It’s amazing how when you push yourself towards a goal how much that you can accomplish.

Just finished up Milestone #12 of the Challenge. One more week to go and I’m excited about finishing up this draft.

Last week, I met the Challenge goal and now I’m doing a “personal” best goal, and with my current progress, I’m going to make it! I can see the finish line.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that I’m done with the novel by any means. If anything, it’s shown me that with focused attention, that I can finish a draft in 3 months. I’ve always been a “careful” writer and this lesson has taught me that I can get the structure of the novel down first and then come back to revise.

I’m now a believer that a draft’s purpose is to let the story and characters speak to you. A draft is where you find the heart of the story, where your passion for writing is important. The draft’s purpose is not to be “perfect.”

Revision is where writing craft makes its appearance. And honestly, for me, this is where I really start to love the process. Yes, I’m weird. But I’m sure it comes from my technology background. I love tinkering and solving problems.

Here’s the stats of Week #12:

Total for Week #12: 8,644

M-302
T-3,410
W-2,551
TH-705
F-0
S-0
Su-1,676

Total for the Summer Challenge: 54,986 words

Words to Challenge Goal: +9,486 words

Words to Personal Challenge Goal: 5,014 words

This is the last quote of the Challenge, and it’s by far my most favorite one. So I’ve saved the best for last. It’s from The Faith of a Writer: Life, Craft, Art by Joyce Carol Oates.

“The first draft may be stumbling and exhausting, but the next draft or drafts will be soaring and exhilarating. Only have faith: the first sentence can’t be written until the last sentence has been written. Only then do you know where you’ve been going, and where you’ve been. The novel is the affliction for which only the novel is the cure.”

One more week to go in the Challenge…

Other Posts You Might Like:

Summer Challenge Milestone #11
Summer Challenge Final Milestone