On Writing 'The End'

And then deleting it.

Photo by hannah grace on Unsplash

I wrote a few weeks ago about my current WIP, a reality TV themed romcom, where the TV show is a sort of MAFS-Love Island hybrid, with Pride and Prej mirroring, Derbyshire peaks, Kentish coastlines, villains and allies and haters to lovers.

Well, I’ve finished the first draft.

Early in the morning, on Thursday 8th February, I wrote The End. And then deleted it, because that’s just for show, really. But not before snapping a photo I posted all over my social media, because I’m a millennial; of course I share every aspect of my life online.

I know that a lot of writers are quite secretive about their drafts, and I guess I can be, and certainly have been in the past, but I’m hoping by sharing news, however small, about this one, it’ll hold me accountable. So here we are.

Anyway, there’s nothing quite like finishing the first draft and performatively typing those two little words, because the act of finishing a first draft is actually quite huge. And it’s almost never the right length, the dialogue is often a bit wooden, you’re yet to hone the nuance and it’s speckled with plot holes that need knotting together. But it feels like such a massive release, like a big, hearty scream into the wind or when you exhale after a breath that fills your lungs all the way up. The main bits are down, the rest comes with editing.

And I think that’s really important to remember it’s just that; a draft. It’s the messily crocheted blanket you’re going to tidy up with fancy scalloped edging. It’s the layer cake, cooling on the rack, waiting to be filled and frosted. It’s really just getting everything down in the document, a secret, between you and the page.

So now it’s on to the next bit, because, just because I wrote a book, it’s only half baked at this point and my work is far from done. And, I’m throwing in another baking analogy here because I like cake: It’s like when you shake the tin to see if the cake’s done, and the top’s still wobbly. That is to say, it needs more time in the oven.

At this point in the journey, I am completely obsessed with The Matchmakers. I’ve lived and breathed it for months. I’ve had late nights and early mornings. I’ve thought about plot points whilst swimming lengths at the gym (this is a fantastic way to multitask, by the way). I’ve had long discussions with my husband about how a man would react in certain situations, and with my children about exactly when roadman jargon entered the lexicon, and how to apply it, and shower epiphanies about just how to write the break into the third act.

I tend to leave the manuscript for a bit. Not long though, just a couple of days, because I’m actually longing to get back into it, and I’ve forgotten bits, and my favourite part of editing is my reaction to those bits as I rediscover them. Barking laughter at snappy one liners, coos and flutters at the bits I wrote specifically to make your heart squeeze, all the good stuff.

So that’s where I’m at. Exciting times. One step closer. On to the edits. Let’s gooooo!

Draft ✅

Edits

Betas

Edits

Synopsis and Blurb

Query

Wish me luck!