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Progress report: words for every page

Allison Tait blog
Posted on June 19, 2011

Last night, I finished the first draft of my non-fiction project. The rewrites are already underway, but for five minutes there, last night, at approximately 11.45pm, I had a moment. The knowledge that there were words for every page. Perhaps not perfect words. Not yet. But words.

I cannot tell you how relieved I was. Me, here. In the middle of the night. In a dark, quiet house. Under the one burning light in the whole place. While my boys snored in their beds and dreamed their dreams in the other rooms.

I let out a small ‘yay’. And realised once again that yaying by yourself is not all that satisfying. So I tweeted a small ‘yay’.  Two lovely tweeps immediately popped up with cyber back slaps and congratulations and promises to read the final product when it’s published.

My little moment became a shared moment.

You’ve got to love the internet.

30 Comments

  1. Beth Ann

    Congratulations! That’s fantastic.

  2. Seana Smith

    Well done that woman. Hope you can give yourself a wee minute off, time to contemplate navel, pick nose etc etc. The first draft is the hardest for sure.

  3. deer baby

    YAY and DOUBLE YAY!

  4. Kylie

    YAY to the MAX!! That’s a great moment. When I finished the first draft of Last Summer I saved and closed the file, went to my parents place for dinner and then burst into tears at the table. It’s an emotional moment, to be sure. Can’t wait to read it!

  5. River

    Here’s one more Yay!!

  6. Pamela Cook

    Brings back memories. I yayed and cried when I finished the draft of my first novel after 5 years. A week later I realised how much work was ahead in revision but I still savour that wonderful feeling of accomplishment.

  7. Donna

    Yay indeed! God bless the internet and its ability to never sleep and always find someone to celebrate with you :0

    hope you are still carrying this sense of accomplishment with you as you face the next step!

  8. Maxabella

    Yay yay yay and oh yeah yay! x

  9. Grace

    Isn’t it great how the internet allows you to celebrate special moments like that ? Well done.
    Thanks for reading my Weekend Rewind post 🙂

  10. Kristy

    Oh, gawd, that always feels good. Well done.

  11. Jodie Ansted

    Yay for you! *slaps high five*

    Can’t wait to see the finished work!!!

  12. Jennifer Smart

    Congratulations! Such an achievement.
    Finished my first draft a few weeks ago & am just letting the dust settle before the rewrite.
    Look forward to following your progress.
    BTW – loved the What’s a fibro? comment!
    J x

  13. Love in a B and B

    Your seemingly effortless talent + hard slog tenacity = winning formula. A well deserved thump on back from me. Do give yourself a little break before starting on the next draft? You are inspiring so many. K xx

  14. Cate Bolt

    I loved that moment. My moment, yours was nice I’m sure but I enjoyed mine better. It was bitter sweet though, for me – I cried all through the last page. Kinda like that ugly child birth cry – so emotional. I could have never anticipated how emotional I would be.
    So YAY to you. Good job.

  15. thepowmill

    Way to go , Allison ! The bones are in place . You have accomplished a great step forward .

  16. Diminishing Lucy

    Well done Al.

    And for your next deadline – make it the other end of the year so you’re not doing all this in the slanket cold!

    xx

  17. Mum on the Run

    Congratulations!
    You’ve almost got that litle monkey off your back.
    🙂

  18. Melanie

    Congratulations! I’m excited for you! You are a very talented woman!

  19. Jen

    Congratulations! Feels so good doesn’t it? I did the same thing because I was home by myself and I just had to tell somebody! Maybe we could do a critique exchange when you’re ready 🙂

  20. Denwise aka Denyse Whelan

    As well as the “gold” * ones!
    *good – above!
    Both fit. Gotta love that 🙂

  21. Denwise aka Denyse Whelan

    Sending you those good stars!!!
    ************************************
    Denyse x

  22. InkPaperPen

    A big YAY! from me also. And I’ll throw in a WOO HOO for good measure!

  23. E.

    I’ll add a Yay here too!

  24. Alison

    Something I would love to know… What is a fibro??
    Congrats with the writing BTW. If it’s ok with you I will look you up on Twitter.
    x

  25. Kevin

    Congrats! I look forward to a bigger YAY when you are done with the final rewrite.

  26. House of Prowse

    Hi Pink Fibro,
    Congrats.
    New to following you and understand your joy.
    I also “love” the quiet house time “when all the kids are sleeping and the husband has gone to bed, up jumped the Mummy and this is what she said!… tap tap tap on the keyboard.
    I too live in a fibro – swiss style with the flywire on the inside!
    I have some draft kids books and needing advice on getting someone to “proof” them.
    I’m at houseofprowse.
    Read you later, Kristy

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