My novel manuscript just cruised past the 20,000-word mark, meaning the first draft is a little more than one-third finished. And the people rejoiced!
Internalizing Hemingway's quote about first drafts ("The first draft of anything is shit") is tremendously liberating. Some days you're inspired; the words flow from your fingers as if by magic. Other days, it's a grueling slog. Those are the days I find comfort in the Hemingway quote and keep on writing. Yeah, whatever I do today will certainly have to be revised about four or five times before it's finished. Yes, what's coming out may indeed appear to be a bunch of crap on this particular day. Stay with it, though, believe in your plot line, characters, and story world, and the finished product will be excellent.
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