First Draft

 

I recently finished the first draft of the book I'm writing. Finishing the first draft is a big deal. Most of my novels never get that far. I probably have 30 books in various levels of completion, and I have only finished the first draft of 3 of them.

I remember the first book I actually finished. It was my first chapter book; it was where it all started. I finished the first draft while I was sitting in a class my mom was teaching. I could barely contain my excitement as I sat there in the back of the room, bouncing in the hard school desk as I got closer and closer to writing that final sentence. I bit my lip to keep from squealing as the final word was on paper. Back when I did most of my writing with actual pen and paper. As soon as I knew I wouldn't disrupt the class I jumped up and down and told mom the news.

I had just as much excitement with the next book I finished and now this one. But the excitement only lasts a little while before getting hit with the realization that now I have to edit. And re-write. And re-edit. And hire an actual editor. And try to get it published. Suddenly the monumental accomplishment of finishing the first draft doesn't seem so monumental.

I never actually edited that first book, or the second, and I am editing this most recent one but I’m dreading the task. I only finished that first draft a week or so ago, yet already the excitement has now totally worn off and I've moved on to the next step. Why are we so quick to stop celebrating? I've been working on this particular book for about 10 years or more. Ten years! And I finally finished, and I only celebrate for 10 minutes? It deserves way more than that! And it got me thinking, what else haven't I properly celebrated?

Sure, we celebrate the big things, the holidays, the birthdays, the weddings and graduations, and we celebrate them for a full day at the very least, if not a whole week or even months! But what about the little things? Or rather, the more personal things? The things we slowly work away at for years, sometimes without even knowing it. Or the things we accomplish privately. Or completing a big step in an even bigger project, like my first draft. Don’t they deserve a celebration too?

So, here’s your reminder to celebrate those moments, those victories. And to let yourself celebrate them for more than just 10 minutes. Yea, it might just be the first draft of many, but every story has to start somewhere. So let's celebrate!