Phew.
I have finally finished my first draft of the short story I was considering in my last post.
It was a fight.
Not because of the fiction aspect, which I enjoyed immensely, but because, for better or for worse, it turned out to be a science fiction story leaning toward hard sci-fi.
I had to research. Hours of research. As much time researching as spent writing. Maybe more.
I am no rocket scientist, and yet I spent hours reading about Delta V, orbits, the use of radar in space, specific impulse, and Indonesian swear words. Writing is funny like that.
I feel relieved to have finished. Elated. The next step lies ahead: editing. I am not confident I have all the science correct, so I need to check it and have it checked. I am not confident the story builds to a satisfying climax, so I need to have people read it, and I need a break away to come back to it. There are many things I think will need to change, and the emphasis on some things early on may need to shift or be removed. It may also be the start of a novel, and if it is, then that needs planning, otherwise I need to cut the word count significantly. So much to think about, and much to do.
All that aside however, the first draft is done. Done. Done and I am thrilled. I have the next story lined up in my mind (the next half a dozen truth be told), so we’ll see how it goes. I need to come back to this one, but I want to spend time away to asses it properly. It may be a week, it may mean writing something else in the meantime. Either way, I loved it, and am looking forward (strangely) to editing it.