That was interesting...

I finished the manuscript I mentioned recently. It's not quite a novel (~900 words short, d'oh!). It's gone to beta (on which I've asked for a ridiculously quick turn-around). And it's a prime example of what you can accomplish when you get out of your own way. (It also helps to have an arbitrary, semi-self-imposed deadline, but that's another post.) See, I started this particular story in the spring of 2008. I know, I know. No need to tell me how lame I am; I am fully aware. But you see, I was trying to make the story something it wasn't, and so every time I revisited it, I kept getting stuck at roughly the same place.

Cue the arbitrary, semi-self-imposed deadline...

I looked at what I had--and promptly cut 3200 words off the end of it because THEY JUST DIDN'T MATTER. And roughly three weeks later I have a completed almost-novel. (I tried to tip it over the 50K mark, I really did. But the story was having none of it.) I also have a nifty (IMO) new culture and some seriously steamy (IMO) f/f goodness. Now to see what my beleaguered betas have to say. Which reminds me, another friend offered to beta this one. I should see if she was serious. The more the merrier, right?