEANUT BUTTER DAY.  This was my compromise with myself because usually I get a big fabulous cheeseburger from Mugshots as my celebratory thing and the yogurt is way less bad for you.  But when I got there THEY WERE OUT! HOW DARE THEY!

So I came on homeI sat on the sofa and bemoaned my lack of peanut butter yogurt and had a piece of Swiss cheese, which totally did NOT cover celebratory goodness.  Checked my email in case Laurie or Susan happen to read faster than Han completed the Kessler run.

Then I put away two loads of clothes, mixed up a loaf of gluten free bread and set it to rise, did the dishes, and spent a while debating whether I was going to break my aim at a 2 day GIT streak and get the cheeseburger anyway, and sat down again exactly 2 hours after I typed The End to realize…

Um, I don’t know how to take a break.  :eyetwitch:

Susan suggested I get a non-writing related hobby.  :eyetwitch:

What the heck would that be?  My paint your own pottery plans are on hold until my wrists stop acting up because I can’t currently do the detail work I want.  I have no interest in learning to knit.  It’s too bloody hot to do ANYTHING relating to outside right now (we are in the hundred and TEENS heat indexes this week and are all making like the Wicked Witch of the West) and I don’t live somewhere where I can sail, hike, or horseback ride (okay there is that, but I can’t afford it).  Diablo 3 doesn’t come out for another…I don’t know how long, but it’s not out right now.  I am…at a loss.

So instead I am charging my Nook and reading The Near Witch and NOT getting that cheeseburger.  :cries: 

21 thoughts on “Red: First Draft Finished…Now What?

  1. Congratulations! And now you don’t know what to do with yourself. LOL. I’m sure everyone will get back to you soon, then there will be editing.

    You know, my boss is just like you. He doesn’t know what else to do except work.

    I’m so sorry there was no peanut butter yogurt. I can’t believe you passed up the cheeseburger. I know it was hard. Good for you!

  2. Great job finishing your draft!

    I know what you mean, it’s really hard to *stop* when you’ve been going going going for so long. I become very obsessive about my work. It’s not healthy, so I have to make myself stop even when I don’t want to.

  3. Super congrats Kait on finishing Red! Woo hoo 🙂
    Non-writing hobbies? Yeah, I don’t seem to know anything about that. Normally I’d say bake…but it would seem you can go outside and bake…so that won’t do. I hope you stay cool, that sounds like some brutal temperatures! And again…congrats!

    Marie

  4. “… and under twelve parsecs later, I had a book.”

    – Lines I need to remember for the inevitable “How do you do it” question.

    Congrats! 🙂

  5. Congratulations, Kait. 😀 Hang in there. I have a feeling there’s some well-earned peanut butter yoghurt coming your way very soon.

  6. Congratulations! But yeah, I sympathise – that first little while after finishing a book, I can’t help but wonder what on earth I usually do when I’m not writing. Possibly because I’m usually writing.

  7. Awww…so sorry about the peanut butter yogurt. That sounds good. Except now I’m also craving a cheeseburger. Sigh. Congrats on finishing Red!!! And definitely take a break. Reading would be my first choice. Or catching up on tv shows that have piled up on the DVR. One of the things I love to do when I just want to give my brain some candy is watch soaps. I know, I know. But they’re fun, okay. 😀

  8. Congrats on finishing Red. Finishing a first draft is an amazing feeling. Boo on the yogurt place for not being ready with a victory treat. That just means you can have two yogurts next time you’re there! But yes, I agree. It is difficult to settle on a non-writing hobby when you’ve concentrated on a WIP for awhile. It’s like Sundays. Wanna go and do something, but nothing is open. I’m sure you’ll find something. Congrats again.

  9. Congratulations dear heart. So sorry you didn’t get your peanut butter. You are so much stronger than me. I would have gone for the cheeseburger or worse – peanut butter cups. Let’s see – what to so on your break beside read. Hmm! When I’m at a loss, I turn to my nook. *grin* Can’t wait to read Red!

  10. Congratulations on finishing your draft!!!!!! =D Hmm… what is there to do when it is so hot… sleep? Watch a movie? Looks like you’ve got cooking/baking down… is there a way to make peanut butter frozen yogurt? =D I think I once made ice cream with the inside of a coconut and vanilla extract somehow, but I have no idea how yogurt would work out…
    Definitely relax a bit before the editing stage! =)

  11. Congrats! I totally understand about your PB letdown. If I have something on the brain and I can’t get it, I search in vain for a substitute and waste time (and calories) and am still unsatisfied. I hope you get your literal and figurative PB soon!

  12. Kudos on a hilarious post! Take it from a fellow compulsive worker – who appreciates how hard it is to simply ‘leave it alone’ for a day (let alone two or three!) – you were so right to be besmirched that they were out of the feature flavor of the day when you were trying to reward yourself in a healthy -choice -sort- of -way! I happen to have a favorite, fluff-a-nutter, and it runs out constantly….ggrrrr.
    But a big way to go for not caving and mangling that cheeseburger that was calling…..and, of course, for finishing your book! ~ Nadja

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