Arnold Schwarzenegger: The Writer's Coach

In my best Arnold Schwarzenegger voice I say, "It's not a poem." I have posted many poems lately instead of anything about writing or my novel. April was National Poetry Month and I definitely took advantage of this fact to take a break from my novel and write my heart out in poetry. Poetry, as I have stated, is my first love.

But, Poetry Month has ended, my collection of poems have been expanded, and it is again time to get back to the novel.  When last we were tuned in....I was about to start writing Chapter Thirty Two, but had to complete the edits on Chapter Thirty and now Thirty-One First.  My poems were a nice distraction from editing.  I love editing, except that it takes great concentration, which at present I have been having problems with, but it also takes great time allocation, again which I at present did not have much of.  Added to those barriers, every Spring seems to be filled with work meetings and, since work pays the bills, that needed the necessary attention.

My work meeting is now completed. I am back home a little more tired and still busy with the aftermath of the meeting, but able to dig into my writing again. I also put off editing because Chapter Thirty is a longer chapter so editing would take that much more time and attention. It turned out that having an appointment where you have to sit around for a long time gives you what you need to do a bit of editing.  I am one step closer to being able to start Chapter Thirty Two writing.

This is exciting for multiple reasons.  One, this chapter will continue the conflict of the characters and probably be the penultimate chapter for the action and consequence of the book.  (No pressure there right?!?)  And, two, it may actually be the second to last chapter of my book.  It is like running a really long marathon and being able to round a corner and see the ticker tape you have to run through to complete the race and take home the trophy.

That does not mean the race is over. After completing the last chapter there are a few things that need to be done:

1. Edit;
2. Read the novel and make sure it flows;
3. Edit the novel to make sure it flows;
4. Name the novel (currently my book is like a baby without a name);
4.  Edit;
5.  Edit;
6.  Decide how to proceed with getting it published;
7.  Edit;
8.  Type The End and take a sigh of relief;
9.  Send out for publishing as decided;
10. Wake up the next morning and start my SECOND NOVEL!

You probably see the theme of the work I will be doing now that I am nearing the end of my first novel.  I already know what I want to write for my second novel and my fingers are aching to start.  That probably won't be for a while because I know that the editing process will be long and continuous for a while. So as I put in my edits for Chapter Thirty and dream and long to see the end of my novel there are two worries I currently have:

What in the world am I going to title this book!!!!

and...

The final edit of the entire novel!  

(Lord give me patience with myself and not demand perfection just possibility).  Every writer when they are editing are a bit of a perfectionist.  I am no different.  I am also not a very patient person in some matters, other matters I have all the patience in the world, but since I know what I want for my second novel, and I am so close to the ending of the first, I can feel the creepy, crawly, nagging bug of impatience scratch up my leg bothering me.

For now I push aside the nagging bug, and I look down at my paper and not at the fanfare in the distance waving the flags that say The End.  I will make it to the end of my race with a sense of accomplishment and much more plan and insight for the next novel I write.  With Arnold Schwarzenegger's voice again in my head I hear, in his thick accent,"Focus!" No one wants to cross Arnold so it is back to the writing and of course as prefaced in the list above...the editing.