Holy Crap, I Just Wrote A Novel

Happy Monday, Peeps!

Okay, if you're anything like me, I know what you're thinking - WTF is happy about Monday?

Well, even though I still have to drag my butt out of bed today to go to work, and even though I still have to get some form of dinner on the table when I get home, I'll still be smiling (barring disaster) BECAUSE:

I FINISHED THE FIRST DRAFT OF MY THIRD MANUSCRIPT!

Rock-N-Roll!

My nephew Evan rocks hardcore. It's in the genes.

Those of you who read my Writing Outside Your Comfort Zone post (and thank you, if you did) know that this one was particularly challenging for me. I decided halfway through to make it a romance AND a mind-bender, and I was terrified I'd screw it up.

Of course, it hasn't gone to my betas yet, so there's a good chance I *did* screw it up. But we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

But even if this ms hadn't been particularly involved, I'm pretty sure I'd still feel the same way about finishing it - The "Holy-Crap-I-Just-Wrote-A-Novel" High.

I've written three manuscripts. By now, it should be nothing new, right?

Except that all three times, it felt like I would never finish.

All three times, the word count seemed to creep up at a snail's pace, until I was sure I didn't have enough plot for a full-length novel.

All three times, I was juggling work and home and family and friends, and telling myself there weren't nearly enough hours in the day to ever get this done.

And all three times, I was dead wrong. Because finishing a manuscript is a huge deal, no matter what your situation, no matter if it's the third or the thirtieth. It's an accomplishment that no one else can take away from you.

It's a high well earned. And whether it sits in a drawer or makes it to the bookshelf, it's still the product of long hours and hard work and love poured into every page - it is something to be proud of.

I'd like to think that if I ever stop feeling the "Holy-Crap-I-Just-Wrote-A-Novel High, then that's when it's time to hang up my writing hat. Because I want to feel this way EVERY SINGLE TIME I write something...

...Right up until the ugly reality of revisions hits home. (Cue buzzkill music)

Have you felt the Holy-Crap-I-Just-Wrote-A-Novel High lately? Do you feel it every time? And most importantly - how do you celebrate?