First First

I have finished my first draft of my first book. It is the longest thing I have ever written and in a way it's only half finished. If I think about it, it's really only one fourth of the way done. It's a strange feeling to have actually reached the first step in the writing process though.

When I was working on it I didn't really think about what it would be like to finish it. I guess I kind of expected it to feel good. It doesn't though. It doesn't feel bad at all but nor does it feel good. It's the same feeling I get after finishing reading a book. Like a hole. Like something that was there now isn't. I don't know if that quite expresses it.

I remember the sensation of writing it. It felt like being a kind of pipe. The pipe can't see where the water comes from and doesn't have any concept of where it's going. It just experiences the flow. The story just passes through me like it existed all along. I guess a lot of writers say that, don't they?

OK, back to work.

As always, think responsibly.