Update: Writing

On 6/611 I finished my novel Mind's Prison.

Yeah, yeah, ten days ago I finished my eighth novel and didn't write about it. I was busy. (And I didn't feel like blogging.) I knew how the novel was going to end for a few weeks, and I suppose it didn't feel like a big deal when I finally wrote the final sentence. In the back of my mind I was worried I wouldn't finish it, or wouldn't finish it by August 25th (UArts' orientation!), so I kind of felt relieved when I finished Mind's Prison. (I don't know why I worried. I've written seven before, and I always finish them when they're so close to the end.)

Mind's Prison is 78,000 words, and is extra special to me because it is my last novel before I go to college this fall. It might even be my last novel until 2015, because I don't intend to write any more novels while in college. Yeah, I'll write short stories (all my liberal arts electives will be in creative writing... fiction, playwriting/screenwriting, and even poetry--how's that for exciting?), but I don't want to wreck my grades just because I was writing a novel. (Not that that would ever happen. When I have a paper due or something, I can't write my novel. I have to write the paper, even if it's due in a few weeks. I get it into my head that the paper needs to be finished before I write my own stuff. *shrug*)

I've been writing Mind's Prison on and off since December 4th, 2010. I took a month long break at one point, while I rewrote my very first novel, then picked MP back up, though I continued slowly, not wanting to rush it. Usually I finish novels within three or four months, so I'm actually surprised I could stick with MP for so long.

I kind of thought that--once I finished writing MP--I would take a break for a bit. But no. Now I've gotten it into my head to edit one of my rare short stories into a semi-children's book for my nine- and five-year-old cousins. I've even drawn four pictures to go along with the story (though I think I need at least two more). It's kind of fun. I also might write a short story this summer. I've got an interesting idea in mind, but I don't think the plot could be a novel--a bit complex if I had to go into detail like a novel would require--so I might be good. (Though, knowing me, I'll want to turn it into a novel anyway. Maybe eventually.)

So my plan for the summer: 1) finish illustrating a short story for my cousins, 2) possibly write a short story and have enough will power not to turn it into a novel that I won't have time to finish. That's the writing plan, anyway. The dancing and getting-ready-for-UArts part of the summer is going to be hectic.